The Steel Guitar Forum

Have started lap steel guitar instruction and want to know if there are instruction books on writing tablature? Robert J. Wood

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Honestly, no. TAB is very incosistent from book to book and cricle of people to circle. It's not the best form of musical communication so I don't think anyone has spent the time to create a manual. There may be some basic references out there but, again could be inconsistent.

Thank you AJ Azure. But very disappointing for a songwriter. Robert J. Wood, Bellingham, WA

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The preeminent steel guitar tab man is Bill Chaviers, a fellow SteelGuitarForum member. Check out his website:
http://www.billchaviers.com/

Robert, Tab is easy to learn and will save you alot of time in learning. It's a mega business for guitar and bass and also steel. Go to any of the guitar tab sites on the web and they will have a good explanation on how to read tab. Its the best way in the the world to learn a song fast. You have to listen to the actual recording to get the phrasing right, but that goes without saying no matter who's song your trying to learn. Tab was around way back when they wrote Lute music, were talking hundreds of years ago. Olga, Harmony central both should have what you need to learn. Good luck... <font size="1" color="#8e236b"><p align="center">[This message was edited by Jesse Pearson on 06 January 2006 at 12:39 AM.]</p></FONT>

Robert, i defintiely did not intend to discourage. I would say get something like Tabledit and use that standard as your standard.

My main point is that TAB with out rhythmic notation will limit what you're able to udnerstand. if you cam work in rhythmic notation it should work ok.You could also set yourself a long term goal of learning music notation too. As a songwriter you'll be doing yourself a service.

_A<font size="1" color="#8e236b"><p align="center">[This message was edited by AJ Azure on 06 January 2006 at 05:09 PM.]</p></FONT>

Thanks to Jeff Au Hoy. I am awaiting arrival of my Artisan Lap Steel Guitar, Metallic Black. Will get it tuned up and ready to play. I am anxious to begin tabbing the harmony on songs I have written.

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Thanks to Jesse Pearson & AJ Azure! Reading tab is not a problem. I have books by Dewitt Scott, Roberto Filiberto and Don Helms. I use Band-In-A-Box for rhythm backup, but playing one note tab just doesn't cut it. I need to know how to write harmony tab.

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The fact is that most people writing tab don't know how to read or write rhythmic notation, and most people reading tab wouldn't know how to decipher the rhythmic notation (unless they already read standard notation). I just add the stems and rests etc. as used in standard notation. It's not as good as working with the recording to get the touch, time feel, and nuances, but it gets you a very good seat in the ballpark IMHO.

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http://www.johnmcgann.com
Info for musicians, transcribers, technique tips and fun stuff. Joaquin Murphey transcription book, Rhythm Tuneup DVD and more...

Thanks John McGann! I enjoyed your website.

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The easiest tab is like the old Oahu A Major tab, and E/E7th. It includes the stumming, every space (beat) is accounted for!!
Geo

Thanks,George! I'll look this one up.

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To clarify my questions about tablature. I know have three Artisan Lap Steel Guitars, 1 Metallic Blue, 1 Metallic Red, and the beautiful EA-2Metallic Black. I do not have a problem reading tablature. I am a singer/songwriter and can tab the melodies of my songs. My problem is figuring out the harmony tablature. Playing one note melodies on my lap steel is not what the steel guitar ia about?

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Is your question intended to mean 'How do I figure out which notes to harmonize to the melody?'
If so, you might try putting notes a 6th below the melody note (i.e. if melody = C, then harmony would be the E below it).

Thanks, Paul! My instruction books seem to indicate that there is a chord for every note, or at least a third or a sixth note to go with the melody. Sometimes that approach doesn't seem to work,or maybe it doesn't always work that way. It seems I have to play a lot of single notes before a harmony fits.

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