The Perils of "Free" Guitar Tab - Beware of Alternative Tunings
The Web has so much freely downloadable guitar tab these days that it's no longer a question of whether or not you can find a particular song in tab format, but rather, which rendition you should use to learn it.
This segment of "The Perils of Free Guitar Tab" series discusses the issue of alternative tunings.
There's little more that is frustrating to a guitarist than trying to learn a tune by ear using the standard tuning, when in fact the original artist used an alternative tuning.
If your goal is to sound as close as possible to the original artist you will have very few chances for success if you are using a different tuning.
Unfortunately there is a lot of tab out there that has this problem as tab authors can use the wrong tunings both unintentionally and intentionally.
When tab authors use a wrong tuning unintentionally it's usually due to inexperience.
Take Brown Sugar by The Rolling Stones (ABKO MUSIC, INC.
) for example.
Many versions you'll find are just plain wrong, as this and several other Stone's tunes will tie your fingers in knots if you aren't using an open tuning.
Even if your fingers are double-jointed it would be next to impossible to achieve those signature rhythm tones using the wrong tuning.
Try playing Brown Sugar, Wild Horses, or Honky Tonk Women in standard tuning and you will most likely get nowhere fast.
Sometimes tab authors will intentionally change the tuning to make a song easier to play.
A good example of this is Every Breath You Take by The Police.
These chords are a real stretch in standard tuning and your first thought will be that Andy Summers must use an alternative tuning.
But search the Web and you will find more than one video of him playing this song live and, sure enough, he is in standard tuning - albeit a half step lower.
It's no surprise that the authentic sheet music/guitar tab (EMI MUSIC PUBLISHING LIMITED) got it right.
Granted, It will take some practice and you will discover that you have some undeveloped finger muscles, but the bottom line is if you want to sound like Andy you'll have to learn this one in standard tuning - and use some chorus and digital delay! These are just two examples of how the wrong tunings can lead you to a dead end when you are trying to master your favorite songs.
This segment of "The Perils of Free Guitar Tab" series discusses the issue of alternative tunings.
There's little more that is frustrating to a guitarist than trying to learn a tune by ear using the standard tuning, when in fact the original artist used an alternative tuning.
If your goal is to sound as close as possible to the original artist you will have very few chances for success if you are using a different tuning.
Unfortunately there is a lot of tab out there that has this problem as tab authors can use the wrong tunings both unintentionally and intentionally.
When tab authors use a wrong tuning unintentionally it's usually due to inexperience.
Take Brown Sugar by The Rolling Stones (ABKO MUSIC, INC.
) for example.
Many versions you'll find are just plain wrong, as this and several other Stone's tunes will tie your fingers in knots if you aren't using an open tuning.
Even if your fingers are double-jointed it would be next to impossible to achieve those signature rhythm tones using the wrong tuning.
Try playing Brown Sugar, Wild Horses, or Honky Tonk Women in standard tuning and you will most likely get nowhere fast.
Sometimes tab authors will intentionally change the tuning to make a song easier to play.
A good example of this is Every Breath You Take by The Police.
These chords are a real stretch in standard tuning and your first thought will be that Andy Summers must use an alternative tuning.
But search the Web and you will find more than one video of him playing this song live and, sure enough, he is in standard tuning - albeit a half step lower.
It's no surprise that the authentic sheet music/guitar tab (EMI MUSIC PUBLISHING LIMITED) got it right.
Granted, It will take some practice and you will discover that you have some undeveloped finger muscles, but the bottom line is if you want to sound like Andy you'll have to learn this one in standard tuning - and use some chorus and digital delay! These are just two examples of how the wrong tunings can lead you to a dead end when you are trying to master your favorite songs.
