I understand your message and thank you for the advice. have a good one..

Gdugas

we are not as musically talented as you Nonc....alot of us need the play by numbers .

For me the tabs are very helpfull. When I started with the Cajun-accordion, it was difficult to remember all the notes to play. The tabs I written down were my reminders. Also other beginning players use them.
The only way to play a song in the right Cajun-groove(that's very difficult) is listen and listen again to that song or all Cajun music. It's nearly impossible to write that down.

Thats pretty much been the case for me. Even though the songs are in my head from listening to them a thousand times, the tabs are rarely helpful to me unless I am already close, but am missing a couple of things to finish it. But heck, everyones different and we all gotta do what works for us. I dont see a lot of difference in watching a video of someone looking at his fingers working and looking at tabs, cept watching fingers working and hearing the music at the same time is just more effective. At least for me, effectively picking notes out of a song comes from lots of practice (I need more practice).

Tabulature is a tool, just like the Amazing Slow Downer, or a metronome. It's not an end in and of itself and it's not a substitute for listening and getting the tune in your head. You can't show the length of the notes or the rythym of the tune with tab (or at least I've never been able to). But, when you first start playing, it provides you with a little extra traction, reminding you which buttons to press and which way to move the bellows. If you don't have the tune in your head it's useless. If you do it can help you figure out the pattern of the notes (sorry, can't describe what I'm getting at very well).

I've sat with some really good teachers who very patiently showed me a basic version of a tune. I'd eventually get to the point where I could play it while sitting with them, but an hour later I couldn't play it to save my life. At that point the tab serves as a crutch until you get the notes fixed in your memory and your fingers. And once you've done that you no longer need the tab. Just my opinion, and I play lousy.

Like said here before, use the tabs as a tool.
It only works when you know the tune you want to learn, for me that is.
Another thing I`ve learned is, what to look for when you listen,certain chords or blends in the tune can guide you, from that point you can figure out the tune.
And while doing that you get to know your instrument.
I don`t think there are any shortcuts, just play...
play a lot

Wilfred

Hi Dave,

I agree with you 100%. I personnally have never found any benefit from tabs. Instead, I developed and relied on my listening abilities, and I know it has paid great dividends.

We always talk about how different people learn in different ways, which is true, and I suspect that there are those who are able to use tabs productively. However, I am skeptical about tabs in general for a lot of different reasons. The main reason is that it can be a musical crutch or training wheels that have to come off eventually anyway. I have to say that I find it to be an extremely strange thing to see someone playing Cajun accordion with their nose stuck in some sheet music or tabs - it just seems foreign and weird. Another problem with tabs (and sheet music) is that they don't capture the nuances and embellishments that are so important, to say nothing about the importance of individual style and improvisation.

However, one good thing I can say about tabs is that they probably are good for the person who sits down, figures out a tune on their own and then writes the tab. It is well established that the best way to learn a piece of music is to transcribe it yourself, rather than relying on someone elses transcription.

-David

What I cant understand is how someone can try to play a song via tabs without being very familiar with the song, I really dont see that happening. I've heard it said before and for me its true, you cant really play a song until the tune is burned in your brain before you ever try to play it. The one place tabs has helped me a couple of times is when I was missing a couple of notes that I just couldnt get. Oh, well, everyones gotta do what works for them.

I have found tabs handy for getting the basic melody into your head quicker.

They give you a start point when listening to what others are doing to the tune.

It does not suprise me that other find them less useful. If everyone's mind worked the same, it would surely be a dull world. [:))

RPr

could never have learnt Grand Nuit Special without tabs, although I hate using them. I have a book full of them (Eric Martin/Yann Dour) but normally get upset when I even see them. But without somebody having the patience to play it slowly for you, it is very helpful.
I'd rather hava a good teacher available to help me.

Gus

Well, after all the discussion had about tab, you didn't get what you're looking for in the first place.
I have attempted to write out tab on other songs before. When I do, I try to keep it simple, be cause there is no way I could put all the embelishment notes down on paper.
The problem with this song, Chere Tout Tout , is that , it is not a song that can be played in simple form. If we were to put it down in "tab" in simple form, it would be the vocal part, not the accordion lead. If you think about it, you'll understand what I mean. I know that still doesn't give you what you're looking for, but it may be the reason that you're having trouble finding this song in tab.
Jude

Right - whether we think that tabs are useful or not, it is somewhat moot because there are so few tabs available in the first place!

When I was a beginning musician in high school (bass and guitar), I discovered that for the music I wanted to play one of the following was true:

1) Sheet music or tabs did not exist in most cases.
2) When it was available, it was so oversimplified as to be essentially of no use, or it was just flat out wrong!

I developed my ear instead.

-David

To summarize my first three weeks with a diatonic, albeit three row accordian.

First, I have not seen tablature yet, if I have I didn't know it.

I am using several methods, the bargain of the century was Senor Maestro from Reyes Accordion (tejano mainly)website. (By,the way, can anyone figure out how to "print screen" in this program?) I also made a chart of the left side buttons, this helped.

The Savoy/Le Det DVD has also helped quite a bit. I am sure the other DVDs are equally informative.

At W***M**T I bought a Yamaha keyboard for the price of a few lessons. It is easier to follow on a piano (for me) and then use "Senor Maestro"

"Feel the music", My mentor has reminded me it ain't nothin' but a party!

Question: Except for the "cheater" buttons (the sharps, on a GCF) is a single row the same as a cajun accordion? Grizz

If you have Windows, you can make a pritnt screen by pushing on CTRL-SHIFT-PrintScrn.
After that the screen is in the Clipboard.
Now you can paste it in i.g. Word or Paint.
In Paint you can select the piece you want.
Enough about computers, I'm gonna play the accordion.

Dave, you can get a few on the links below. There are not many, and may not be what you are looking for, but may be worth looking at.

http://launch.groups.yahoo.com/group/cajunzydeco-accordion-licks/

http://launch.groups.yahoo.com/group/CZUnmod/