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Joined:
November 2005
Posts: 111
Location: Southern California | I used to learn songs by playing along with the (depending on the decade)33/45/tape/CD... But, these days, I find sheet music speeds up the process. Thus, a question:
Anyone have a good, reasonably priced on-line source for individual sheet music? (Or a shop with a good selection in the North San Diego County - South Orange County area...)
BTW, I don't know how to read tab (yet another item on my "things to do that never seem to get done" list), so chords must be present.
Thanks, Y'all! :) |
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Joined:
June 2004
Posts: 580
Location: NW NJ | Try sheetmusicplus.com |
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Joined:
November 2005
Posts: 123
Location: Braman, OK | I, too, have always learned by listening and watching, and am just now -- after some 30 years -- breaking into the world of written music. I'm rather fond of ultimate-guitar.com, chock full of 150,000+ guitar tabs, chords versions, even Power Tab & Guitar Pro formats.
I bought the Guitar Pro software and have been quite impressed -- it even plays the sheet music for you if you need help through a tough spot. I haven't tried Power Tab, so I can't say one way or the other about that, but Guitar Pro will import the Power Tab format. Check it out at guitar-pro.com. For my money, it's the way to go. |
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Joined:
September 2003
Posts: 9301
Location: south east Michigan | Dragonboy.
I tried to send you an e-mail but a "system error" occured.
Anyway...it went like this:
Dragonboy,
I have made up quite a few "cheat sheets" that I have shared with other OFC members. I would send you a sample but I would have to have your e-mail address for a attachment.
Regards,
Brad (a.k.a. Slipkid) |
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Joined:
February 2005
Posts: 11840
Location: closely held secret | Brad, I knew you were a cheater.
You probably use a capo, too.  |
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Joined:
March 2005
Posts: 12759
Location: Boise, Idaho | I know that I am old school, or some would say pre-school, but I haven't found anything that works as well as the old way--listening and playing by ear. I have learned to read tab pretty well in the last 6 months, but haven't found a tab site that has anything very reliable. I could never get powertab to work on my computer and now it is shut down, maybe for good.
So, I got an "official" Eric Clapton fingerstyle collection book for Christmas. Hal Leonard and everything. I was trying to learn Tears in Heaven from the book and it didn't sound right, so I listened to the CD and figured it out in about an hour. The book was way off. I have yet to find one that's right. |
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Joined:
November 2005
Posts: 123
Location: Braman, OK | I know what ya mean, Mark. I pretty much use tabs to augment what I already "know." Once in a while it pays off, particularly in the nuance department. |
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Joined:
March 2005
Posts: 12759
Location: Boise, Idaho | I suspect a lot of the people that post tabs aren't as anal as I am. Most people aren't. It's true some tabs are very helpful. StephenT28 sent me one that finally helped me figure out Time In a Bottle, that I'd been playing wrong for 30 years.
Most tabs and sheet music are just adaptations or interpretations. If I like the way something sounds enough to try to learn it, I want to try to play it the way it sounds. I also realize that the performers don't always play it the same way. If they use capos on the recordings, it really throws me off. |
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Joined:
November 2002
Posts: 1300
Location: Madison, Wisconsin | Surley a professional musicain wouldn't use a capo? |
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Joined:
November 2002
Posts: 1300
Location: Madison, Wisconsin | To answer the original question....I've used MusicNotes.com with some luck but just as tabs go, a lot of sheet music is an interpretation of what the original artist played. |
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Joined:
March 2005
Posts: 12759
Location: Boise, Idaho | Even my hero, Jim Croce used one on Hard Way Every Time in the album, but didn't when he performed live on the dvd. Fortunately, I have the dvd or I would never have figured it out. |
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Joined:
November 2005
Posts: 111
Location: Southern California | Thanks for the input. I'll take all I can get...
And I agree, sheet music sometimes can be horribly off. You play what's written, and it takes about one verse to realize, "Nope. Not close". :rolleyes:
On the other hand, sometimes sheet music is accurate enough that all you have to do is fine tune some augmentations or diminishments that never, ever seem to be written down... but your ear sure hears them!
Thing is, I'm trying to diversify my playing somewhat, and don't have recordings of the songs I'm trying to learn... when I try to access them in my head, the associated memory files seem to have a few bad sectors (or something like that). Hence, sheet music sounds like a good idea, at least to get started.
The software idea sounds interesting, but with owning a fairly new business and having added my 1598 to the fold, funds are, shall we say, a little light for "toys" at the moment... :( I'll keep the idea on file for when $$$ is more readily available.
Brad - I'll try emailing you and see if it goes through.
Thanks!
Bob (aka Dragonboy) |
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Joined:
March 2005
Posts: 12759
Location: Boise, Idaho | I forgot to say how impressed I was by the fact that you can read chords on sheet music. I've never accomplished that. I forgot the couple years of piano lessons I took. I have a couple of music theory and guitar books that remain mostly untouched. |
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Joined:
October 2005
Posts: 4075
Location: Utah | One source that y'all will probably hate is guitarvision.com. They have free software that plays the song for you. It's kind of one step of cheating beyond tab. And yes, I hate tab and consider it cheating. Call me old fashioned, but I figure that all you have to do is learn how to properly read music rather than learn tab.
But, be that as it may, I've found Guitarvision to be a reliable source for the few songs I've tried on it. Whoever is figuring out the notes seems to do a pretty spot-on job. His ear is way better than mine.
There is no notation or tab with it, just an Ovation (if you choose it) that plays the song for you, just like if a friend taught you to play a song by showing it to you. |
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Joined:
December 2003
Posts: 13996
Location: Upper Left USA | If I can't find a chord sheet online I'll sit down and map it out.
You can almost always find lyrics. Just mark the chord over the spot where it changes.
www.Iwillworship.com
www.pworship.com
have been my more significant sources.
The challenge is to free yourself from the cheet sheets. |
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Joined:
April 2004
Posts: 234
Location: Phoenix, AZ | I've read this thread a dozen times, and I can't find where Mark and all the other "ear players", except for Brad, have offered to share the wealth with their brothers. What about those of us who don't have the ability to figure out a song by listening and have to rely on printed music? Are we to be second class citizens our entire guitar playing lives? Please help those of us less fortunate than you.
P.S. I've got a call in to Sally Struthers to see if she'll tape a commercial for us poor souls. |
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Joined:
February 2005
Posts: 11840
Location: closely held secret | What, are we supposed to loan you our ears?
Is there a particular song you are wanting the music for? |
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Joined:
March 2002
Posts: 14842
Location: NJ | ". . What, are we supposed to loan you our ears? . ."
-The VanGogh Family
". . What, are we supposed to loan you our ears? . ."
-Assorted Friends, Romans, & Countrymen
. . .
. . ... .. ... .(sorry).
. . . .
. . .
( . . . . . . . . I need a vacation) |
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Joined:
March 2005
Posts: 12759
Location: Boise, Idaho | I did a really long response. Really! But I must have hit the back button again instead of the Add Reply. Anyway, dmkozak, I ended with I'll be in Phoenix March 4 through 7. If you want to get together during that time, I could try to show you how I do it. I sometimes do use tabs to pick up some parts. I also have no ability on electric guitar, so I couldn't show you anything there.
If you happen to have a nice Ovation, I'll show you all the songs I know. Shouldn't take long. |
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Joined:
November 2005
Posts: 123
Location: Braman, OK | Originally posted by Mark in Boise:
If they use capos on the recordings, it really throws me off. Me too -- I've never even owned a capo! |
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Joined:
October 2005
Posts: 53
Location: Orlando, FL | There's a program out there called "Transcribe!" that I used to help me figure out songs, which I eventually TAB using GuitarTab. Transcribe is only about $20 as shareware. It allows you to slow down a song to almost any speed, without changing the pitch, to really help figuring out a section that's too complex or fast to follow from a CD. In addition, it allows you to select a portion of the song and loop it so that you can replay a section over and over until you get it right.
The biggest feature for me is that it also provides a "waveform" of the music, so that as you select a small portion of the song, it shows you the strength of various notes, as represented on a piano keepboard. That way you can see which notes are a part of a chord or melody. It's a great, inexpensive piece of software! |
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Joined:
November 2002
Posts: 1300
Location: Madison, Wisconsin | I just checked out Transcribe. Looks like it's $45 if you want to keep it but you can try before you buy. |
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Joined:
May 2003
Posts: 4389
Location: Capital District, NY, USA Minor Outlying Islands | For those in the know, MS Media Player has a utility in the play menu that lets you slow down a song without changing pitch. I use it all the time, you just rip the song off a cd (or the internet) put it in your local computer ... and your off
No more lumbering elephants!
Also, musicnotes is OK, but only for guitar-centric songs.
Cheers |
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Joined:
November 2005
Posts: 4832
Location: Campbell River, British Columbia | I write all my own songs, so it's never been a problem. Really.
And no, it's not out of tune. I wrote it that way. |
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Joined:
November 2002
Posts: 1300
Location: Madison, Wisconsin | Chainsaws? Who need them. I cut all my wood with a hand saw. Never owned a chainsaw. |
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sheet music
