Now I remember what I wanted to write about today! Have you ever head of the program called guitar pro? It is basically a program that helps guitarists learn up songs by providing tabs and midi tracks to play along with. It's actually a rather awesome program that have helped millions of guitarists around the globe and helped many bands that you've seen performing live learn up their cover songs. It has even taught some musicians new tricks and how to read notes... sounds like a blardy damn good program to me, don't ya think? Than whats the big deal and why are you contradicting yourself with the title of the post? Should I even continue reading this crap?
YES! Guitar pro is a blardy damn awesome program! YES! I am contradicting my self wit the title of the post! and YES! Guitar pro is killing our damn guitarists of the generation!
Well I say this is because, many guitarist now-a-days (myself included) rely too much on tabs and guitar pro to learn up songs from the internet. It makes the guitarist lazy and unable to adapt to the changes that happen in a live surrounding. Guitarists from the good ol' days are able to catch a key, note or melody of a song just by listening and learn practice for days to uncover every aspect of the song. I tell you the truth, most guitarist learn the song directly from Guitar Pro without actually even hearing the real song!! Hard to believe? Well BELIEVE IT!!
By overly relying on guitar pro, or tablatures for that matter, a guitarist is likely to fall behind on the following aspects:-
1. adaptability - During a live performance, not everything goes according to plan and many guitarists may find it problematic to do things like transposing to a different key or may even get lost in a song.
2. rhythm - this is not something that a few numbers on lines can teach you. Rhythm of the strumming and adapting to the bands sound is something that takes alot of practice and listening to the actual song.
3. Clarity - most guitar pro guitarists are rather sloppy in their fingering as they lack technique, something that can be practiced through hours of finger excercises.
4. Versatility - guitarists may find it difficult to blend into a band as most songs performed by bands are usually tweeked to the band members preference, like changes to the song or the tempo.
5. Personality - probably the most important aspect of being a guitarist! When you learn from a moving digital pointer on the screen, you probably wont be able to develop a sound that distinctfy you as you're trying to sound so much like a midi tape...
Therefore, be a convert like me and start doing things the proper way! Heroes like Eric Clapton, John Mayer or Eric Johnson don't become superstar guitarists by guitar pro or tabs! They work their asses off everyday on their guitars!!
I have seen the light! How do I convert?
Well I only have two tips, Listen and Practice!
Just start off with some finger excercises to get your fingering and technique right! Than listen to your favorite songs and try to catch the rhythm and flow, and with the guitar in your hand try to find the chord progression or riffs that is used! Just give it a go, and you wont regret it :)
Cheers!
