Songsterr.com

[Pete Academy]

There's a free tab website called Songsterr, that was advertised on the Bass Player mag website. I had a quick peek. It not only gives you the bass tab for loads of songs, but also plays the track alongside, using a simple keyboard backing. I looked at a couple of Steely Dan songs and they were pretty bad. However, I checked out the tricky bass part for the Chili Peppers 'Mellowship Slinky' and it was quite good.

Opinions please. Good or bad?

[Pete Academy]

I know this could be controversial but for someone that needs to learn songs in a hurry, this website is quite useful. Let's say someone asks you to stand in for a covers band at short notice. For me, as a non-reader, it would be useful.

[JakeBrownBass]

[quote name='Pete Academy' post='1036815' date='Nov 25 2010, 07:34 PM']I know this could be controversial but for someone that needs to learn songs in a hurry, this website is quite useful. Let's say someone asks you to stand in for a covers band at short notice. For me, as a non-reader, it would be useful.[/quote]

Even if you were a reader, theres not that many popular songs out there that a written down & readily available.

[Hobbayne]

I,ve been using it for a while now and it seems quiet accurate, they used to give you the first 10 seconds or so free, and you,d have to subscribe to hear the rest of the song and print out the tab and slow down - speed up etc.

[peteb]

I will sometimes use tabs off the net to save time if I want to learn a cover quickly, but the problem with sites like these is the accuracy of the transcriptions (this is the same with tab or squiggles)!

I quickly looked up a few tabs on this site – some were quite good, some were overly simplified and some were just plain wrong!

On the other hand, where would you find such a wide selection of transcriptions in standard notation on the net for free??

[Pete Academy]

[quote name='peteb' post='1036834' date='Nov 25 2010, 07:46 PM']I will sometimes use tabs off the net to save time if I want to learn a cover quickly, but the problem with sites like these is the accuracy of the transcriptions (this is the same with tab or squiggles)!

I quickly looked up a few tabs on this site – some were quite good, some were overly simplified and some were just plain wrong!

On the other hand, where would you find such a wide selection of transcriptions in standard notation on the net for free??[/quote]

Totally agree.

[arthurhenry]

Who needs tab? You can look up just about any song you'd need to learn on youtube and learn it by ear. Probably quicker than using tab too.

[peteb]

[quote name='arthurhenry' post='1036875' date='Nov 25 2010, 08:19 PM']Who needs tab? You can look up just about any song you'd need to learn on youtube and learn it by ear. Probably quicker than using tab too.[/quote]
Very true - looking at a decent tab first just makes it a bit quicker!

[Pete Academy]

I'm not condoning this site, but as a non-reader it could be quite useful. Apologies to Doddy, Bilbo et al, but it's a quick fix.

[karlfer]

I found Songsterr immensely helpful when I joined BBGM back in March. I had 30 songs to learn quickly (well, by my standards and it really did help.

[Bilbo]

They don't seem to have Astor Piazolla's 'Libertango'. Or any decent jazz for that matter. Must be 'for lightweights only'.

[jezzaboy]

Any Quo?



Jez "Lightweight" Bass Dude

[ironside1966]

I don’t have a problem with Tabs, but my experience is that most are wrong, where as it is opposite can be said with written parts. It seems that people who can score have better ears.

[blamelouis]

Surely it depends on the level of your reading whether Tab is quicker ?

[waynepunkdude]

[quote name='Bilbo' post='1036911' date='Nov 25 2010, 08:46 PM']decent jazz[/quote]


Oxymoron?

[lonestar]

Good for getting started on new songs.
Thanks Pete

[lojo]

[quote name='ironside1966' post='1036935' date='Nov 25 2010, 09:03 PM']I don’t have a problem with Tabs, but my experience is that most are wrong, where as it is opposite can be said with written parts. It seems that people who can score have better ears.[/quote]


Im not sure who writes most tabs, but id guess it is mostly done by teenagers, with time on their hands, who maybe wont bother to get it spot on, just the basics and upload it quickly for a bit of online kudos

Having said that though, they can really help save a bit of time if your in a rush to learn a cover, point you in the right direction, but if you have not got a good enough ear to know if its wrong or fill in the blanks or frills, then your performance is going to suck even if someone gives you a spot on tab

[thunderbird13]

I had a look at this but TBH I find the guitar pro stuff much more accurate

[chris_b]

If tab was correct it could be useful, but unfortunately it's usually a work of fiction so it isn't!

I wonder why the people who post on these tab sites don't have working ears. I would assume they think they are posting the right notes but clearly, mostly, they aren't!! What's wrong with them?

[Low End Bee]

Has it got Jesus Christ Superstar on there?

[Thurbs]

I find it quite usefull, especally as a beginner.

Now I know more about music & compesition + I am developing my own style, I tend to listen to the base notes and then work out my own grove.

So as a beginner, invaluable, now no.

[karlfer]

[quote name='Bilbo' post='1036911' date='Nov 25 2010, 08:46 PM']They don't seem to have Astor Piazolla's 'Libertango'. Or any decent jazz for that matter. Must be 'for lightweights only'.



























[/quote]
Yup, 6 feet 1inch, 15 stone lightweight.
Simply not as talented as many others, took me 2 years to work out Jaco's version of Blackbird, didn't have that amount of time to work on 30 rock songs.
Can't read writing never mind music,
give me hieroglyphs any day.
Thank you Songsterr.