Guitarists are fortunate to have two written music formats in current use, chords aside. To any student just starting out, this can seem like double the work. When juggling the demands of life today, who’s got time to learn both? Which one should one choose? Often this will depend on the type of music you want to play, your teacher’s preference or any other musical experience you might have.
To ‘seasoned ensemble players’ the additional complexities of key signature, rhythm and expression that can be conveyed in staff notation wins out over TABS hand down. Game over? Not quite!
Now and again, you come across a piece of music that can stop you in your tracks. One such piece for me is Espejismos (Mirage) by Quique Sinesi from his 14 Estudios para Guitarra Fusión (2020). Interestingly the score provides both notation and TABS and on examination one can quickly see why. The piece details the following tuning; 1st Eb, 5th G, 6th C. As if the mental gymnastics of this unusual tuning isn’t enough, no key signature is given and the notation is liberally littered with accidentals. This is definitely a case of ‘TABS to the rescue’. The visual structure of the piece becomes immediately apparent. The printed RH fingers of the first bar is also helpful.
Let’s face it, we need all the help we can get so if the help is there, take it. Investing time in learning both systems will be time well spent. A good recording of the piece played by Prof. Virginia Pagola () (Tutorial – Quique Sinesi: Espejismos de 14 Estudios para Guitarra Fusión (youtube.com)). An extended version of the same piece (central section) with a saxophone extemporisation over top that’s worth a listen can be found on the following link (Espejismos (youtube.com)).