Doing my first transcribing at 51!

axisus

I have never gotten on with tabs, learning songs in general, or transcribing. After running aground for the millionth time on two tabbed songs that I was trying to learn yet again this year, I thought time for a different approach.

For some reason, I really struggle to remember the notes with tab, what I learn one day I have forgotten the next. Anyway, I found this fantastic piece of music, with a great guitar solo. Too obscure to be tabbed out anywhere, so I just thought “sod it, I’m gonna try and tab it out myself with some slow-down software”. It’s a pretty long solo, but I’m about 34 seconds in so far I guess, and the great thing is …… I am remembering it! Something about the process seems to engage my mind a lot more.

 With hindsight, I probably should have started with something a) a bit shorter and b) a bit easier to play!

Brad

Ahh the beauty of transcribing! 

DulcetJones

When I was first learning to play hardly anybody had tape recorders or the latest records so me and my friends used to learn songs off the radio by ear.  When you don't know the next time you're going to hear the song again you get good at learning fast and remembering.  I didn't discover tab until years later.

nickp

+1 axisus!!  I agree.  I'm much younger than you (49 and not bloody 50 until feb) but I've just discovered that I can sing a note or two in tune which means that my ear is better than I had thought - 

this gave me the confidence to transcribe the string part in I will survive and I absolutely amazed myself.  

and I agree - the notes were retained much quicker than looking for Tab and soo much more rewarding