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Date: Thu, 21 Feb 2002 02:12:13 -0800
From: "IronMan Mike Curtis"
Subject: Re: ASCII Tab Idea

On 21 Feb 2002, at 14:04, G maj wrote:

> > On 20 Feb 2002, at 21:26, G maj wrote:
> >
> > > Can't have us young hoolagans actually going and thinking
> > > independantly and offering new ideas now can we? What
> > > next? We might actually put them into practical use ... WOAH!
> >
> > I'm all in favor of new ideas, when they make sense. A new idea
> > when done strictly for the purpose of being a new idea is a bad
> > idea. It should offer some unique benefit. And in my opinion, it
> > should be demonstrably superior to what's currently available.
>
> I have noticed this is your standard reply to trot out whenever I make
> this challenge to the group.
>
> We have already stated the shortfalls of things that already are, and
> why we are offering these alternatives.... what part of these
> explanations did you not understand?

The part about these new forms of tab offering something genuinely
useful that is not offered already in other forms (including standard
notation, the standard for all professional musicians and the music
world in general.)

Giving "approximate" note values by means of an analog bar simply
doesn't cut it in the precise field of music, where we can have notes
of any value by stringing them together, dotting them, etc. You
still need to know the tune to play using this form, or you'll most
likely play it wrong.

If this is the case, why bother with timing at all? Just tell them
what holes to blow on. What is to be gained?

If you really want something useful, write it in standard notation,
then put the tablature "4Db" stuff over the notes. Even if you can't
translate the notes to harp (at first, anyway), you still have these
highly accurate time values. And as you work with this, you WILL
learn to read standard notation.

I'm not sold on tab as anything other than a learning tool for those
who don't know how to play their instrument. There's guitar tab -
but that's likewise a strictly learning tool and not used by
professionals in the studio or the bandstand. It's used to LEARN how
to play a particular piece as played by . as a
guitarist, I can speak with authority. Guitar tab is necessary to
learn these because there are a few dozen ways to play any given
note. With harmonica, there is one way (well, occasionally two) to
play a given note on a given harp.

I'm categorically opposed to new forms of tab that don't offer
anything new. Things are tough enough for students without
beclouding the waters yet more.

I have yet to see a proposed tablature that will replace standard
notation. They're all compromises, and all by folks who seem to
think that the very simple and accepted standard notation is somehow
toxic. And I feel that they all, in a sense, perpetuate the notion
that there is just one way to play a song on harmonica. In truth
there are at least twelve ways on diatonic (and for some tunes, some
of these ways are superior to cross harp :-) Plus we have
alternative tunings, chromatic, etc., all of which have validity.

- -IronMan Mike Curtis LIVE video of Mikes #1 MP3 hit PLAY THEM BLUES
http://bumpngrindrecords.com/ironman_play_blues.ram
See the whole feature length video http://www.ironmancurtis.com/imc.rm
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