[1996 GT]

I can read music fluently. I did learn off tabs, but i also played tenor, alto and baritone saxophone so that was really why i learned. It is useful though in case you get together with some guys and someone hands you a sheet of music and says here, you have 10 minutes now learn it. Makes it a lot more easy.

[Red_]

I never bothered to learn sheet music but I was in band in high-school for a year so I know it a little bit. To me the easiest way to learn a song is to look up what chords are in it and I can go from there myself, slthough it's taken a lot of practice to be able to do that. After a while you pick up on certain patterns and it makes things alot easier

[WickedSnake00]

Maybe I'm lame, but I find in guitar that tab is more helpful than sheet music. Sheet music is great for instruments that have one location for one note. Guitars can have 6 spots for the same note, and you have to figure out which one to use.

Hard to believe I've been playing almost 10 years now. Time flies. I've played in dozens of bands, everything from kinda pop to downright metalcore. Of course I prefer good ol' metal/hardcore. I loved playing the the Buffalo hardcore scene, nothing like it. I certainly miss the thrill of Friday night being show night.

I definitely advise learning blues as a great basis for rock. It's funny to learn that, and see how often it pops up in other genres.

As for rig I've got some fun stuff. Started with the cheapest Strat you can get (didn't we all?), and I've steadily added, including a knock-off V that I rebuilt, MB-4 bass, and then a slew of Ibanez, an RG220BK, RG7220?, AX7221 (both 7-strings) and my favorite, the IC-350. I've got a decent rig, a distortion pedal or two, flanger/chorus, delay/echo and phaser. For now I'm stuck with my FM212 amp with me here. The cleans are awesome, mids and distortion suck. I miss my main amp which is back at my parents: Mesa 50cal+ head with a Marshall 1960A cab. That half stack and my IC350 was heaven, I loved playing live with that.

I sure wish there was a music scene out here though, but there is nothing. Just cornfields. I can't wait to get back into the Buffalo scene.

[nkausch]

Tabs certainly are easier to play but once you get into studio stuff it helps to know notes.

Although just playing for fun just do whatever makes it fun for you. That's really what's most important.

[GTman05]

Well...I can now fully play this

Foo Fighters - Times Like These (acoustic) - YouTube

Foo Fighters - Times Like These (acoustic) - YouTube

Busted the hell out of my fingers, but hey, no pain no gain!

[Alente]

Learning another instrument such as piano helps sooo much.
You learn the basis of music and can move it over to guitar easily.
I do prefer tabs, however i rarely sven use that.

[94v6blkndred]

ive been playing for around 8 years off and on..thru some bands..play metal/rock mostly..been slackin alot..ALOT lately..heres some bullshit pics and a fuck around vid ha


http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=2435649849054

[Novanutcase]

Played in a band in Hollywood. Got signed to Warner Bros. Got to tour for the next 6 years. First Euro tour I did I got to open for Nirvana when "Smells Like Teen Spirit" first jumped off! That was fucking CRAZY!!!

Me at the Universal Amphitheater(Gibson Amphitheater nowadays!) in Los Angeles in the late 90's. We did a show opening for The Cramps on Halloween thus the makeup!



I've played pretty much every guitar brand out there(I was sponsored by Gibson for a while so that was AWESOME!). PRS's were good when Paul Reed Smith actually made them and not some factory offshore.

My current stable:









I used to collect old stomp boxes like TC Electronics, Morley, Old tape drive Echoplexes, etc. You youngsters probably have never heard of any of these companies!!

OP, just play along to your favorite songs. Reading music is always a good thing but not essential to playing a musical instrument. Just have fun and PRACTICE!!! LOL!

John