Should I learn to read standard notation?

I am just starting out and I know almost nothing about guitars or music other then just listening to it.
My question is is how should I use my time right now. Should I learn to play by tab or standard notation? I learned how to read tab in about 5 minutes but not sure if I should spend my time learning standard notation or spend the time learning songs with tab that I already understand.
Any advice would be great.

Thanks

Learning standard notation will open a lot more doors for you in the long run. Sure you'll be able to do a lot with tabs alone but you'll get blocked at some point.

Notation gives you accurate time duration of each notes. It is a lot easier to understand a song with notation than tabs. Here at GT we use image tabs which gives you both.

I suggest you take time to go over Christopher's tutorial on Reading music.

http://www.guitartricks.com/tutorial.php?input=271
http://www.guitartricks.com/tutorial.php?input=318

The answer is probably both.

TAB will help you learn songs more quickly, so you'll enjoy playing more. Reading music is really helpful, and I think of it like a language... how weird would it be to be able to speak a language that you can't read? Or worse still, to copy what someone else says when it could be wrong...

Learning to read music (and music theory in general) was really good for me, and helped me understand loads of other things too... and that helped my playing.

TAB is kind of like 'painting by numbers'.... if you really want to be an artist, you need to be able to figure it out yourself, not just follow directions... That said, when you start out, TAB is the fastest way to start making an acceptable noise with a guitar... ;)

I'm in the tiny minority that does not reccomend learning hardcore theory when you start out (unless that's what really interests you), so don't take anything I say as gospel but bear it in mind, it depends on the type of person you are and how you learn. Having an understanding of how music fits together is a good idea but having a good ear and a creative imagination is the more important.
First things first, get some lessons from an instructor who is into the music you like, learn some party tricks then take it from there.

Thanks for the input guys.
I think I will use tab for instand gradification while I learn standard notation and then transition over to standard notation.

Question: I have found a good link that maps all sheet notes to the fretboard but it only goes to the 12th fret. Does anyone have any refrences past the 12th fret?
http://www.guitargames.net/games/fretTester/noteChart.pdf
Thanks

from 0 to 12 is an octave, the next octave start from 12 to 24. The notes from 0 to 12 are exactly the same as the notes from 12 to 24 just an octave higher.

Originally Posted by: Superhumanfrom 0 to 12 is an octave, the next octave start from 12 to 24. The notes from 0 to 12 are exactly the same as the notes from 12 to 24 just an octave higher.

So when reading sheet music what would tell you to play the 1st string, 21st fret? Is there a symbol to tell you your into the next octive?

Thanks

I have noticed a few things with standard notation. With standard notation I have not seen any indication for pull-offs, hammer-ons, slides or to strum up or down.
Is there a symbol to do these things that I have not found yet?

That's the difference with sheet music and tabs. Sheet music won't tell you where to play, jsut what notes - it's kind of up to you where to play based on the preceding and following notes. Starting out I could imagine this would be very difficutl but you would get used to it after a while. The difference between an open E and a 24th fret e off the same string on sheet music is two full octaves higher (eg the 24th note above the open E on the treble clef). Sheet music is a lot easier for the piano which is how I learned to read but I havent a clue how to read music and play it on the guitar!

You do get varying degrees of clue on notation. Example.... seeing the word 'legato' over a piece.... means to 'play smoothy' so you could think of playing with hammers and pulls.

The octaves are shown with leger lines, or if they are too far away, with a '8va' symbol. TAB is definitely easier, but as Benoit points out, it's major limitation is that it gives no indication of time, only where to put your fingers.

That's very true Ren, you won't pick up on 'allegro', 'ralentando', 'mezo forte' etc. from tabs, you also won't pick up any timing - crochets, semi crochets, triplets etc. When it comes to working out music that you have never played or heard before you need to be able to read notation in oprder to be able to play as the composer intended. If you only intend to play what you can already hear - eg a Randy Rhoads solo, you can listen to cd and then work it out from tab. It definitely the fastest way of working music out but there are merits to reading notation that go beyond playing popular music - mostly if you intend to play classical.

Edit - even though I know very little about theory when it comes to guitar I can actually site read music for piano. When I was 12 I reached grade 5 on piano but to my horror now I gave it up because I found scales and Bach/Mozart/Beethoven so boring to play - never learnt anything fun at those lessons... wish I hadn't given up now though :(

I would say only learn to read standard notation if you honestly want to now. If you ever get more serious about music down the road you can still learn, but if you don't care now and make yourself do it, it just becomes home work.

It will only help you if you're really planning to read a lot of standard notation.

Originally Posted by: Superhumanfrom 0 to 12 is an octave, the next octave start from 12 to 24. The notes from 0 to 12 are exactly the same as the notes from 12 to 24 just an octave higher.

Ok, here's one for you.
The word octave means 8.
So, why is it 0 to 12 here?
I know, but I think you can explain it much better than me. ;)

Originally Posted by: looneytunesOk, here's one for you.
The word octave means 8.
So, why is it 0 to 12 here?
I know, but I think you can explain it much better than me. ;)

An Octave is a tone 8 diatonic degrees apart from a tone of the same name. The distance between the tones equal a total of 12 semitones.

From A to A is...
A
A#/Bb
B
C
C#/Db
D
D#/Eb
E
F
F#/Gb
G
G#/Ab

Originally Posted by: dvenetianAn Octave is a tone 8 diatonic degrees apart from a tone of the same name. The distance between the tones equal a total of 12 semitones.

You sure are smart, but I like the way ics1974 put it better.
A picture is worth a thousand words.

Someone starting out may of had some trouble understanding it. Great job from both of you.

Originally Posted by: looneytunesYou sure are smart, but I like the way ics1974 put it better.
A picture is worth a thousand words.

Someone starting out may of had some trouble understanding it. Great job from both of you.

I like his too because it shows the 12 semitones to the Octave, Referred to as the Chromatic Scale. The only thing is that it doesn't provide an answer to the 64 Million $ Question...... Octave means 8 (why is it 0 to 12) ????

Originally Posted by: dvenetianI like his too because it shows the 12 semitones to the Octave, Referred to as the Chromatic Scale. The only thing is that it doesn't provide an answer to the 64 Million $ Question...... Octave means 8 (why is it 0 to 12) ????

Because there are 8 WHOLE Tones.
Re-read this...
An Octave is a tone 8 diatonic degrees apart from a tone of the same name.

This means there are 8 TONES in a Major Scale:

C D E F G A B C
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

Originally Posted by: ics1974Because there are 8 WHOLE Tones.
Re-read this...
An Octave is a tone 8 diatonic degrees apart from a tone of the same name.

This means there are 8 TONES in a Major Scale:

C D E F G A B C
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

Yes, but a single fret does not necessarily represent 1 whole tone (more likely than not a half tone)- if that were the case, then the next octave would be on the 7th fret... in the low E string, for example, to reach an octave, it takes twelve frets to reach the next octave, which includes both whole and half steps, hence the chromatic scale. If that does not make sense, just try to play the 8th note above and then play it again with the 12th note above. You will notice the difference and the relationship between notes 8 tones apart and a true octave...by the way, you are referencing the C major scale, which is the very first scale learned by newer musicians- which is very simple because it contains no sharps/flats- you have to look at any other to see their inclusion...it muddles things up a little...good luck!