Our goal is to create notation that strikes a balance between accuracy, clarity, and ease of understanding.
While we do our best to create accurate TABs and notation, there’s always a chance we make mistakes (we’re only human, after all!)
If you find a mistake, please reach out to us through chat in the right-hand corner of your screen.
We’re grateful for your diligent eye and are happy to correct the notation!
Here’s a closer look at our notation process:
Lines and licks: we transcribe and notate according to the standards of traditional sheet music publishing houses. Our notation choices also reflect international best-playing practices as they can be found in sheet music for live performances (e.g. lead sheets) and in notation for educational purposes.
Harmony and chords: There are often multiple correct ways to interpret harmony. We aim to notate chords and harmony in a way that makes sense to musicians of all levels.
Since there isn’t one standardized way of how to notate chord symbols, we take into account the purpose, readability, and general context of the sheet music. For example, if a SongSquad has a chord progression that includes a ‘dominant7b9’ function (e.g. C7b9/E) and the voicings for this chord are one or several diminished voicings, the chord symbol of choice is Edim7 since it’s easier to read. For the very same chord progression in the context of a Master Class, we would use the more detailed chord symbol since the focus here is to show coherencies in music theory.
Ghost notes: If there’s a note that wasn’t meant to be played by the musician and it’s obvious what his or her intent was, we always opt to notate the ghost or unplayed note. We opt to fill in the gaps instead of just notating mistakes or missing out notes in the name of accuracy. Also, keep in mind that the musicians themselves tend to phrase melodies differently throughout their performances and lessons. We adjust articulations according to that context.
Rhythm: The same approach applies to the notation of rhythm. Most of our notation is based on authentic live performances as opposed to studio productions. To notate every intended or unintended rhythmic value would defeat the purpose of the notation, so we follow the musician’s intent.
Phrasing: We focus on the correct notes and will sometimes leave hammer-ons or pull-offs for you to interpret in whichever way is easiest for you. Additionally, we sometimes include ghost notes and articulations that are difficult to hear in the ‘real-time’ performance for educational purposes.
A final note for advanced musicians: we always encourage our more-advanced members to learn without the aid of notation. Notation, at its core, is a complementary visual representation of sound that serves as a helpful shortcut to improve your learning experience. The top artists we work with transcribe their favorite guitarists without notation. If you really want to advance your playing and hone your listening skills, use your ears not your eyes.