Most online tab sucks. That is not to say that they are incorrect or incomplete (though this is a common crime of online tab) but that often they are an unreadable mash of ASCII that is from a system produced when monitors could only display 16 colours. Just look at the example below. As far as notation goes, it’s very bare bones, and requires great work picking through it to get it sounding right. Blame the lack of rhythm information, blame it on the lack of spacing, but ASCII tab is all too often a big mess.
e|----------------------------------------------| B|----------------------1-------0--------1---4--| G|----2----------3b----2---2-------1----2-------| D|--3---------2-------2--------1-----3----------| A|--3-------1--1-------------2------------------| E|----------------------------------------------|
When I came across Songsterr it was like the heavens opened up. Finally a place with full featured tab, the way it was meant to be written. Take a look at this screenshot. It’s beautiful!
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It has note lengths below the bars, full fledged bend and vibrato notation, and the real kicker: IT WILL PLAY THE MUSIC FOR YOU! That’s right, the fancy play button isn’t just for show. You can play, pause, skip around the tab till your heart is bursting with glee. A marker will run along the notation so you know where you are. Just when you thought it couldn’t get better the songs let you choose which part you want to look at the tab for.
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There are of course two levels of features, the ones that are free and the ones that you pay for. On the list of paid services are: Playing at half speed, Fullscreen mode, Printing, Part volume control, and Part soloing. The ‘plus’ account is $9.90 per month. I don’t have that much of a need for tab, but if I were in a working cover band I’m sure I’d get my monies worth. If your tired of sloughing through the tons of crappy tab on the internet check into Songsterr, you won’t regret it.
