Tab / Sheet Music for Top 40 Country

el_extranjero · January 27th, 2004, 12:06 PM

I have recently joined a band that is reforming that has a female lead singer. I am going through the process of learning several sets of songs that, for the most part, I haven't heard before because I don't typically listen to top 40 Country. As part of this I've dl'd a lot of tab from Harmony Central, GuitarTab.cc, etc.

I've had a couple of problems:
Some if these songs are not available.
Much of the tab is spotty or just plain wrong (although some is excellent work!)
None of it is readable to me at over a foot or so.

To address this I've setup my own format for tabbing out the music. I'm trying to adhere to standard tab formats, but put it in larger print within a five page format. 1st page notes; 2nd and 3rd page (facing) Verse, Chorus, Bridge, etc.; 4th page instrumental tabs, 5th page chord diagrams (some songs will use altered chors). You can take a look at this at http://www.lightsey.com/music . I'm uploading the in-process works as PDF files. I KNOW it would be better if I'd use standard text format, but, I'm putting together something that will print directly and can be read during rehearsal from several feet away.

I've listed the first two set lists below and would appreciate help in the following areas...

a) Comments on the format as a format for 'practicing musicians'. Ideally, you could hand this to another musician and he/she could come up to speed on the music much faster than using standard store bought sheet music or online tab.
b) Corrections and additions to what I've got.
c) Help on the ones I've not tabbed yet!

In return, I'll continue to do the formatting and post them. I'd welcome comments on how I can combine the 'standard' tab format with what I'm trying to achieve with my format.

I've included the set lists below.

Thanks!
El Extranjero de la Tierra Extraña

Set 1
There Is No Arizona Jamie O'Neal
I Keep Looking Sara Evans
Something To Talk About Bonnie Raitt
Take It Back Reba McIntyre
Never Been Kissed Sherrie Austin
Love Won't Let Me Tammie Cochran
I Wanna Do It All Terri Clark
Better Things To Do Terri Clark
You're Easy On The Eyes Terri Clark
No One Else On Earth Wynnona Judd
Perfect Love Trisha Yearwood
That's What I Like About You Trisha Yearwood
What The World Needs Now Wynnona Judd
Stand By Me Jo Dee Messina
Beautiful Goodby Jennifer Hanson

Set 2
I Could Not Ask For More Sara Evans
Heads Carolina, Tails California Jo Dee Messina
Silver Wings Merle Haggard & Jewel
Bye, Bye Jo Dee Messina
I Wanna Fall In Love Lila McCann
Guys Do It All The Time Mindy McCready
Mi Vida Loca Pam Tillis
Walking After Midnight Patsy Cline
Wrong Night Reba McIntire
Born To Fly Sara Evans
When God Fearing Get The Blues Martina McBride
Give Me One Good Reason Tracy Chapman
Black Velvet Alaina Miles
Good Time Jessica Andrews
Helplessly Jessica Andrews

Michael R · January 28th, 2004, 03:40 PM

I think the format you came up with is very useful, especially the larger (pdf) format. In response to your questions:

a) I am not a 'practicing musician' but I play alot and jam with friends and someone is always whipping out / making up a ratty chart or dog eared printout (the "it's like this... kinda" thing). After seeing one of your examples and I had no problem picking up on it, at first I thought it was a little overkill but for something I was not familiar with it would defintely be very useful to me.

b) Unfortunately many of the songs on your list I know because my wife listens to top 40 country... I don't (unless she is around) so I can't really add anything to your list. Have you been searching for powertabs of those songs ? I find that powertabs are generally much better done than just regular tabs, and if you want I can give you a bunch of links to the country tab and powertab sites I have.

c) One of the songs I know well on you list and used to like is "Guys do it all the time", I haven't played it in awhile but would be no problem to powertab it, if you don't already have it done let me know and I do it this weekend.

I like what you have done and especially like the larger format !

Take Care

el_extranjero · January 28th, 2004, 03:48 PM

Michael,
Thanks for the input! It is good to hear some feedback on the format. Whether you're a 'practicing' musician or go by some other definition, it just doesn't seem right to not have SOMETHING that you can read and collect ideas on!

I'm trying to learn all these songs and the band tells me the former guitar player knew them all but had his own 'dog eared' charts and never shared them. Job security I suppose... but it's certainly not in the spirit of this forum or tab sites, so I thought I'd try to drum up some help!!!

I'd be thrilled to get some help from you on any of these. I have the basic stuff on "Guys do it.." I just haven't converted it to this format yet. I'll do that by this weekend and send you (or post) the xls if you like and are willing and able to work on it.

I'd also like to hear more about "Power Tab". I've never heard of it.

Thanks!!!

Michael R · January 29th, 2004, 01:10 PM

Sounds good, and you can post or send me the xls (my email is: mr2u@snet.net).

I really shouldn't cast any stones cuz I have piles of 'dogeared charts' and pitifully poor tabs and notes myself, and after rereading my last post:

Quote:

b) Unfortunately many of the songs on your list I know because my wife listens to top 40 country... I don't (unless she is around)

I didn't mean that as a slam or anything... just not really my cup-o-tea. Most 'pop country' is very well produced and the playing is usually top notch, taking on learning the setlist you posted would be a huge challenge for me, and something I probally couldn't complete, so my hat's off to you there.

The powertab program is free and you can download it at: http://www.power-tab.net/

Some powertab archive sites are:

http://www.powertabs.net/
http://www.powertab-central.net/sitelisting.php // has links

One of the better country tab sites I've seen is:

http://country.totaltabs.com/main.asp

(you have to sign up there, free, it's kind of like signing up here, I don't think I've ever received any spam from the signing up there either)

el_extranjero · January 29th, 2004, 04:56 PM

Quote:

I didn't mean that as a slam or anything... just not really my cup-o-tea.

No offense taken. Unfortunately that type of music ain't exactly my cup-o-tea either. But I'm going to bull my way through it I guess.

The PowerTab program is pretty cool, but not being able to use lyrics is too limiting unfortunately.

shuggie1 · January 29th, 2004, 06:15 PM

Another thing you might find useful while picking those female"country"pop tunes out....

I found that a majority of those are in flat keys,,I got tired of doing the capo dance every other song so I just tuned my spare tele to Bb and it made things a bit easier.

Have "fun" with those tunes lol dont take me wrong but I sooo got burned out playin' some of those,,and a cranky insecure vocalist didnt' help matters either....

Take care all the best
Shuggie

el_extranjero · January 30th, 2004, 12:16 PM

that sounds interesting. Can you give me some detail on that Shuggie?

shuggie1 · January 30th, 2004, 12:37 PM

You've got mail

Ward · February 7th, 2004, 07:18 PM

I hear ya Shuggie. Those female pop country songs get old real quick. I couldn't stand all those strange chord progressions in b keys. Tough to play along to. Give me a I-IV-V Lorretta song anytime. Ward

shuggie1 · February 8th, 2004, 01:15 AM

Amen Bro!!

January 27th, 2004, 12:06 PM	#1 (permalink)
el_extranjero Tele-Holic Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: McKinney, TX Age: 48 Posts: 514	Tab / Sheet Music for Top 40 Country I have recently joined a band that is reforming that has a female lead singer. I am going through the process of learning several sets of songs that, for the most part, I haven't heard before because I don't typically listen to top 40 Country. As part of this I've dl'd a lot of tab from Harmony Central, GuitarTab.cc, etc. I've had a couple of problems: Some if these songs are not available. Much of the tab is spotty or just plain wrong (although some is excellent work!) None of it is readable to me at over a foot or so. To address this I've setup my own format for tabbing out the music. I'm trying to adhere to standard tab formats, but put it in larger print within a five page format. 1st page notes; 2nd and 3rd page (facing) Verse, Chorus, Bridge, etc.; 4th page instrumental tabs, 5th page chord diagrams (some songs will use altered chors). You can take a look at this at http://www.lightsey.com/music . I'm uploading the in-process works as PDF files. I KNOW it would be better if I'd use standard text format, but, I'm putting together something that will print directly and can be read during rehearsal from several feet away. I've listed the first two set lists below and would appreciate help in the following areas... a) Comments on the format as a format for 'practicing musicians'. Ideally, you could hand this to another musician and he/she could come up to speed on the music much faster than using standard store bought sheet music or online tab. b) Corrections and additions to what I've got. c) Help on the ones I've not tabbed yet! In return, I'll continue to do the formatting and post them. I'd welcome comments on how I can combine the 'standard' tab format with what I'm trying to achieve with my format. I've included the set lists below. Thanks! El Extranjero de la Tierra Extraña Set 1 There Is No Arizona Jamie O'Neal I Keep Looking Sara Evans Something To Talk About Bonnie Raitt Take It Back Reba McIntyre Never Been Kissed Sherrie Austin Love Won't Let Me Tammie Cochran I Wanna Do It All Terri Clark Better Things To Do Terri Clark You're Easy On The Eyes Terri Clark No One Else On Earth Wynnona Judd Perfect Love Trisha Yearwood That's What I Like About You Trisha Yearwood What The World Needs Now Wynnona Judd Stand By Me Jo Dee Messina Beautiful Goodby Jennifer Hanson Set 2 I Could Not Ask For More Sara Evans Heads Carolina, Tails California Jo Dee Messina Silver Wings Merle Haggard & Jewel Bye, Bye Jo Dee Messina I Wanna Fall In Love Lila McCann Guys Do It All The Time Mindy McCready Mi Vida Loca Pam Tillis Walking After Midnight Patsy Cline Wrong Night Reba McIntire Born To Fly Sara Evans When God Fearing Get The Blues Martina McBride Give Me One Good Reason Tracy Chapman Black Velvet Alaina Miles Good Time Jessica Andrews Helplessly Jessica Andrews __________________ El Extranjero de la Tierra Extraña ------------------------------------ Dorothy: "How can you talk if you haven't got a brain?" Scarecrow: "I don't know. But some people without brains do an awful lot of talking, don't they?"

January 28th, 2004, 03:48 PM	#3 (permalink)
el_extranjero Tele-Holic Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: McKinney, TX Age: 48 Posts: 514	Pop 40 Country Tab Michael, Thanks for the input! It is good to hear some feedback on the format. Whether you're a 'practicing' musician or go by some other definition, it just doesn't seem right to not have SOMETHING that you can read and collect ideas on! I'm trying to learn all these songs and the band tells me the former guitar player knew them all but had his own 'dog eared' charts and never shared them. Job security I suppose... but it's certainly not in the spirit of this forum or tab sites, so I thought I'd try to drum up some help!!! I'd be thrilled to get some help from you on any of these. I have the basic stuff on "Guys do it.." I just haven't converted it to this format yet. I'll do that by this weekend and send you (or post) the xls if you like and are willing and able to work on it. I'd also like to hear more about "Power Tab". I've never heard of it. Thanks!!! __________________ El Extranjero de la Tierra Extraña ------------------------------------ Dorothy: "How can you talk if you haven't got a brain?" Scarecrow: "I don't know. But some people without brains do an awful lot of talking, don't they?"

January 29th, 2004, 06:15 PM	#6 (permalink)
shuggie1 Tele-Meister Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Minnesota Posts: 319	Hi El Another thing you might find useful while picking those female"country"pop tunes out.... I found that a majority of those are in flat keys,,I got tired of doing the capo dance every other song so I just tuned my spare tele to Bb and it made things a bit easier. Have "fun" with those tunes lol dont take me wrong but I sooo got burned out playin' some of those,,and a cranky insecure vocalist didnt' help matters either.... Take care all the best Shuggie

January 30th, 2004, 12:16 PM	#7 (permalink)
el_extranjero Tele-Holic Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: McKinney, TX Age: 48 Posts: 514	Bb? that sounds interesting. Can you give me some detail on that Shuggie? __________________ El Extranjero de la Tierra Extraña ------------------------------------ Dorothy: "How can you talk if you haven't got a brain?" Scarecrow: "I don't know. But some people without brains do an awful lot of talking, don't they?"

January 28th, 2004, 03:40 PM	#2 (permalink)
Michael R Tele-Holic Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Mystic CT Posts: 579	I think the format you came up with is very useful, especially the larger (pdf) format. In response to your questions: a) I am not a 'practicing musician' but I play alot and jam with friends and someone is always whipping out / making up a ratty chart or dog eared printout (the "it's like this... kinda" thing). After seeing one of your examples and I had no problem picking up on it, at first I thought it was a little overkill but for something I was not familiar with it would defintely be very useful to me. b) Unfortunately many of the songs on your list I know because my wife listens to top 40 country... I don't (unless she is around) so I can't really add anything to your list. Have you been searching for powertabs of those songs ? I find that powertabs are generally much better done than just regular tabs, and if you want I can give you a bunch of links to the country tab and powertab sites I have. c) One of the songs I know well on you list and used to like is "Guys do it all the time", I haven't played it in awhile but would be no problem to powertab it, if you don't already have it done let me know and I do it this weekend. I like what you have done and especially like the larger format ! Take Care

January 30th, 2004, 12:37 PM	#8 (permalink)
shuggie1 Tele-Meister Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Minnesota Posts: 319	You've got mail

February 7th, 2004, 07:18 PM	#9 (permalink)
Ward Tele-Meister Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: San Diego Posts: 453	I hear ya Shuggie. Those female pop country songs get old real quick. I couldn't stand all those strange chord progressions in b keys. Tough to play along to. Give me a I-IV-V Lorretta song anytime. Ward

February 8th, 2004, 01:15 AM	#10 (permalink)
shuggie1 Tele-Meister Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Minnesota Posts: 319	Amen Bro!!