I use the bass tab a lot as a learning and general fun tool. However, it seems that, whenever the note played goes above a high C (G string, 5th fret), the tab defaults to using only the top string resulting in a lot of quite hard to play patterns. A run of high G, high A, and high C would generally show as 12-14-5, all on the G string. In reality, I guess most would play this an easier way using the G and D or even A strings. I checked the underlying bass part and the choice of string isn't as a result of a slide (where the tab would make sense).

More generally, therefore, I was wondering if were possible for the tab to make more use of the 5th, 7th, 9th and even 12th positions?

The second point I wondered about is if there was a better way of showing grace notes, hammer ons and semi-tone slides. These appear a lot in the underlying parts, but often don't show given the resolution of the tab (or where they do, they sometimes show as quavers or semi-quavers and seem disproportionately long compared to the notes acually played, and, as such can confuse, rather than illuminate the playing).

I'm not knocking the real time tab - it is truely a thing of wonder - but I am suggesting these things as ways of perhaps making it even better, more lifelike and perhaps even more helpul as a learning tool.

This was also posted on the main BAIB forum.

Brian