TOPIC: Learning by ear vs learning by tab

I learned most of my music from tabs in books and watching other players' hands. I learned a few by ear. My son can't read tab very well and he learns everything by ear. I don't know which is better, any thoughts?

I think that those that can learn by ear are way ahead of the game.....Sam is like that. Not me! I have to see it in black and white and memorize it before anything that sounds similar to the song comes alive. Sam listens to me struggle for hours....then he picks up the guitar and comes up with the right chords, melody, lead, etc. in minutes because he has heard it AGRRRRR! Makes me want to do harm to something (But I don't )

I must be lucky. I can usually figure out something (my version anyway) by listening to it a few times and then the ususal trial and error. Tabs do cut down the time it takes for sure and even fill in the blanks. If only my fingers worked as well as my ears!

I learned to read music as a kid (playing the piano), then re-learned it when I started taking mandolin lessons. Now that I've started playing the fiddle, I prefer to play by ear. Reading tab is a whole other gear. It's definitely a good way to first learn the notes, if you don't read music, but I think it is very difficult to get the timing right. Eventually, looking at the paper just got in the way for me and I started playing by ear a lot more.

I read the tab so slowly that i forget what the song sounds like.
I learn by ear,it's faster. If there's a part that stumps me, I watch someone else play it. Seeing where their hand is on the neck is helps alot.

Tabs are fine to use in the beginning and when trying to study the exact music for a given tune. Ultimately, I think playing by ear is the goal. It is getting a bit scary, but when I listen to some music I can sometimes visualize the fingerboard and where the performer must be playing, using chord progressions etc. I think for this type of music playing by ear is the goal. We do like to peak on the tabs if we get stuck.

When I saw the Kruger brothers, Jens said that for their classical pieces every note was written out. For bluegrass and jamining they improvise as they go along. No practice or anything prearranged. You have to play by ear to do it right.