Don't get me wrong...I use tab. It's just not the first thing I go to when I want to learn a song.
My first approach is often procuring a copy of the song and sitting down with it. (A less-often used approach is seeing if I can just figure out a basic version of what the progression of the song might be...THEN finding a copy of the song and comparing.)
If I can't figure it out, THEN, I'll look for the tab.
Sure, tab is quicker...more convenient. But figuring it out for yourself is more satisfying, IMO.
I also think sheet music (standard notation) should not be the first resort.
All these people who can sight read a piece of music for the first time (while giving a near-flawless performance) don't really impress me that much.
Of course, I'm presently unable to do it, but I could if I wanted to take the time to practice it...but what's the point? What do you learn from being able to do that?
I know a couple of people who can sight read on many different instruments, but they cannot compose a piece of music on their own.
I'm unable to sight read, yet I have composed something like 70 songs and several abstract pieces. I consider myself a slacker because I've been doing it for about twenty years now and that only averages out to about three and a half songs per year.
My point (and there IS one, I just kind of forgot it for a second
) is that you learn more, (IMO) by figuring a song out for yourself than you do by having someone else figure it out and show you.
Besides, it can't be THAT difficult. This is not meant to disparage the artist in question. Their version of Stop is probably my most favorite moment of Volume One. I feel that the sound of OBC-era Floyd was perfectly captured. I think that that's how the song would have been done if they had done The Wall in 1971 instead of 1979.
That's an amazing feat, in my eyes. One which The Turning Away pulled off remarkably well.
BUT...I've always maintained that despite being my all-time favorite guitarist, Gilmour isn't exactly the most technical of all players. His riffs are deceptively simple...and almost exclusively based in the minor-pentatonic scale (which only has five notes, man.)
Trust me...just sit down with it and figure it out. It'll mean more to ya.
... I'll go to the spot in the tab that I'm having the problem and learn the piece. Personally I really don't see much of a differnce in having the sheet music in front of you and playing a piece or having The Tab. I know many musicians who cannot play by ear who rely on their sheet music, why not Tabs... Just my opinion.