If you’re a guitarist who actually uses tab books instead of letting them collect dust, there’s a huge difference between “good enough” and “this makes me want to practice.” The tab books from Protest the Hero’s camp—through Sheet Happens Publishing—fall firmly into that second category.
They’re some of the cleanest, most thoughtfully put-together guitar books I’ve ever used. Even if the material itself is brutally difficult, the way it’s presented helps you learn rather than getting in your way.
This post is a look at why these books stand out, what makes them different from the usual mass-market tab books, and who they’re really for.
Overview / First Impressions
The book I picked up is for Protest the Hero’s album Scurrilous (I butcher the pronunciation every time, but the riffs speak for themselves).
A few key impressions:
- The engraving and layout are top-tier—easily among the best I’ve seen.
- The transcription is note-for-note detailed, with both standard notation and tablature.
- The material is extremely challenging. This isn’t casual campfire stuff; it’s advanced modern prog metal guitar.
Honestly, I don’t even know what I was thinking when I bought it. The playing is well beyond what I could just casually rip through. But the quality of the book itself makes it something worth growing into.
Build Quality & Design
From a guitarist’s perspective, the design details matter more than people think. A poorly laid-out book slows you down and kills motivation.
Here’s what stands out with these Sheet Happens / Protest the Hero books:
- Clean layout: No clutter, no crammed bars. Everything is spaced so you can actually read it while playing.
- Standard notation + tab: You get both staff notation and tablature on every line, which is great whether you read music or rely mostly on tab.
- No unnecessary chord grids: You don’t get those giant chord diagrams or random chord names thrown on top of everything.
- Consistent formatting: Symbols, rhythms, and articulations are used consistently throughout, which makes it easier to follow complex passages.
Physically, these books are built like proper music books, not flimsy pamphlets. They feel like something you’ll keep on your stand for years.
Features & Functions (What Makes These Tabs Different)
Compared to the usual Hal Leonard-style rock and metal books, these Protest the Hero / Sheet Happens books do a few crucial things differently.
1. Focus on Actual Notes, Not Shorthand
Many mainstream tab books will throw chord names like:
- E5
- D5
- C5
across a section and then simplify what you’re actually supposed to play. That can be fine for basic rhythm guitar, but for intricate prog metal riffs it becomes useless fast.
These books:
- Write out every single note you’re supposed to play.
- Avoid vague shorthand and chord labels where they don’t help.
- Let you see the exact picking patterns, voicings, and note choices.
For technically dense music like Protest the Hero, this is essential.
2. Accurate Transcription
The accuracy here is miles ahead of the average tab you’ll find online or in cheaper books:
- Rhythms line up with how the band really plays them.
- Lead lines, harmonies, and fills are all there.
- You’re not left “filling in the gaps” by ear because the transcription cut corners.
If you’re serious about learning the songs as they were recorded, this matters a lot.
How It Performs / Use Cases for Guitarists
Let’s be honest: Protest the Hero’s material is hard.
If you’re a guitarist looking for:
- Right-hand discipline (alternate picking, string skipping, economy of motion)
- Left-hand accuracy (wide stretches, quick position shifts, legato)
- Modern harmony and phrasing (extended chords, interesting melodic lines, non-obvious note choices)
these books are a goldmine.
Who These Books Are For
You’ll get the most out of these if:
- You already have solid technique and want to push into advanced territory.
- You’re into prog, tech metal, or modern metalcore and want to understand the language behind it.
- You like learning full, accurate arrangements instead of just “close enough” versions.
Even if you can’t play everything at full speed, these books are fantastic for:
- Slow practice with a metronome
- Breaking down tricky sections into licks or exercises
- Studying song structure, harmony, and riff construction
Limitations / Things to Know
1. The Difficulty Level Is High
This isn’t beginner-friendly material. You’ll likely:
- Need to slow things way down.
- Loop small sections for extended periods.
- Accept that some songs may be long-term projects, not weekend wins.
That’s not a flaw of the book—it’s just the reality of the music.
2. Not a “Chord-Shape” Teaching Book
If you’re looking for:
- Big chord diagrams
- Simplified “campfire” versions
- Step-by-step theory explanations
this isn’t that. These are performance-oriented transcriptions, not method books.
3. Requires Patience and Intentional Practice
You get out of it what you put in:
- Treat it like a serious study resource.
- Use it alongside a metronome, backing tracks, or the original recordings.
- Don’t expect instant gratification.
Final Thoughts
From a guitarist’s perspective, the Protest the Hero tab books from Sheet Happens are some of the best-designed, most accurate guitar books you can buy—especially if you’re into progressive or technical metal.
They:
- Respect the player by showing every note, clearly and cleanly.
- Avoid the clutter and oversimplification you see in many mainstream books.
- Provide material that can keep you busy—and improving—for a long time.
If you’re ready to challenge yourself and want tab books that actually help you grow as a player, these are absolutely worth the investment.
Resources & Further Study
If you’re using demanding material like this, it really helps to have a solid grasp of the fretboard and basic harmony. Two resources that pair well with this kind of practice:
Fretboard Memorization Cheat Sheet – Available at travelingguitarist.com, this focuses on:
- Major and minor triads in every key
- An “octave mapping” approach to seeing the neck
- Using triads as the foundation for improvisation and chord understanding
Traveling Guitarist Forum – Over at forum.travelingguitarist.com, you can:
- Talk guitar and music with other players
- Share practice approaches for tough material
- Ask questions and trade ideas about theory, technique, and gear
Pair a high-quality tab book with a solid understanding of triads and the fretboard, and you’ll get a lot more out of advanced music like Protest the Hero.