I think the easiest way to start (and I have not had time to devote to learning much in abc) is to choose a simple tune that you know, and look at the 'abc' for that tune. There are alot of websites on the net with abc tunes, which you can access from the abc home page. Play the tune as you look at the abc, and then all the symbols start to make sense. I refreshed another thread on abc tune search pages called 'ABC tune finder'.

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