abc notation

Subject: abc notation
From: The Sandman
Date: 07 Jul 26 - 04:33 AM

ABC notation is a simple way to write music using computer text. Its main flaws are a steep text-reading curve, poor support for complex details, and lack of visual flow. It is best for simple melodies, not full orchestras.Here are the main disadvantages of ABC notation:Hard to read quickly: Standard sheet music is like an analog clock; you see the note's height instantly. ABC uses letters (like C, D, E). You have to read the text and decode it to know the pitch or duration.Lacks complex details: ABC struggles with intricate classical elements. It is hard to write complex tuplets (groups of notes played in an unusual rhythm) or specific grace note placements.Bad for large groups: It is made for single melodies. It does not handle full orchestra parts, multiple key signatures at the same time, or overlapping voice parts very well.No automatic layout: Traditional notation software auto-formats pages. In ABC, you have to type commands to space out notes, add barlines, or control accidentals (sharps and flats). This can cause errors.Software required: You cannot just hand a piece of ABC text to most musicians. You need to use a site or app (like abcjs or ABC Explorer.

Subject: RE: abc notation
From: Long Firm Freddie
Date: 07 Jul 26 - 04:47 AM

Michael Eskin's ABC Transcription Tools has moved things on a lot.

From the introduction:

ABC Transcription Tools is a free, web-based, open-source platform for anyone who works with traditional music—players, teachers, arrangers, and tune collectors. It transforms ABC, MusicXML, BWW, and MIDI files into beautiful standard notation and tablature for many different instruments, right in your browser.

ABC Transcription Tools

LFF

Subject: RE: abc notation
From: The Sandman
Date: 07 Jul 26 - 04:58 AM

ABC notation is a simple, text-based way to write music using normal letters and symbols on your keyboard. Its main advantages are that it is very easy to share via email, takes up almost no space on your computer, and can instantly turn into standard sheet music.
But you have to have a computer, So if you are giving lessons n in the real woprld
it is just as quick to write out in sheet music with pencil and paper or to teach by ear. personally i do not want pupils bringing smartphones to lessons, they are a distraction

Subject: RE: abc notation
From: Johnny J
Date: 07 Jul 26 - 05:04 AM

Yes, "ABC" is just really a short hand way of passing on tunes etc.

Some people can read and play it without converting same but that's not really its purpose. The idea is to convert it to standard notation either manually or by a program designed for this purpose.

I find it very useful myself and it is a very cheap way of compiling sheet music without the need for expensive programs. Even the basic converter on The Session.org is fine for most simple tunes but, as LFF says, there are even more sophisticated options.

There is also much which can be done with "ABC" and you can actually do much more with it as regards more complicated arrangements although I like to keep things fairly simple.

However, it's best to think of it as a "Tool" as opposed to a substitute for the real thing. i.e. either as a means of constructing standard notation or condensing it into a format so that it can be easily passed on. When the program was first designed, it was mainly passed on by e-mail etc. However, similar and less sophisticated forms existed even before that and it was basically just like a form of "short hand" between musicians.

Subject: RE: abc notation
From: GUEST,Grishka
Date: 07 Jul 26 - 10:56 AM

According to the inventor, ABC was originally meant to be used with pencil and paper, in a very long tradition of text-based notation models. These have always been "digital", thus less error-prone than graphic notation, and taking up less paper and time to write. Many famous composers would have profited. Nowadays, however, we often travel without pencil and paper, so we have to use our smartphones.

Subject: RE: abc notation
From: Jack Campin
Date: 07 Jul 26 - 11:47 AM

Translation: look at me, Mum.

Subject: RE: abc notation
From: GUEST,Howard Jones
Date: 07 Jul 26 - 04:47 PM

Its advantages are that you can share tunes online as text, without having to scan pages or attach files, and in a format anyone can use without needing specific software. It is easy to transpose, and you can play it back. Tune collections can easily be searched. There are free programs as well as Michael Eskin's excellent online resource to convert it to standard notation.

It is capable of representing anything in standard notation (including rhythm, although perhaps in the other thread you were referring to the different system used in Ireland for teaching).

I agree it is not well-suited to complex classical music (although the late Flos Headford transcribed "The Arrival of the Queen of Sheba" into ABC, just to show it could be done). However for folk tunes it is ideal.

Once you have got the hang of it it is no more difficult to use than other score writers, and easier than many.

Subject: RE: abc notation
From: The Sandman
Date: 08 Jul 26 - 01:21 AM

i often teavel with paper and pencil, in case i have an idea for a song or to do a cross word or soduku, anything that relies upon a computer for it to work at its best is flawed

Subject: RE: abc notation
From: GUEST,.gargoyle
Date: 08 Jul 26 - 01:46 AM

Mr Howard Jones -

I agree with you...100%.

Awkward part part is harmony.

Mr Sandman ... I am shocked, that YOU of all people should initiate these series of threads.

Sincerely,
GARGOYLE

Only within the last twelve months do I see your situation.

Subject: RE: abc notation
From: The Sandman
Date: 08 Jul 26 - 02:02 AM

Ewan MacColl achieved much with pencil and paper, no smartphones for him

Subject: RE: abc notation
From: Johnny J
Date: 08 Jul 26 - 03:27 AM

You can use "ABC" with pen and paper though. That's how it first started.

It's just a case of being able to translate from one format to the other and you can do that by hand quite easily too if you have the time and patience.

Yes, you can could just as easily compile the standard notation from scratch but that takes up more space and you have draw to lines, bars and all sorts. If you've got time, that's OK.

The "ABC" is more transportable too and a reason it caught on in the early days of home computing was that it could be easily sent by e-mail and so on. The tech wasn't there to compile sheet music to send by e-mail back then . It was all very basic.

As I said, I know people who use "ABC" as they do sheet music i.e. "sight read" from the code. Personally, I wouldn't do that as it's so simple just to convert it back to standard notation. Either manually or with a program. You don't need a computer to do this and it can just as easily be done by hand as long as you know the theory.

Subject: RE: abc notation
From: Nick Dow
Date: 08 Jul 26 - 04:22 AM

Just caught up with this thread. Looking forward to trying out the link above,

Subject: RE: abc notation
From: Jack Campin
Date: 08 Jul 26 - 05:13 AM

You don't need anything as posh as paper. I've demonstrated ABC using a slate.

Subject: RE: abc notation
From: DaveRo
Date: 08 Jul 26 - 06:09 AM

A related thread from April 24
Tech: New standard needed for posting melodies
which also includes discussion of other systems and ABC software.

Subject: RE: abc notation
From: The Sandman
Date: 08 Jul 26 - 07:01 AM

lear to read music it is not difficult, and learn to develop your ear. ABC IS CRAP UNLESS YOU HAVE A COMPUTER THERFORE IT IS INFERIOR

Subject: RE: abc notation
From: The Sandman
Date: 08 Jul 26 - 07:04 AM

ABC is worse than guitar tab guitar tab tells you where to put your fingers, abc without a computer is even less informative, noe of those tells you how to interpret, that requires listening

Subject: RE: abc notation
From: Manitas_at_home
Date: 08 Jul 26 - 07:35 AM

ABC works perfectly well without a computer because it's text based, not digital. You don't need a computer to write or read text so you don't need one to write or read ABC. There are computer tools to help you convert ABC to other formats or to read or write ABC but these are analogous to dictation and reading tools. They don't tie ABC to computers.

Subject: RE: abc notation
From: Mick Pearce (MCP)
Date: 08 Jul 26 - 07:41 AM

Horses for courses Dick.

I play classical guitar. If I play a Bach lute suite, I play from a standard score, not abc (though if I had the will, and no life, I could convert the score to abc!) And I have played tunes directly from the abc - it's not really that hard.

When I post a song to Mudcat, a text-based forum, I post the melody as abc. It's the best option - you can put the melody right there in the post. Alternatives would involve Mudcat uploading and storing a pdf or image/music file of the tune. More work for everybody, more space usage for Mudcat.

The one really useful thing to have would be if Mudcat could convert, or pass to a converter, selected abc code in a post so you could see it as a score. But Max has enough on his plate keeping this place going without adding to his load; I can copy and paste to external converters or run abcm2ps on my own machine.

On a topic in your original post, despite your assertion about tuplets, abc can handle any tuplets just fine. In another thread ,a long time ago, after some discussion with Jack on these matters, I posted - only as an example, I wouldn't recommend it at all in general - the abc for the first 2 bars of Ferneyhough's Bone Alphabet, which had a 7 line staff, 2 voices, and nested tuplets (4s inside 6s), all doable: BBC Radio 4 features abc

Subject: RE: abc notation
From: Jack Campin
Date: 08 Jul 26 - 09:15 AM

I wrote this tune down in the white space of a Slovak paper railway ticket while noodling on an electronic bagpipe at a station.

  X:4002
  T:Marion's Ticket
  M:2/4
  L:1/16
  Q:1/4=72
  K:AMix
  "A5"A2A>A B2A2 |"Em"e2e>f "G"g4|"A5"a2e2  a2e2 |a2e>d "G"B2G2|
  "A5"A2A>A B2A2 |"Em"e2e>f "G"g4|"A5"a2e>d "G"B2e>d|"A5"B2A2  A4 :|
  "A5"a2e>g a2e>g|"A5"a2e>f "G"g4|"A5"a2e>g a2e>f|"Em"g2e>d "G"B2G2|
  "A5"A2A>A B2A2 |"Em"e2e>f "G"g4|"A5"a2e>d "G"B2e>d|"A5"B2A2  A4 :|

Subject: RE: abc notation
From: The Sandman
Date: 08 Jul 26 - 10:03 AM

if a person can read and write music already why on earth would they use ABC
THE TREBLE AND BASS CLEF in standard music notation is used in many countries,
In traditional music theory, most countries in the world use the solfège naming convention Do–Re–Mi–Fa–Sol–La–Si, including for instance Italy, Portugal, Spain, France, Poland, Romania, most Latin American countries, Greece, Bulgaria, Turkey, Russia, and all the Arabic-speaking or Persian-speaking countries.
abc is for people with money who can afford computers and for computer geeks

Subject: RE: abc notation
From: Manitas_at_home
Date: 08 Jul 26 - 10:12 AM

And for writing on Dusty Windowsills?

Subject: RE: abc notation
From: The Sandman
Date: 08 Jul 26 - 10:43 AM

the dusty window sill is a fine tune best learned by ear

Subject: RE: abc notation
From: Mick Pearce (MCP)
Date: 08 Jul 26 - 10:49 AM

In the interest of full openness, while I post song tunes to Mudcat in abc, I invariable notate them in staff notation in Musescore or Dorico first, and then I usually just write the abc from the score. (I find converters, usually via intermediate music xml, put in a lot of extraneous stuff. I find it simpler just to write the abc directly.)

Subject: RE: abc notation
From: gillymor
Date: 08 Jul 26 - 11:00 AM

If I can't get something by ear I'll take the std. notation to
EasyABC convert it and get the tab at Eskin, in any key that suits me. I've used it often enough that I can write abc without the software if I'm away from the computer and using it has improved my sight reading skills as well.

Subject: RE: abc notation
From: Jack Campin
Date: 08 Jul 26 - 11:42 AM

As to why - Slovak train tickets don't come printed with music staves.

Subject: RE: abc notation
From: GUEST,Errr..
Date: 08 Jul 26 - 11:50 AM

... it's called 'Dusty Windowsills'!

Subject: RE: abc notation
From: Tattie Bogle
Date: 08 Jul 26 - 01:09 PM

I know it is widely used for sharing tunes on the session.org but this site now provides standard notation as well. (Of varying credibility! You get to know which transcribers to trust!) I’m also aware of the valuable work done by Michael Eskin, not just re notating tunes, but also his tutorials on playing the B/C buttonbox, especially the basses.
But having said all that, I have never really found a need to get to grips with ABC, as I learned to read standard notation (treble and bass clef) at a very early age, and that is my first “go to”. On occasion, I have been at a song workshop, with no means of audio recording a song tune, (pre owning a smartphone!) so have either used my own very simple version of ABC, or if I have manuscript paper with me, I can write the tune down almost as quickly.

Subject: RE: abc notation
From: Jack Campin
Date: 08 Jul 26 - 02:15 PM

There is a very good chance that any "standard notation" you see here was created in ABC and generated directly from it with no goose quills being harmed in the process.

Subject: RE: abc notation
From: GUEST,Grishka
Date: 08 Jul 26 - 02:30 PM

@Manitas_at_home: Text, whether on paper or elsewhere, is "digital" in the sense that it relies on a (hopefully small) set of distinct characters. Graphical notation scribbled by hand can be ambiguous by the fact that it is sometimes impossible to decide whether a given dot is on the line or above it. Now you may argue that scribbled text can also be ambiguous, e.g. "g" confused with "9", but usually it is easy to avoid such cases.

To sum up:

• Those who don't want it don't have to use it – no need to complain.
• Those who prefer another text-based notation may have a point, but ABC seems to be the one best supported by software.
• Mudcat posters should be encouraged to post ABC code; those who can't read it but want dots or MIDI can easily find conversion tools.

Subject: RE: abc notation
From: Jack Campin
Date: 08 Jul 26 - 04:38 PM

Written ABC has a couple of annoyances like that. The worst is not telling a C from a c when you're writing in pencil (which I have done for hundreds of pages in libraries). The Roman character set doesn't do case distinctions right.

Subject: RE: abc notation
From: GUEST,The Sandman
Date: 09 Jul 26 - 03:17 AM

Because ABC appears to be the one that is best supported by software, that means it is only the best if you have a computer or the money to have a computer, it is not necessarily the best for those in the third world or those without the money for a computer, the cost of pencil and sheet music is far less.
and imo learning by ear and developing musical ear is the number one skill for traditional musicians

Subject: RE: abc notation
From: GUEST,The Sandman
Date: 09 Jul 26 - 03:38 AM

The advantage of ABC notation even in its most basic form is that it can be written in musical phrases, yes, phrasing can be marked in sheet music too, but often on sites like the session it is not

Subject: RE: abc notation
From: GUEST,Howard Jones
Date: 09 Jul 26 - 09:19 AM

Those complaining that ABC needs a computer are missing the point. That's like complaining that a word processor or email requires a computer. ABC is a means of writing musical notation on a computer. It is like MuseScore or Sibelius, but (for simple folk tunes anyway, which is what it was intended for) it is often easier to use, and completely free. That it does so using normal text which can also be read without a computer or written on a piece of paper is a bonus. Some people can sight-read direct from ABC text, but most use it to generate conventional musical notation with a computer. It is not ABC versus notation, ABC is means of creating notation.

It may perhaps be quicker to write out a tune in notation on a piece of paper, and of course if you have no access to a computer of any kind then paper is the only option. However a piece of paper has many limitations. You cannot play it back, you cannot transpose it without writing it out again, you cannot quickly and conveniently share it online, you cannot quickly search through a collection of tunes using different criteria. ABC generates a printed score which will nearly always be more legigble than a hand-written one.

Even if you need to use paper, ABC offers a syntax for conveying full musical information in a form you can jot on the back of a beermat (without having to try to rule out staff lines) and then simply copy once you have access to a computer.

Since this misunderstanding seems to crop up time and time again, I will repeat it: ABC is not an alternative to musical notation, it is a way of writing musical notation on a computer, which then allows you to process the information in various ways, play the tune and print it out as standard notation.

Subject: RE: abc notation
From: GUEST,The Sandman
Date: 09 Jul 26 - 10:19 AM

abc was originally used on paper before computers were being used, and is still used via paper as an alternative to sheet music.
abc is a means of writing musical notation, i can remember it being used 35 years ago, you are incoorect if you are saying it is a way of writing musical notation on a computer, only.
ABC was being used an alternative to musical notation,in the early 1990s on paper regrdless of computers

Subject: RE: abc notation
From: GUEST,Howard Jones
Date: 09 Jul 26 - 11:47 AM

Systems for using text to represent music have indeed been around for a long time. I believe Chris Walshaw (who created the version of ABC we are discussing) originally developed it to write on paper but then adapted it for use with computers.

Computers and pencil and paper serve different purposes. Which one is better than the other depends on the circumstances and your reasons for wanting to write down the tune.

Subject: RE: abc notation
From: GUEST
Date: 10 Jul 26 - 07:20 AM

Dearie me!

In short, my preferred method is playing by ear or from memory. Until I know a tune, I will use standard notation if I have no access to a sound recording or can't remember how it goes. I often use both the dots and listen as well. The "dots" are only a snap shot in time as far as trad music is concerned.The composer will often play their own songs or tunes differently over time as well
.
However, I consider ABC to be a very useful tool for transporting and even to assist in compiling standard notation. For me, it's not a case of 'either...or".

Subject: RE: abc notation
From: GUEST,Johnny J
Date: 10 Jul 26 - 07:22 AM

Sorry. Last post was from me.

Subject: RE: abc notation
From: Howard Jones
Date: 10 Jul 26 - 08:21 AM

You might as well say "notation is crap because you need pencil and paper therefore it is inferior".

Pencil and paper and abc are both ways of writing notation,just as a fountain pen and MS Word are both ways of writing a letter. Which you use is matter of choice, which is inferior will depend on the circumstances and the purpose of writing down the tune at that particular time. It could well be that pencil and paper is best at the point you first note down the tune but putting it into abc then allows you to do more things with it. But if you don't find it useful then don't use it.

Subject: RE: abc notation
From: Jack Campin
Date: 10 Jul 26 - 09:01 AM

Not much mention so far of all the things you can do with ABC beyond simply having a record of the tune. Michael Eskin's site puts a lot of these in one place (though they have all been available for years): transposition, lists of tune incipits, adding and removing extra data like chords, gracenotes, tabs and lyrics, reformatting for line length, part extraction, special staff notations like chant or shapenote, multiple sound export options, export and import to other formats like XML, checking for bar length, heuristic estimates of mode, intelligent construction of tablature, auto-chording, storage and retrieval in database formats, pretty much anything you can do by textual analysis. Virtually none of this is doable in a format aimed at storing purely visual scores.

Subject: RE: abc notation
From: GUEST,Grishka
Date: 11 Jul 26 - 04:49 PM

I don't see any conflict at all. By all means everybody should be able to write and read ordinary dot notation. ABC has its use cases both with and without computers. The Third World is no longer as "third" as it used to be, but sometimes pencil and paper are more practical.

If you're worried about ambiguity – point taken, Jack! –, use ℂ or underline or whatever you can remember. Not foolproof, but handwritten dot notation takes more time and paper space for equal readability.

Actually I don't recall ever to have scribbled ABC, but I am not an expert, then.

Subject: RE: abc notation
From: Black belt caterpillar wrestler
Date: 11 Jul 26 - 05:26 PM

One advantage of using ABC on a computer as opposed to on paper is that you can play back the tune and listen (by ear!) to see if you have made any mistakes.

I also start with a simple single line part and save that before putting in harmonies etc.

Robin

Subject: RE: abc notation
From: Howard Jones
Date: 12 Jul 26 - 08:58 AM

I thought it might be worth posting this example of abc, just to show what it is capable of. Many of the criticisms contained in The Sandman's original post are valid, but only if you think of abc only in its text form and ignore that its principal purpose is as computer code to generate notation and midi output.

It can in fact handle tuplets, changes of key or time signatures, grace notes and multiple orchestral parts. There may be a few esoteric notation practices which abc cannot yet handle, but mostly anything notation can do can be represented in abc. I agree it is best suited to simple folk tunes, which was its original purpose, and it probably wouldn't be anyone's first choice of software to write a symphony, but it is nevertheless extremely capable.

This transcription of Handel's "The Arrival of the Queen of Sheba" is by the English fiddler Flos Headford, who did it to show the capabilities of abc. Another reason for posting it is that Flos died recently and his website will probably disappear in time, so posting it here may help to keep it in circulation. Paste it into Michael Eskin's website (including the headers starting with X:1) and you can view the score and listen to the playback.


X:1
T:Arrival of the Queen of Sheba
C:G.F.Handel (1685-1759)
S:Sinfonia from the opera Solomon HWV 67
Z:PJHeadford 2009
M:C
L:1/16
Q:1/4=120
K:Bb
V:1 name="Oboe I"
%%MIDI voice instrument=69
f6 df b4d4|g4 f3e d4 z4|d6 df =e6 cg|
agfg c2=e2 f2cd cdcd|c6 Ac f6 df|e6 ce d4 z4|
V:2 name="Oboe II"
%%MIDI voice instrument=69
d6 fd B6 fd|c3B A2A2 B4 z4|B6 Bd c6 g=e|
cBAB G2c2 A2AB ABAB|A6 FA B6 fb|c6 Ac F4 z4|
V:3 name="Violin I II"
%%MIDI voice instrument=40
bfdf bfdf bfdf bfdf|cbag fedc dBcd efga|\
bfdf bfdf b=ece bgcg|
agfg c2=e2 f2cd cdcd|cAFA cAFA fdBd fdBd|\
ecAc ecAc dFGA Bcde|
V:4 name="Viola" clef=tenor octave=-1 middle=c
%%MIDI voice instrument=41
d2f2f2f2 d2d2d2b2|b2c'2c'2f2 f4B4|\
f2f2g2g2 g2g2c2c2|
c'bab g2c2 c4 f2c2|c2f2f2f2 B2B2B2B2|\
g2ag a2f2 f4 d4|
V:5 name="Bassi" clef=bass octave=-2 middle=d
%%MIDI voice instrument=43
b2b2a2a2 g2g2f2f2|e2e2f2f2 b4 B4|\
d2d2g2g2 c2c2=e2e2|
f2b2c'2c2 f4 A2c2|f2f2e2e2 d2d2g2g2|\
c2c2f2f2 b4 B4|
V:1
f2d2f2d2 f2c2f2c2|d2B2d2B2 d2A2d2A2|\
b2g2b2g2 b2f2b2f2|
efgf edcB ABcB AGFE|D2E2F2G2 A2B2c2d2|\
efef gfed cdcd efef|
V:2
d2B2d2B2 c2A2c2A2|B2G2B2G2 A2F2A2F2|\
g2e2g2e2 f2d2f2d2|
G2ef gfed cBAB cBAG|F2E2D2G2 F2B2F2B2|\
cdcd edcB ABAB cdcd|
V:3
"7"fdBd fdBd fcAc fcAc|dBGB dBGB dAFA dAFA|\
bgeg bgeg bfdf bfdf|
efgf edcB cBAB AGFE|DFEG FAGB AcBd cedf|\
efef gfed cdcd efef|
V:4
b2f2b2f2 a2f2a2f2|g2d2g2d2 f2d2f2d2|e2B2e2B2 d2b2d2b2|
g2ef gfed c2ab c'bag|f2ce B2B2 f2d2f2f2|g2g2c'2g2 c2c2a2a2|
V:5
b2b2b2b2 a2a2a2a2|g2g2g2g2 f2f2f2f2|e2e2e2e2 d2d2d2d2|
c2c2c2e2 f2f2f2A2|B2c2d2e2 f2g2a2b2|e2e2e2e2 f2f2f2f2|
V:1
gfgf eded cdcd efef|gfgf eded cdcd edec|d4z4 z8|
z16|Bcde d2c2 B2f4 e2|d2ed e2c2 defg f2e2|\
d2ed e2c2 d2c2 B4|
V:2
eded cBcB ABAB cdcd|eded cBcB ABAB cBcA|B4z4 z8|
z16|z8 Bcde d2c2|B2cB c2A2 Bcde d2c2|\
B2cB c2A2 B2F2 D4|
V:3
"13"gfgf eded cdcd efef|gfgf eded cdcd edec|\
dfeg fagb a2gf b2e2|
d2cB F2A2 B2F2 B,4|z16|z16|z16|
V:4
a2a2a2a2 a2a2a2a2|a2a2a2a2 a2a2a2a2|\
f2a2b2e2 c'2a2f2g2|
f2g2f2e2 d4z4|z16|z16|z16|
V:5
f2f2f2f2 f2f2f2f2|f2f2f2f2 f2f2f2f2|\
B2c2d2e2 f2e2d2e2|
f2e2f2F2 B4z4|z16|z16|z16|
V:1
z16|z16|f4 gfed e2g4 g2|fedf edce d2f4 f2|
edce dcBd c2f2 ABcd|c2f2 ABcd c2f2f2f2|f4z4 z8|z16|
V:2
z16|z16|d4 edcB c2e4 e2|dcBd cBAc B2d4 d2|
cBAc BAGB A2c2 FGAB|A2c2 FGAB A2A2A2A2|A4z4 z8|z16|
V:3
bfdf bfdf bfdf bfdf|cbag fedc d2F2 B,4|z16|z16|
z16|z16|fcAc fcAc fcAc fcfa|gf=ed cBAG AFGA Bcde|
V:4
d2f2d2f2 g2b2g2b2|g2b2a2a2 b4z4|z16|z16|
z16|z16|a2c'2a2c'2 a2f2a2c2|d2f2=e2e2 f2d2c2B2|
V:5
b2b2a2a2 g2g2f2f2|e2e2f2f2 B4z4|z16|z16|
z16|z16|f2f2=e2e2 d2d2c2c2|B2B2c2c2 f2B2A2G2|
V:1
fgab a2g2 f2c4 B2|A2BA B2G2 ABcd c2=e2|\
f2ga b2g2 a2g2 f4|c2A2c2A2 c2G2c2G2|
a2f2a2f2 a2=e2a2e2|f2d2f2d2 f2c2f2c2|\
B2d2B2G2 =e4 z2g2|(a2g2)(g2f2) (b2a2)(a2g2)|
V:2
ABcd c2B2 A2A4 G2|F2GF G2=E2 FGAB A2G2|\
A2Bc d2=e2 f2c2 A4|A2F2 A2F2 G2=E2G2E2|
f2d2f2d2 =e2c2e2c2|d2B2d2B2 c2A2c2A2|\
d2B2G2d2 c4 z2=e2|(f2=e2)(e2d2) (g2f2)(f2e2)|
V:3
f4 z4 z8|z16|z16|cAFA cAFA cG=EG cGEc|
afdf afdf a=ece aece|fdBd fdBd fcAc fcAc|\
Bcdc BAGF =E4z4|z16|
V:4
c4 z4 z8|z16|z16|f2c2f2c2 =e2c2e2c2|
d2A2d2A2 c'2a2c'2a2|b2f2b2f2 a2f2a2f2|\
g2d2g2G2 G4z4|z16|
V:5
F4z4 z8|z16|z16|f2f2f2f2 =e2e2e2e2|
d2d2d2d2 c2c2c2c2|B2B2B2B2 A2A2A2A2|\
G2G2G2G2 c4z4|z16|
V:1
(abag) (gagf) (gagf) (fgf=e)|d=edc BcBA G4 z4|z16|
z16|z16|defg f2e2 d2f4 e2|d2ed e2c2 d2c2 B4|
V:2
(fgf=e) (efed) (efed) (dedc)|BcBA GAGF =E4 z4|z16|
z16|z16|Bcde d2c2 B2d4 c2|B2cB c2A2 B2F2 D4|
V:3
z16|d=edc BcBA GAGA BcBc|dcdc BABA GAGA BcBc|
dcdc BABA GAGA BcBc|A2f2 G2=e2 f2c2 F4|z16|z16|
V:4
z16|f2f2g2g2 g2g2=e2e2|=e2e2e2e2 e2e2e2e2|
=e2e2e2e2 e2e2e2e2|c2d2d2c2 c4 z4|z16|c16|
V:5
z16|B2B2B2B2 c2c2c2c2|c2c2c2c2 c2c2c2c2|
c2c2c2c2 c2c2c2c2|f2d2B2c2 F4 z4|z16|z16|
V:1
z16|z16|(d2c2)(c2B2) (e2d2)(d2c2)|\
(dedc) (cdcB) (cdcB) (BcBA)|
Bcde d2c2 B2b4 a2|g2ag a2^f2 g2d2B2d2|g4z4 z8|z16|
V:2
z16|z16|(B2A2)(A2G2) (c2B2)(B2A2)|\
(BcBA) (ABAG) (ABAG) (GAG=E)|
GABc B2A2 G2d4 c2|B2cB c2A2 B2G2d2B2|G4z4 z8|z16|
V:3
bfdf bfdf bfdf bfdf|
cbag fedc dBcd BDEF|B,4z4 z8|z16|
z16|z16|gdBd gdBd gdBd gdgb|ag^f=e dcBA BGAB cdef|
V:4
d2f2d2f2 g2b2d2b2|g2b2a2a2 b4z4|z16|z16|
z16|z16|B2d2B2d2 e2g2b2B2|c2a2^f2d2 d4z4|
V:5
b2b2a2a2 g2g2f2f2|e2e2f2f2 B4z4|z16|z16|
z16|z16|g2g2f2f2 e2e2d2d2|c2c2d2d2 G4z4|
V:1
d4G4 e4c4-|c2de f2c2 d4B4-|\
B2cd e2B2 c4A4-|A2Bc d2A2 B2G4 AB|
c2A4 Bc d2B4 cd|e2c2=B2c2 ^f8|\
g2d2B2d2 g2fe d2c2|B4A4 G4z4|
V:2
d4G4 e4c4-|c2de f2c2 d4B4-|\
B2cd e2B2 c4A4-|A2Bc d2A2 B2G4 AB|
c2A4 Bc d2B4 cd|e2c2=B2c2 ^f8|\
g2d2B2d2 G4G4|G4^F4 G4z4|
V:3
g4z4 gece gece|f4z4 fdBd fdBd|\
e4z4 ecAc ecAc|d4z4 gdBd gdBd|
^f4z4 dBGB dBGB|E4z4 a^fdf afdf|\
gdBd gdBd g2fe d2c2|B4A4 G4z4|
V:4
g2g2d2d2 g2g2e2e2|c2c2c2c2 f2f2d2d2|\
B2B2B2B2 e2e2c2c2|A2A2A2A2 d2d2d2d2|
c2c2^f2f2 g2d2g2d2|g4z4 ^f2a4f2|\
d2d2d2d2 e2g2g2g2|g4 ^f3c B4z4|
V:5
=b2b2b2b2 c2c2c2c2|a2a2a2a2 b2b2b2b2|\
g2g2g2g2 a2a2a2a2|^f2f2f2f2 g2g2g2g2|
a2a2a2a2 b2b2b2b2|c'2e'2d'2c'2 d'2d'2c'2c'2|\
b2g2f2f2 e2e2B2c2|d2c2d2D2 G4z4|
" page 9"
V:1
b2g2b2g2 b2f2b2f2|g2e2g2e2 g2d2g2d2|\
e2c2e2c2 e2B2e2B2|
c4d4 e4z4|G_ABc B2A2 G2g4f2|\
e2fe f2d2 e2b4_a2|g2_ag a2f2 g2f2 e4|
V:2
g2e2g2e2 f2d2f2d2|e2c2e2c2 d2B2d2B2|\
c2_A2c2A2 B2G2B2G2|
_A4F4 G4z4|EFG_A G2F2 E2B4A2|\
G2_AG A2F2 G2g4f2|e2fe f2d2 e2B2G2B2|
V:3
bgeg bgeg bfdf bfdf|gece gece gdBd gdBd|\
ec_Ac ecAc eBGB eBGB|
_agfe dcB_A G2E2G2B2|E4z4 z8|z16|z16|
V:4
e'2b2e'2b2 d'2b2d'2b2|c'2g2c'2g2 b2g2b2g2|\
_a2e2a2e2 g2e2g2e2|
c4f4 B4z4|z16|z16|z16|
V:5
e'2e'2e'2e'2 d'2d'2d'2d'2|c'2c'2c'2c'2 b2b2b2b2|\
_a2a2a2a2 g2g2g2g2|
f2f2f2f2 e4z4|z16|z16|z16|
V:1
B2G2B2G2 c4z4|c2A2c2A2 d4z4|d2B2d2B2 e4z4|
e2c2e2c2 f4z4|defg f2e2 d2f4e2|\
d2ed e2c2 d2c2B2A2|d2c4B2 e2d4c2|
V:2
G4z4 G2=E2G2E2|A4z4 A2D2A2D2|B4z4 B2G2B2G2|
c4z4 c2F2c2F2|Bcde d2c2 B2d4c2|\
B2cB c2A2 B2e2d2c2|B2A4G2 c2B4A2|
V:3
BGEG BGEG cG=EG cGEG|cAFA cAFA dA^FA dAFA|\
dBGB dBGB eBGB eBGB|
ec_Ac ecAc fc=Ac fcAc|d4z4 z8|z16|z16|
V:4
e2e2e2e2 c2c2c2c2|a2a2f2f2 d2d2d2d2|\
b2b2g2g2 e2e2e2e2|
c'2c'2_a2a2 f2f2f2f2|f4z4 z8|z16|z16|
V:5
e2e2e2e2 =e2e2e2e2|f2f2f2f2 ^f2f2f2f2|\
g2g2g2g2 g2g2g2g2|
_a2a2a2a2 =a2a2a2a2|b4z4 z8|z16|z16|
" page 11"
V:1
defg f2B2 A2B4c2|def4B2 ABc4d2|\
efg4c2 =Bcd4G2|c2de f2d2 e2=B2c4-|
c2de f2c2 d2A2B4-|B2_AG A2GF G2=ABc4-|\
c2BA B2AG A4z4|
V:2
Bcde d2f2 F2G4A2|def4B2 ABc4d2|\
efg4c2 =Bcd4G2|c2de f2d2 e2=B2c4-|
c2de f2c2 d2A2B4-|B2_AG A2GF G2=AB c4-|\
c2BA B2AG A4z4|
V:3
z16|bfdf bfdf A4z4|cGEG cGEG D4z4|ecGc d=BGB c4z4|
cAFA cAFA B4z4|fdBd fdBd G4z4|g=ece gece dAFA cAFA|
V:4
z16|f2b2d2d2 c2a2a2=b2|\
g2c'4c2 d2=b2g2d2|g2g2=B2B2 g2g2e2e2|
f2f2a2a2 f2c2d2e2|f2f2d2d2 B2B2g2g2|g2g2=e2e2 a4f4|
V:5
z16|b2b2b2b2 f2f2f2f2|\
c2c2e2e2 g2g2=b2b2|c'2c'2g2g2 c2c2c'2c'2|
a2a2f2f2 B2B2B2c2|d2d2d2d2 e2e2e2e2|=e2e2e2e2 f4a4|
V:1
f2d2f2d2 f2c2f2c2|d2B2d2B2 d2A2d2A2|\
b2g2b2g2 b2f2b2f2|
efgf edcB ABcB AGFE|D2E2F2G2 A2B2c2d2|\
efef gfed cdcd efef|
V:2
d2B2d2B2 c2A2c2A2|B2G2B2G2 A2F2A2F2|\
g2e2g2e2 f2d2f2d2|
G2ef gfed cBAB cBAG|F2E2D2G2 F2B2F2B2|\
cdcd edcB ABAB cdcd|
V:3
fdBd fdBd fcAc fcAc|dBGB dBGB dAFA dAFA|\
bgeg bgeg bfdf bfdf|
efgf edcB ABcB AGFE|DFEG FAGB AcBd cedf|\
efef gfed cdcd efef|
V:4
b2f2b2f2 a2f2a2f2|g2d2g2d2 f2d2f2d2|\
e2B2e2B2 d2b2d2b2|
g2ef gfed c2ab c'bag|f2ce B2B2 f2d2f2f2|\
g2g2c'2g2 c2c2a2a2|
V:5
b2b2b2b2 a2a2a2a2|g2g2g2g2 f2f2f2f2|\
e2e2e2e2 d2d2d2d2|
c2c2c2e2 f2f2f2A2|B2c2d2e2 f2g2a2b2|\
e2e2e2e2 f2f2f2f2|
V:1
gfgf eded cdcd efef|gfgf eded cdcd edec|\
dfeg fagb a2gf b2e2|d4c3B B4z4|]
V:2
eded cBcB ABAB cdcd|eded cBcB ABAB cBcA|\
F2A2B2e2 c2A2f2B2|B4 A2E2 D4z4|]
V:3
gfgf eded cdcd efef|gfgf eded cdcd edec|\
dfeg fagb a2gf b2e2|d2cB F2A2 B2B,2 z4|
V:4
a2a2a2a2 a2a2a2a2|a2a2a2a2 a2a2a2a2|\
f2a2b2e2 c'2a2f2g2|f2g2f2e2 d4z4|]
V:5
f2f2f2f2 f2f2f2f2|f2f2f2f2 f2f2f2f2|\
B2c2d2e2 f2e2d2e2|f2e2f2F2 B4z4|]

Subject: RE: abc notation
From: Black belt caterpillar wrestler
Date: 12 Jul 26 - 09:25 AM

It helps to have a Bb Anglo!

Robin

Subject: RE: abc notation
From: gillymor
Date: 12 Jul 26 - 11:29 AM

I had a listen, that is amazing, Howard

Subject: RE: abc notation
From: Pappy Fiddle
Date: 13 Jul 26 - 10:32 AM

Here's how to get started:

1. Start your abc file with this header:

X:1
T:Title
C:copyright 2026 Your Name Here
L:1/1
Q:1/4=100
M:3/4
K:Cmaj clef=treble
%

All that is really needed are the X, and then the L, Q, and K fields. If omitted, there are usually defaults. The other fields were designed for documenting old hillbilly songs that otherwise would die. The idea was to be able to search, for instance, on origin (O:West Virginia). This was before search engines, before the internet, maybe even before the days of something called DOS (??)

X:1 starts the song (historical reasons, reference number). Anciently you might put several tunes in one file with X:1, X:2, etc. so one file could contain all your waltzes for instance, another your jigs; so you could search the waltz file for O:West Virginia. When search engines appeared this was obsolete and people mostly just put one tune per file. But you still have to put the X:1 in. This is OK, because if the file doesn't start with X:1 the translator software can reject it, you probly fed it a cake recipe or something by accident.

C: (composer; I put copyright here. This field just puts text near the top:)

L: (unit note length) People usually put 1/8 or 1/4 or something like that here. It was initially the shortest note (unit of time, time interval between transients) you are going to use for this song. Say it was 1/4, then to make a C note that lasts one quarter note, you just write C. For a half note, write C2.

Then while you're composing and you find you want a shorter interval, you could change L: to 1/8; a quarter note would become c2, meaning 2 eighth notes. You would have to rewrite the entire score.

People were screaming about that, so they added the provision that you can make a note shorter than unit note length with c/2 etc.

SO WHAT MAKES SENSE TO ME IS TO PUT L:1/1. Then a quarter note looks like c/4. There can also be a digit before the /, ie. c3/8. This system works OK.

But if you put c/3, you'll get some wierd thing on the staff, lik    O•••••••••••••••••••••
Because there are so many nutty things in this world there had to be one more.

Q: (tempo, beats per minute) The format is 1/4=120
This tells the software and musicians that the beat is 120 bpm, and the 1st of every 4 beats is often louder. The software does not make any notes louder. Because that's not really a part of the music. It sounds normal without it. Musicians just do it naturally because they think they're supposed to.