Where's the Tablature?

Subject: BS: Where's the Tablature?
From: GUEST,wdyat24
Date: 04 Nov 02 - 06:46 PM

Why isn't there a thread for tablature on Mudcat? Why isn't there a place on the Digitrad for tablature?

wdyat24

Subject: RE: BS: Where's the Tablature?
From: Ed.
Date: 04 Nov 02 - 06:56 PM

There've been loads of threads about tablature. You've just started another (but evidently didn't notice the fact)

Why is there no tablature in the DT? You'll have to wait until the people who run this place come by for a definative answer.

There are lots of different instruments, though, and you don't mention which you'd like tablature for.

In the meantime try the Yet another Digital Tradition site. Lots of formats there.

Subject: RE: BS: Where's the Tablature?
From: Bill D
Date: 04 Nov 02 - 08:44 PM

if ya give 'em words, they want chords...if ya give 'em chords, they want midis...if ya' give 'em midis, they want tablature....then they'll want MP3s, videos,....and scariest of all, they want "X's" version right down to the last detail...NOT "Y's" version...*grin*.....

(and sometime you GET tab!...depends on who knows what!...it ain't automatic!)

Subject: RE: BS: Where's the Tablature?
From: Sorcha
Date: 04 Nov 02 - 08:45 PM

Forget tab--learn to read music. It's not any more difficult than tab and give you the time of each note besides.

Subject: RE: BS: Where's the Tablature?
From: GUEST
Date: 04 Nov 02 - 08:59 PM

I can't drive 55 and I can't read music. I feel like those guys I work with that can't even read a newspaper...I can read tablature and I do write music in tablature...for guitar...in various tunings. Sorcha I wish I had the time to learn to read music again but I don't.

wdyat24

Subject: RE: BS: Where's the Tablature?
From: wysiwyg
Date: 04 Nov 02 - 09:31 PM

If you want to contribute tabs, YOU figure out how. This is not a Drive-Thru service. It's a community of contributors.

~S~

Subject: RE: BS: Where's the Tablature?
From: catspaw49
Date: 04 Nov 02 - 09:36 PM

Yep....Sounds like a project to me and I'm so happy we have a volunteer to get the thing going! Thanks wdyat!!!

Spaw

Subject: RE: BS: Where's the Tablature?
From: Joe Offer
Date: 04 Nov 02 - 10:14 PM

Most of the tablature threads have only "tab" in the title, so it's difficult to do a good search unless you're willing to look past "database" and "vegetable" threads and the like. I've included a link so you can see what comes up. Most of these thread discuss tab but don't post it - since we don't use a monospaced typeface, it's tricky to post tab here unless you know HTML, and there hasn't seemed to be much interest in it.
-Joe Offer-

---

Search for "Tab" threads

Subject: RE: BS: Where's the Tablature?
From: wysiwyg
Date: 04 Nov 02 - 11:05 PM

Wasn't there a wdyat12?

~S~

Subject: RE: BS: Where's the Tablature?
From: catspaw49
Date: 04 Nov 02 - 11:22 PM

Who got married if you recall Susan and became 24.

Spaw

Subject: RE: BS: Where's the Tablature?
From: wysiwyg
Date: 04 Nov 02 - 11:22 PM

Missed that one.

Did he make violins, too?

~Susan

Subject: RE: BS: Where's the Tablature?
From: catspaw49
Date: 04 Nov 02 - 11:26 PM

I hope not Susan....You know how I feel about domestic violins...............

Spaw

Subject: RE: BS: Where's the Tablature?
From: wysiwyg
Date: 04 Nov 02 - 11:34 PM

Be a bridge over troubled f-holes, haha.

No comment on rehairing your bow, no way, not going there. Ooops-- went there--- eeeeeeeeeeewwwwwwwww.

Hard case.

~Susan

Subject: RE: Where's the Tablature?
From: RichM
Date: 05 Nov 02 - 10:56 AM

So far, you've been told to write it yourself--if you know how to post in HTML--, do a mudcat search for topics containing the phrase "tab'" --or forget about tab, and learn notation!

Here's one site:

http://www.activeguitar.com/tab/
And another:
http://www.tabledit.com/tabs/index.shtml


What kind of music do you want tab for? There are hundreds of tab web sites.

Do a web search :
examples:
tab guitar folk
tab mandolin irish

Subject: RE: Where's the Tablature?
From: GUEST
Date: 05 Nov 02 - 11:34 AM

I don't know what these are like but these newsgroups may be worth investigating.

alt.binaries.guitar.tab
alt.guitar.tab
rec.music.folk.tablature
rec.music.makers.guitar.tablature

Jon

Subject: RE: Where's the Tablature?
From: belfast
Date: 05 Nov 02 - 11:56 AM

I can read music well enough and for the most part prefer it to tablature but if the piece is in an obscure tuning it can be difficult to read in conventional notation.

On the other hand, I already get so much out of this website I'd be embarrassed tjo ask for anything more.

Subject: RE: Where's the Tablature?
From: MMario
Date: 05 Nov 02 - 11:59 AM

I believe John in Brisbane has worked at producing tab as part of his overall conversion project - and I think there have been some other threads regarding producing tab from midi and/or abc. My personal problem with tab is that it is frequently only for the chords to a song - and thus useless to me as a singer - as I need the melody line.

Subject: RE: Where's the Tablature?
From: Gypsy
Date: 05 Nov 02 - 10:56 PM

I'm with Sorcha..........learn the tadpoles. They are universal. I would hate to have to deal with tab for my mando, hammered dulcimer, etc.

Subject: RE: Where's the Tablature?
From: X
Date: 06 Nov 02 - 06:33 PM

There are so many ways to get the same note on a stringed instrument that the little tadpoles are next to useless. Sure, they tell you note but unlike tab they don't tell you where the note is.

Subject: RE: Where's the Tablature?
From: GUEST,Chicken Charlie
Date: 06 Nov 02 - 06:42 PM

Picking up on Bill D., when I get the tab of Z's version, I'll want somebody to come play it for me. :)

CC

Subject: RE: Where's the Tablature?
From: John in Brisbane
Date: 06 Nov 02 - 08:44 PM

Let's not forget that Tablature is a musical language and adopting a particular new language is a question of personal choice and not one that I feel comfortable to advise on. What I can comment on though is that a lot of beginners - and some more experienced players - are really comfortable using it. For that reason I feel some sense of duty to help others to use their chosen language, especially given that I share a common bond with their desire to play folk music.

For that reason I have some projects on the go which may help people wishing to speak Tablature:

- A simple/free program to allow users to create their own mandolin tablature by utilising the thousands of tunes in ABC format already available on the Web. Awaiting some program changes from Lyle Mellick, the program developer. Jon Freeman has written a nice Windows interface.

- In the last couple of weeks I've created a special font for tin whistle tablature. It has two potential applications, (1) to be used in a normal word processor where a user can simply type in the name of the notes (including accidentals) and the appropriate whistle image appears on the page (2) used with a conventional notation package such as NoteWorthy Composer or Encore to display the whistle notation where the lyrics would normally appear. There's a handful of Mudcatters reviewing this at the moment. The thread title is Whistle Players Wanted.

- The idea of a dedicated font for whistle could be easily extended to other melody monotonic instruments such as harmonica, tenor banjo, Irish flute or even saxophone/clarinet/trumpet. Its principal restriction is that I have limited it within any given piece of music to a 2 octave range. For instruments available in different keys then the tablature is transposable.

WHAT TYPES OF TABs ARE REQUESTED AT MUDCAT?

(1) 'I'd like the TAB for the latest hit by Savage Garden'. I presume that this mythical request is for guitar chords and maybe lyrics. It's a real pity that we don't have more guitar chords in the DT. I haven't seen any recent discussion on this subject but the ChordPro format used at OLGA is excellent. By embedding the chords in square brackets within the lyrics, ...mid[D7]night [G]moon... you can use free software to re-format the piece to place the chords above the lyric or transpose the chords to another key.

(2) 'I'd like the guitar TAB for Bach's Opus in Cm..' Where the piece is complex and/or has simultaneous notes there's probably not too much that a computer generated interpretation can really do well. This equally applies to flat-picking or bluegrass requests.

(3) 'Melody TAB for Walkin Round In Women's Underwear'. This is DT domain and the area where we should be able to satisfy requests routinely - yes it is in the DT! How this is actually achieved will I guess be best answered by the regulars here.

That's enough from me.

Regards, John

Subject: RE: Where's the Tablature?
From: GUEST,ta2
Date: 07 Nov 02 - 05:46 AM

guitartabuniverse, getinyourcrib.com, olga