Help: Indicating rests in tablature

Subject: Help: Indicating rests in tablature
From: Áine
Date: 26 Nov 02 - 08:37 PM

I'm trying to write the tabluture for a tune I wrote on the mandolin, and I need to know how to indicate a quarter and eighth rest. I've looked in at The Mandolin Cafe, but, I couldn't find the answer there (maybe I just got distracted by all the wonderful MP3s and the tablatures posted there by our own derrymacash (aka Aidan Crossey) -- but, if one of you wonderful 'Cats know the how-to-do for this, I'd really appreciate it!

Thanks in advance, Áine

Subject: RE: Help: Indicating rests in tablature
From: Mark Clark
Date: 26 Nov 02 - 10:27 PM

I think the standard rest symbols are often employed. This rest graphic depicts half, quarter, eighth and sixteenth rest symbols in that order.

      - Mark

Subject: RE: Help: Indicating rests in tablature
From: katlaughing
Date: 26 Nov 02 - 10:30 PM

You can see examples on this page, darlin': click here.

Also, Noteworthy Composer has them.

luvyakat

Subject: RE: Help: Indicating rests in tablature
From: Áine
Date: 26 Nov 02 - 10:47 PM

Thank you both -- I can read music and I know what the rest symbols are in standard notation. However, I thought that there might be a 'standard' way of indicating rests in tablature; especially since most folks that use it don't read standard notation.

From the examples I've seen in my books with tab, and the files on The Mandolin Cafe, it appears as though a blank space is left on the line, instead of a symbol to indicate the duration of the rest. I guess I just assumed that there would be an 'accepted' way of indicating rests in tablature.

All the best, Áine

Subject: RE: Help: Indicating rests in tablature
From: katlaughing
Date: 27 Nov 02 - 01:19 AM

Sorry, Aine, I misread.

This guy seems to explain things in a very good way, BUT I didn't see anything in a quick scan about rests. He does seem to indicate that a lot of people do not use the same standard symbols for a lot of things, though, so it might be worth your while looking at what he has to say: Tab Basics.

Another site seemed to say that ^ could be used, but I read somewhere else that those are used to pull-offs or somesuch.:-)

Good luck!

Subject: RE: Help: Indicating rests in tablature
From: Haruo
Date: 27 Nov 02 - 03:44 AM

Also the graphic katlaughing linked to at EnchantedLearning seems to just assume 4:4 time; or at least x:4. Would not make sense with a piece in 2:2 or 6:8. I think. Not that this has anything to do with mandolins or tablature, though.

Haruo

Subject: RE: Help: Indicating rests in tablature
From: Jeri
Date: 27 Nov 02 - 09:04 AM

This page/graphic is a bit more specific, from the same place kat linked to.

Haruo, I don't understand, unless what you meant is that the dotted notes/rests (which occur in all time signatures) are missing?

As far as tablature, I don't believe I've ever seen a symbol for a rest in a tab. I just assume that if there's no indication to play something where I could play something, I don't. I'm not an expert in tablature though. A lot of times, the tab is written along the dots, and the dots include the rests.

Subject: RE: Help: Indicating rests in tablature
From: GUEST,Fred Miller
Date: 27 Nov 02 - 09:18 AM

I'd think using standard notation rests has to be the best thing, since there's no consensus, and even for people who don't read music, it will be easier for them to find a handy explanation.

Lute tab didn't show rests, and a single rythm stave for every note on that beat-- as a general rule you'd hold every note as long as possible.

Subject: RE: Help: Indicating rests in tablature
From: Áine
Date: 27 Nov 02 - 10:22 AM

Fred Miller said, Lute tab didn't show rests, and a single rythm stave for every note on that beat-- as a general rule you'd hold every note as long as possible. -- Since I'm writing the tablature for mandolin, what I don't want the person reading it to assume is that the 'blank' space in the tab means to use a tremelo there.

The site that kat linked to is great, by the way, and it does mention that if you use your own symbols, you should give an explanation of them with the tablature itself. I could do that, but if there's a more 'recognized' way of showing rests in tab (especially in mandolin tab), I'd rather do that.

-- Áine

Subject: RE: Help: Indicating rests in tablature
From: GUEST,derrymacash
Date: 27 Nov 02 - 11:49 AM

Áine ...

Thanks for yet another plug, a chara.

What I generally do is to write REST vertically.

See, for example, the trad tune The Spring Well (http://www.mandolincafe.com/tab/sw.txt)

Or my own jig, full of pregnant pauses, Boxing Day In Kane's (http://www.mandolincafe.com/tab/bdinkanes.txt)

Does this help?

The thing about writing out tab manually, as I do, is that I find myself having to improvise, hence my use of symbols such a ~ to indicate ornamented notes, / to indicate half-notes, S to indicate staccato notes, and for dotted rhythms /_|and |_/ (strathspey and hornpipe type rhythms respectively). I usually add notes at the bottom of the piece if there's an odd quirk or two.

Aidan Crossey

Subject: RE: Help: Indicating rests in tablature
From: Mooh
Date: 27 Nov 02 - 01:37 PM

Another discovery of the way TAB is inadequate in depicting time.

I generally use standard notation symbols for rests in TAB when handwriting it. I've never typewritten TAB but I wish there was a standard computer keyboard key(s) which would work.

Physical spacing of notes in TAB is essential to indicate something of the timing.

Perhaps "&" for a half rest (as in "one and two and...) and multiples of "&" for longer rests...but try to make the rest (pun intended)of the world use them!

Sometimes I'm glad I'm still a pencil and paper kind of guy.

Peace, Mooh.

P.S. Aine...Rush Creek PM sent. Very nice!

Subject: RE: Help: Indicating rests in tablature
From: Mooh
Date: 27 Nov 02 - 04:46 PM

Sorry, I meant to use "&" as an eighth rest, fwiw. Mooh.

Subject: RE: Help: Indicating rests in tablature
From: Jeri
Date: 27 Nov 02 - 05:34 PM

Mooh it's not the same as having a key on your keyboard, but if you have the font "Breathnach" which comes with abc programs, the following will look like rests:
abcdefgh
...and if you don't have it, they'll just look like "abcdefgh".

You could use that font if you do tabs in a word processing programs that can read it.