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Old 06-03-2015, 03:50 PM
Daveman Daveman is offline
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Default Anyone know an easy way to use an iPad to write tab?

Hi Guys

I am always writing, changing, or making notes to the finger style music I play as well as vocals with guitar. I use 4 Score as an app to store my songs and setlist and all are imported PDF's.

When it comes to lyrics, I type them up with the chords or (pattern referenced) above the lines and then save the Pages Document as a PDF. However, if there is tab that accompanies it (which there usually is), I use pen and paper to write up the tab. The same goes for Fingerstyle songs. Once it is all complete, it is scanned into a PDF and imported into 4 Score.

There are some downsides to this. Making changes to songs means starting over the "hand tabbed" portion. It is pretty tedious. The upside is (at least for me) having a clipboard next to my guitar to accurately transcribe. I don't think I could sit in front of a computer using a keyboard with a guitar in hand. I also don't read music (except for time signature, key, and note values) so have no need for anything but the tab.

With all the above said, has anyone stumbled onto an app or program that would let me write tab, change it, add to, etc. on the iPad (especially if it will allow additional pages for vocals) and allow the document to be saved or exported (preferably in PDF format)? I sure would appreciate any ideas or suggestions to streamline things a bit. I find I want to change songs up a bit often but want to keep my hands on a guitar and not on a keyboard. Another thing is being able to note additional elements of a song above the tab (like note value, rests, finger used etc.)

Thanks in advance..
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Old 06-03-2015, 06:41 PM
dhalbert dhalbert is offline
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Here's a previous thread on the topic, though it's from 2013: http://www.acousticguitarforum.com/f...d.php?t=299688
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Old 06-03-2015, 07:29 PM
Daveman Daveman is offline
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Originally Posted by dhalbert View Post
Here's a previous thread on the topic, though it's from 2013: http://www.acousticguitarforum.com/f...d.php?t=299688
Thanks

Notion looks pretty complicated. I'll check out guitar pro and progression.

I appreciate your time dhalbert!
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Old 06-03-2015, 10:40 PM
pjroberts pjroberts is offline
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Yes. There are a number of notebook applications that either include tab paper, or offer it for a nominal in app purchase. All of these enable typing, drawing, writing with stylus, and some even do hand writing recogniiton (I'm not into that, I either hand write or type, and then for tab, I just handwrite over the twb staff and type in lyrics).

A couple examples I use:
Notes Plus - Nice! - not sure if the tab paper is standard or extra
Penultimate - Better ! - Check out the Music paper in app purchase for a ton of music paper options

Other benefits - works on iPhone and iPad and some of them are readable on a Mac, of course with PDF output any PC can read. Both of these export in PDF, and offer different levels of Dropbox and Evernote integration (Penultimate is now an Evernote product).

I started using these as replacement for my mountains of pencil and pen notebooks with real handwriting capabilities of a stylus. But the music notation stuff eventually took over. Works well because I also use Evernote to store all the song ideas and random notes I take on the fly.

Good luck.
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Old 06-04-2015, 12:50 AM
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ljguitar ljguitar is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by pjroberts View Post
…Penultimate - Better ! - Check out the Music paper in app purchase for a ton of music paper options
Hi pj…

Penultimate used to be the best, till Evernote bought it and ruined it.

I taught guitar lessons with it, and created my own guitar neck papers etc on it, but they kept 'upgrading' it which really meant losing features (key features) and then they took away the ability to even email the page or lesson to the student on the fly.

And they made the organization and recovery of notebooks nonsensical.

I gave up on it finally…and bought a different Note app (Inkflow Plus).

In it's early form it would have been a great choice for TAB.




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Old 06-04-2015, 09:19 AM
Daveman Daveman is offline
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Hi PJ and LJ

Are you guys saying that the program or app Notes Plus actually has tab paper that I do not have to pre-design to fit the format of the screen/ program? Any you can write on it? Do you know if either one has a standard (for example) "3" that can be placed on the line to indicate the fret/note? As I am thinking about this, I realized that (even using a stylus) it would be hard to write consistently and neatly on top of a line and keeping it from touching other lines.

I appreciate your replies and just wanted to get your thoughts. I have been guilty of buying many apps without fully (or even partially) figuring out it the app can do what I am looking for.
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Old 06-04-2015, 12:56 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Daveman View Post
Hi PJ and LJ

Are you guys saying that the program or app Notes Plus actually has tab paper that I do not have to pre-design to fit the format of the screen/ program? Any you can write on it? Do you know if either one has a standard (for example) "3" that can be placed on the line to indicate the fret/note? As I am thinking about this, I realized that (even using a stylus) it would be hard to write consistently and neatly on top of a line and keeping it from touching other lines.

I appreciate your replies and just wanted to get your thoughts. I have been guilty of buying many apps without fully (or even partially) figuring out it the app can do what I am looking for.
Hi Dave…

I have to pass on NotesPlus. I own a copy, but have not had it on my iPad for several years. Perhaps someone else will wade in on the capabilities.

I don't use TAB so I've not been seeking/using programs which feature Writing or Reading it. Please keep us posted as to what you choose, and how you end up using it.





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  #8  
Old 06-04-2015, 03:26 PM
Dulcilo Dulcilo is offline
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Default Tabledit

TablEdit now has an iPad version and is free.
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