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  #1  
Old 08-31-2020, 08:58 AM
djb33 djb33 is offline
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Default Recommendation for Guitar Tablature Software

Hello everyone. I've come up with some finger style arrangements that I'd like to make tabs of to share with a friend and also make a written record of so I don't forget them. Could I get recommendations for software programs to create the tabs? I searched the forum but couldn't find recent postings on this topic.

I'm looking for something free or inexpensive (no Sibelius or Finale) that is easy to learn and use. It would be helpful if it could generate tabs from Midi files.

What I've found elsewhere suggests that MuseScore is the most popular of the free versions. Are there other free programs that I should consider? What are the main features I would miss out on by not using the more expensive software?

Guitar Pro seems to be a popular among the inexpensive paid versions ($70). Is it significantly better than the free versions in terms of entering or editing tabs?

I'd really appreciate any input and advice you can give.

Dave
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  #2  
Old 08-31-2020, 09:17 AM
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rick-slo rick-slo is offline
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I use PowerTabEditor (free) (for Windows only).

See my sig below to tabs done in PowerTab and printed in PDF format. You can import midi files into it.

Also TablEdit ($60) is available (Windows or Mac).

I bought Guitar Pro ($70).

As far as ease of use I prefer using PowerTabEditor
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  #3  
Old 08-31-2020, 01:19 PM
JerrysGuitarBar JerrysGuitarBar is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by rick-slo View Post
I use PowerTabEditor (free) (for Windows only).

See my sig below to tabs done in PowerTab and printed in PDF format. You can import midi files into it.

Also TablEdit ($60) is available (Windows or Mac).

I bought Guitar Pro ($70).

As far as ease of use I prefer using PowerTabEditor
I was going to just put "+1" but apparently that's too short, so:

+1
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  #4  
Old 08-31-2020, 01:29 PM
Mystery123 Mystery123 is offline
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I'm trying these free programs currently: PowerTab and Musescore.
Powertab pretty much does everything except it's old program so it doesn't have good viewing option in the monitor.

Musescore is new to me. It seems okay except it doesn't have hammer on and pull offs to play back, at least I can't find it.
I can write H but it won't play it.
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  #5  
Old 08-31-2020, 02:03 PM
stanron stanron is offline
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Hammer ons Pull offs and Slides are called 'slurs' in Music Notation. To enter a slur in Musescore click on the first note and press the letter 's'. That is if you are not in note entering mode. If you are in note entering mode press 'Esc' first. I then put an H,P or S above using Stave Text.

It doesn't change the sound of the playback but it is there for anyone reading it.
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  #6  
Old 08-31-2020, 03:53 PM
niko niko is offline
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I used Powertab years ago, but now I prefer TuxGuitar. It's available on multiple OS (Windows, Linux, MacOS,...)
http://www.tuxguitar.com.ar/
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  #7  
Old 08-31-2020, 05:05 PM
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TBman TBman is offline
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I like using GuitarPro.
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  #8  
Old 09-03-2020, 07:45 AM
djb33 djb33 is offline
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Thanks everyone for the input. I did more research, and decided to try MuseScore. I was able to make a good looking tab without much trouble, so I'm satisfied for now.

After I have more experience with it, I'll probably do the Guitar Pro 30 day free trial to see if it's worth upgrading to something more powerful.
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  #9  
Old 09-11-2020, 02:18 PM
JERZEY JERZEY is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by djb33 View Post
Hello everyone. I've come up with some finger style arrangements that I'd like to make tabs of to share with a friend and also make a written record of so I don't forget them. Could I get recommendations for software programs to create the tabs? I searched the forum but couldn't find recent postings on this topic.

I'm looking for something free or inexpensive (no Sibelius or Finale) that is easy to learn and use. It would be helpful if it could generate tabs from Midi files.

What I've found elsewhere suggests that MuseScore is the most popular of the free versions. Are there other free programs that I should consider? What are the main features I would miss out on by not using the more expensive software?

Guitar Pro seems to be a popular among the inexpensive paid versions ($70). Is it significantly better than the free versions in terms of entering or editing tabs?

I'd really appreciate any input and advice you can give.

Dave
I find GuitarPro to be the best in most cases. I find that TuxGuitar is right behind it. In a lot of ways its easier to use. Tux is also great for printing tabs. It condenses the tab in a way so it does not take up a lot of room. I can get one one page what usually takes 3 pages in Guitar pro on a printed sheet. I will often edit in GP and print in TG.
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  #10  
Old 09-15-2020, 03:48 PM
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TBman TBman is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by JERZEY View Post
I find GuitarPro to be the best in most cases. I find that TuxGuitar is right behind it. In a lot of ways its easier to use. Tux is also great for printing tabs. It condenses the tab in a way so it does not take up a lot of room. I can get one one page what usually takes 3 pages in Guitar pro on a printed sheet. I will often edit in GP and print in TG.
GuitarPro has a "design mode" where you can increase or decrease the number of measures on each line. Just remember to exit design mode before you print.
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  #11  
Old 09-15-2020, 06:41 PM
MartinGibsonFan MartinGibsonFan is offline
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I like Guitar Pro.

I like the scales feature it has, lots of other stuff I like about it as well.

MGF
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  #12  
Old 09-18-2020, 05:42 AM
JERZEY JERZEY is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by TBman View Post
GuitarPro has a "design mode" where you can increase or decrease the number of measures on each line. Just remember to exit design mode before you print.
Thank you for the tip I will put it to work later.
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  #13  
Old 09-18-2020, 05:10 PM
JonPR JonPR is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Mystery123 View Post
I'm trying these free programs currently: PowerTab and Musescore.
Powertab pretty much does everything except it's old program so it doesn't have good viewing option in the monitor.

Musescore is new to me. It seems okay except it doesn't have hammer on and pull offs to play back, at least I can't find it.
I can write H but it won't play it.
What software does that? Does powertab do that - make a hammer on and pull off sound different from two separate notes?
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  #14  
Old 09-19-2020, 07:37 AM
Mystery123 Mystery123 is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by JonPR View Post
What software does that? Does powertab do that - make a hammer on and pull off sound different from two separate notes?
Yes. All I tried to that.
PowerTab, TablEdit, TuxGuitar all slide and hammer on during playback except the musescore.
Not perfect sound but it does play.

TuxGuitar is good but it just runs on and on without a line break.
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  #15  
Old 09-19-2020, 09:12 AM
JonPR JonPR is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Mystery123 View Post
Yes. All I tried to that.
PowerTab, TablEdit, TuxGuitar all slide and hammer on during playback except the musescore.
Not perfect sound but it does play.
You mean the sound of the second note is different than if you didn't mark it as hammer on or pull off?

I.e., (as we know!) normally the note played with a hammer-on or pull-off sound quieter and with very little attack. Is that how it sounds on that software?

I'm intrigued because my Sibelius software doesn't do this. It's great for looks and general notation flexibilty, but it doesn't change the sound of notes according to common guitar articulations. E.g., it will play bends as swooping pitches, but it always sounds the second note (the target pitch note bent to), it doesn't smooth it out. Same with hammer-ons and pull-offs. You hear the second note with the same attack as if there was no linking slur.

Of course, I guess - as with musescore - it's because it's general purpose software, not dedicated to guitar. But to produce a convincing hammer-on/pull-off sound seems like quite a sophisticated way of programming sound samples, at least for cheap(ish) software.

I never liked any of the guitar tab software I've seen because I like notation and the notation always looks cheap on those programs. But if I can get proper guitar articulation sounds I'm going to have to look into them....

EDIT: I just checked out TuxGuitar (free one!) and the bend option is good - very effective. The H/P effect is a lot more subtle - not that effective but it is there. The slide just sounds like a bend.
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Last edited by JonPR; 09-19-2020 at 09:56 AM.
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