About

This is a blog about abc notation.

abc is a text based format for music notation. Popular all over the world, particularly for folk and traditional music, there are thousands of tunes available online along with loads of free software. (Though, of course, if you’re reading this page you probably know that already.)

Anyway this blog should allow you to keep up to date with announcements (for example, minor enhancements to the website), although major announcements will also be posted to the forums.

It will also let you see what I’m currently working on for the website – dusting, polishing and the like.

Plus there is a slowly growing series of “how to …” articles.

Finally, you can look at some of my (random) thoughts.

Enjoy!

Chris Walshaw

3 Responses to “About”

  1. Bernard says:
    25/01/2018 at 2:28 pm

    1. Which ABC software can produce Tabs? 4-string – bass, 6-string-guitar, 7-string-lute, etc.
    2. A Lutenist told me about a notation “VocaTab”? based on string name, note name and duration (and octave). VocaTab from 16th century, vannot find it on the net. Example:
    4 q8 de | 16 ce ce8 16 ae32 di ae8
    Is there any ABC-software that accepts this input, Which source might be easily modified for this? (May be a translation table?)

    Thanks for any help.

    Kind regards

  2. Chris says:
    26/01/2018 at 11:40 am

    The software page (abcnotation.com/software) suggests TablEdit, ABC2Tab & abctab2ps. I haven’t tried any of these but their pages are still live. Alternatively ask on the abcusers mailing list (abcnotation.com/discuss). Chris

  3. Chris says:
    26/01/2018 at 11:40 am

    PS I was replying to your first question. I don’t know anything about VocaTab and I don’t think any abc software accepts this. Chris