Tab 101

Jeff Strouse · From: Jacksonville, Florida, USA

I'd like to try my hand at writing some tab. I think it would come in handy when needing to transpose a song to another key.
Not to mention those times in the wee hours of the morning, when I find a lick, only to have forgotten where it was the next morning.

What's the best way to start learning to tab?

And, does anyone know where I can find a blank template? If it's on computer, I'd prefer something that will allow me to fill in the numbers on the 'spaces' (between the lines). I much prefer this, as opposed to the number being written on the line. I also find it easier to read tab when the top string is written in the space above the top grid line. When I see tab that uses the first space for string 1, it kind of throws me off.

Thanks for any help!

Dave Boothroyd · From: Staffordshire Moorlands

Have you got "Word" on your computer?
If so you have the option on the View dropdown to show the Draw tools.
One of those will draw straight lines onto a word document, and the Draw box at the bottom left opens out to include "Align" and "Distribute Rows evenly"
So draw a line, press control & C (copy), then control & V (paste) five times.
You'll have six lines across your page.
Click the bottom one and drag it down so the height of your TAB staff is what you want it to be.
Use the Draw arrow cursor to select all the lines, then click "Distribute rows", and "Align Left"
That's it.
Copy and paste as many lines of TAB as you need, then same the document.
You might need a bit of playing about before your numbers fit nicely between the lines, but it works.

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Cheers!
Dave

Gary Boyett · From: Colorado/ Lives in Arizona

You can also go to the tab page:
http://steelguitarforum.com/Forum8/HTML/002039.html

This link has blank tab sheets for almost everything.

Enjoy,

Todd Weger · From: Safety Harbor, FLAUSA

There's a tab program called Power Tab Editor 1.7 out there that I found somewhere (can't remember where though - D'oh!)

If you do a Google search though, you should be able to fine it. You can write tab for virtually ANY stringed instrument in ANY tuning you want. It's a pretty cool program.

TJW

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Todd James Weger/RD/RTD
1956 Fender Stringmaster T-8 (C6, E13, B11); 1960 Fender Stringmaster D-8 (C6, E13); Melobar SLS lapsteel (open D); Chandler RH-4 Koa semi-hollow lapsteel (open G); Regal resonator (open D or G)

Bob Markison · From: San Francisco, CA

http://www.power-tab.net/

Gary Boyett · From: Colorado/ Lives in Arizona

Todd, I hope the T-8 is still treating you well. I miss that insturment all of the time. You hsve been taking care of it I hope...

Les Anderson · From: The Great White North

Jeff, which version of the C6th tuning do you plan on using: or have you considered that yet? There seems to be at least a half dozen C6th tunings out there.

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I am not right all of the time but I sure like to think I am!

[This message was edited by Les Anderson on 31 October 2004 at 02:15 PM.]

Jeff Strouse · From: Jacksonville, Florida, USA

Actually, I use A6th a lot more than C6th. But if I used C6th, I'd probably use:

E
C
A
G
E
C#
A
A

or:

E
C
A
G
E
C
A
F

Todd Weger · From: Safety Harbor, FLAUSA

Gary -- sure have! Still sounds like a million bucks, too. I only wish I had more opportunity to play it out, but my D-8 shortscale takes up less room on those cramped little stages we get when doing our Hawaiian gigs.

It's getting lots of recording use these days, though.

Thanks again! Hope all is well for you out there in CO!
TJW

------------------
Todd James Weger/RD/RTD
1956 Fender Stringmaster T-8 (C6, E13, B11); 1960 Fender Stringmaster D-8 (C6, E13); Melobar SLS lapsteel (open D); Chandler RH-4 Koa semi-hollow lapsteel (open G); Regal resonator (open D or G)

Joey Ace · From: Hamilton, Ontario, Canada

Try Tabledit http://tabledit.com/

Free to try, around $50 to buy.

Do a search for TABLEDIT in the Tab section of this forum for a lot more info.

It allows you to define the strings, plays back, and you can input notes or Tab. It then does the other.

It even has a clickable option that allows you to decide if you want the numbers on the lines or on the spaces.

[This message was edited by Joey Ace on 01 November 2004 at 06:21 AM.]

Jeff Strouse · From: Jacksonville, Florida, USA

Is it possible to edit a .pdf document via Adobe Acrobat? I pulled up the blank tab sheets from the forum link (in Gary's post, above). This is exactly what I'm looking for....except for the numbers (string 1,2,3, etc).

I highlighted the numbers (like one would normally highlight text), and I hit my delete button...but, it won't delete. Also, "delete" is greyed out under the edit tab, not letting me select it. How do I get rid of the numbers?

I tried to pull it up in MS Word to edit it, but Word couldn't read the .pdf file.

Thanks!

Joey Ace · From: Hamilton, Ontario, Canada

Adobe Acrobat is an expensive program. It allows edits, unless the file is locked.

Most people use the free "Adobe Acrobat Reader". As it's name implies, it only reads pdf files. No edits, no new file creation.

Jeff Strouse · From: Jacksonville, Florida, USA

aah ha...that explains it. I have the free version (or the template file is locked). Rats!

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