A B C Question

A B C Question

Can you help I thought that the capital letters in A B C Tab were for the A B GFE on the G AND D strings on a banjo and the small letters were for the c d and f g on the A and E strings as ive just printed the A B C to Dicks Gossips and was completely lost for a while Also the 2A mean's hold the first note for two beats and the 3BBB mean's a triple .Am i right Des

# Posted on March 29th 2009 by DES RYNNE

Re: A B C Question

Des

In abc code, A, B, C etc refer to notes, and a, b, c etc are the same notes, but in the octave above

Regarding the tunes that are posted on the session, the default note length is always set at 1/8. So A would be a quaver, and A2 would be a crotchet (i.e. twice the length of a quaver).

By the same token, A/2 (or simply, A/) would denote a semiquaver.

(3BBB signifies a triplet - in other words, play three notes in the time value of two.

Hope that helps!

# Posted on March 29th 2009 by Mix O'Lydian

Re: A B C Question

ABC is used for creating tablature for fretted instruments (guitar, tenor banjo, etc) The actual tablature, when you are viewing it, has numbers (fret #)
If you grab some abc from the tunes section you need a tablature application to actually produce the banjo tablature.

# Posted on March 29th 2009 by Ben Steen

Re: A B C Question

Des Rynne I found another discussion with a great graphic representation of Abc notation on the strings; G, D A e

http://www.thesession.org/discussions/display/14069/comments#comment290176
Re: Now I know my ABCs: ABC help & suggestions for learning and teaching
June 10th 2007 by fidkid

e---|--------f---g---------------a----------
A---|-------B---c---------------d---------
D---|-------E--------------F---G----------
G,--|-------A,-------------B,---C--------

# Posted on March 29th 2009 by Ben Steen

*

Hope it helps. It is not perfect. Which is probably why tablature uses fret #s

# Posted on March 29th 2009 by Ben Steen

Re: A B C Question

Thanks for your reply If you look at the strings above this is what is confusing me .I printed off a Tune of Dicks Gossips from the session and the first few notes are F2 AF GFED|DFAFGFED .So if i look at the strings above that looks as if i would play G F E D from the Dstring and this is wrong 'its g f e d on the A string and e f and g on the e string as this is the only way it sound's right Or the tab is wrong Des

# Posted on March 29th 2009 by DES RYNNE

Re: A B C Question

Des Rynne I know you're asking a simple question but I cannot quite follow. I looked for a good audio clip of "Dick Gossip" online & have not found one yet*
If what you are playing sounds like what you have heard ~ go with it. Just use those ears my friend.
We can try to suss out the abcs, & the notes should be correct, but if they're not working for you I really do mean that about usng your ears. I'll post again if I have an epiphany about what's going on. cheers.

* I found a great set;
-Raivlin Reel (by Boston area fiddler Barbara McOwen)
-Farewell to Tchernobyl
-Homeward Bound

# Posted on March 29th 2009 by Ben Steen

Re: A B C Question

Well, perhaps the issue is parts? I play what is on the session as part A ,as part B and vice versa.... . I also play that Part [submitted as the A part=] in the high octave as well sometimes.

I go here to translate into dots;
http://www.concertina.net/tunes_convert.html

Could that be it?

# Posted on March 29th 2009 by piobagusfidil

Re: A B C Question

Parts is parts. you could be on to something.

The tune is played on "Matt Molloy's" which I don't have. It is good recording though (of session) On the track listing it's titled "The Castle"

http://www.thesession.org/recordings/display/52
Music At Matt Molloy's
October 30th 2001 by Jeremy

17. The Boys Of Ballinahinch
The Castle*
Mico Russell's

* wouldn't you know it. click the tune & it sends you to the 'Kesh jig"
please the whiz ~ the tune section's broken

# Posted on March 29th 2009 by Ben Steen

*

please tell the whiz if anyone sees him ;)

# Posted on March 29th 2009 by Ben Steen

Re: A B C Question

Nothing here but layers of curtains, smoke, and mirrors....

# Posted on March 29th 2009 by Will Harmon

*

one of the oldest stories in humankind
;)

# Posted on March 29th 2009 by Ben Steen

**

here are the reels I found, by the way;
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3LazHvPb9Mg&NR=1

# Posted on March 29th 2009 by Ben Steen