You have to get ABC Navigator as recommended by many people on these pages - It does (almost) everything you need including playing the tunes in midi: http://abcnavigator.free.fr/abcnvgt.php?lang=eng
Like with HTML, it really is basic and you will get to grips with it quickly. Use it, it's a great tool for sharing tunes and writing down memory jogs on beer coasters at your local session. Eventually that will become something you'll take for granted. I've yet to find an ABC software program I like, but I've used ABC notation from the first time someone showed it to me, though over the years it has changed some to fit the needs of the digital age...
Also, if you have any specific questions or want help, almost anyone here would be willing to help. Just drop your question to one of us in an email.
Another good way to get to grips with it is to look up tunes you already know and then try playing the versions here in ABC, then check them against the dots. It will come, and it's a great tool, convenient and portable... Best of luck!
If you already understand normal music notation, then ABC is easy, because every single thing that you can graphically represent with normal notation has a text equivalent in ABC.
Here are the basics:
- Key signature is indicated by the "K" label e.g. K:Amin for A minor.
- Time is indicated by the "M" label e.g. M:3/4 for a waltz
- bar lines are indicated with |
- Repeated sections are between ||: and :||
- Note pitch is indicated by a letter A for A, B for B, etc. Uppercase A is one octave lower than lowercase a.
- Note duration is indicated by the "L" label e.g. L:1/4 means every note is a quarter note unless otherwise specified.
-There are several ways to "otherwise specify" durations, e.g. if you see "G" you play a quarter note G, but if you see G2 you play it twice as long (half note). If you see GA you play G and A as quarter notes, but if you see G<A, you play G a little longer and A a little shorter.
There are lots of other things you can do, including rests, sharps and flats, chords, lyrics, vibratos, codas, key changes, etc.
The best thing to do is to get one of the programs suggested above and read the accompanying documentation. Then create your own ABC file and experiment. Try something and see how it renders as normal notation.
There is no shortage of programs to use if you Google a bit. Lots of tutorials as well.
how do you read in abc mode?????????
how do you read in abc mode?????????
i dont understand how to read tunes in abc!!can anyone help??
# Posted on July 14th 2006 by xxecxx
Re: how do you read in abc mode?????????
It's probably best to put the ABCs into the ABC2win programme which allows you to print the tunes out in staff notation.
# Posted on July 14th 2006 by Bannerman
Re: how do you read in abc mode?????????
The tunes here also have staff notation and can be printed.
# Posted on July 14th 2006 by Bob himself
Re: how do you read in abc mode?????????
You have to get ABC Navigator as recommended by many people on these pages - It does (almost) everything you need including playing the tunes in midi:
http://abcnavigator.free.fr/abcnvgt.php?lang=eng
# Posted on July 14th 2006 by RichardB
Re: how do you read in abc mode?????????
Steve Mansfield's tutorial ~ recommended:
http://www.lesession.co.uk/abc/abc_notation.htm
Like with HTML, it really is basic and you will get to grips with it quickly. Use it, it's a great tool for sharing tunes and writing down memory jogs on beer coasters at your local session. Eventually that will become something you'll take for granted. I've yet to find an ABC software program I like, but I've used ABC notation from the first time someone showed it to me, though over the years it has changed some to fit the needs of the digital age...
Also, if you have any specific questions or want help, almost anyone here would be willing to help. Just drop your question to one of us in an email.
Another good way to get to grips with it is to look up tunes you already know and then try playing the versions here in ABC, then check them against the dots. It will come, and it's a great tool, convenient and portable... Best of luck!
# Posted on July 14th 2006 by ceolachan
Re: how do you read in abc mode?????????
If you already understand normal music notation, then ABC is easy, because every single thing that you can graphically represent with normal notation has a text equivalent in ABC.
Here are the basics:
- Key signature is indicated by the "K" label e.g. K:Amin for A minor.
- Time is indicated by the "M" label e.g. M:3/4 for a waltz
- bar lines are indicated with |
- Repeated sections are between ||: and :||
- Note pitch is indicated by a letter A for A, B for B, etc. Uppercase A is one octave lower than lowercase a.
- Note duration is indicated by the "L" label e.g. L:1/4 means every note is a quarter note unless otherwise specified.
-There are several ways to "otherwise specify" durations, e.g. if you see "G" you play a quarter note G, but if you see G2 you play it twice as long (half note). If you see GA you play G and A as quarter notes, but if you see G<A, you play G a little longer and A a little shorter.
There are lots of other things you can do, including rests, sharps and flats, chords, lyrics, vibratos, codas, key changes, etc.
The best thing to do is to get one of the programs suggested above and read the accompanying documentation. Then create your own ABC file and experiment. Try something and see how it renders as normal notation.
There is no shortage of programs to use if you Google a bit. Lots of tutorials as well.
Good luck!
# Posted on July 15th 2006 by Shrog
Re: how do you read in abc mode?????????
"ABC Navigator does everything you need" ......... except display the Help files!!!
# Posted on July 15th 2006 by geoffwright