Does anyone here write out their guitar parts in tablature? Computer programs?

[inmyhands]

I've always written all my my own songs the old fashioned way. Notes on a staff. My biggest hassle's always been remembering exactly how I played this or that part on the electric guitar. Which position on the neck. Slides or bends or whatever. On a few lead parts I've gone back and rewritten them using guitar tablature with all of it's technique symbols. It works but it's kind of a pain in the ass. I've been looking for a type of songwriting software that allows you to input the notes with an electric guitar and then scores what you've done using both note on staff and guitar tab. Most or all of the songwriting software I've found requires you to input the notes using a keyboard which, of course, cannot possibly include guitar tab in the score produced.

Does anyone know of a software program that would allow a writer to plug in directly with his axe, play the part using the techniques he or she normally uses and produce a printable score that includes the guitar tablature required to perform the song as originally intended?

[EugenicScum]

In 2008, when I was first beginning to play with musicians and was writing what eventually became Bevar Sea songs, my two bandmates at that time were really good at guitarpro. They would transcribe all my guitar parts, write a dummy bass part if we didn't have a bassist at that time, and would also program the drum parts there. It was a useful trick to have and an interesting way to write and arrange music for sure. I just never had the patience to do that sort of thing. Now I just record using my Zoom recorder.

[iGouger]

Not exactly a program, but this is a free site with customizable printable sheet music: http://www.blanksheetmusic.net/


One of the options on the site is to select either a treble or bass clef for the top half of a staff and put tablature on the bottom half. I liked to use that option a lot back when I was still practicing piano and applying it to my guitar playing. It's harder than the method you described, but alas, as of yet, I do not know of such a program; this is the closest I know of. Even if it's a bit tedious, it's probably good practice for scoring music, especially if you're particularly inexperienced in the area, like I am. Do keep us updated if you do find a program like that though! Would be very nifty.

[mr_crowley]

I think Guitar Pro is the best option for you Rick. You have to insert manually but when you tab it out it automatically scores it the old fashioned way as well.

Used that a lot for writing and arranging when I was younger. These days I just do quick demos instead.


Don't know of any program that transcribes what you're playing automatically though that would be really awesome.

[inmyhands]

Sometimes when I'm just playing off the cuff, "in the zone", jamming I come up with stuff on the fly that I wish I could replay as part of a permanent song structure but, for the life of me, I just can't duplicate it the way it just came out naturally. Having a computer program that would just tab out whatever I'm playing would allow me to go back, select those accidentally great parts, and delete the average stuff.

[Dinosaur David B]

Your recording software might have something built into it. Logic does, I think you guitar signal needs to be converted to midi, though. And that will likely be true of any software solution.

[mr_crowley]

Or just simply record everything you play and if you feel something good is coming out go back and check out what you did.


Our singer is recording all our rehearsals on his cell and go back and listen to all of it. He just hits "rec" when we start and let it roll the whole time. Just an idea

[Agrippa]

I think "Sibelius" might be a possibillity.


Description here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sibelius_%28software%29


Site here: http://www.sibelius.com/home/index_flash.html


Free trial version here: http://www.sibelius.com/download/index.html

[Joebuddha]

I have been using guitar pro for over 10 years now and I love it. At this point I have a huge library of lessons and licks that I use with my students all of the time.

I always recommend this program to my students because it allows me to send them their lessons and they can actually hear and see what they are supposed to be doing.

[Mr Scary]

Guitar Pro 5. Looks gorgeous, easy to use, decent sounds, with a variety of options (mute, solo, slow down, transpose, time sigs etc). Been using GP since 2001. The only downside is their selling point for buying it as opposed to torrenting is the tech support but I've never had replies to my queries.