TablEdit Users Say:
"Although I've played "at" the guitar for many years, I've recently start back with a little more focus. I suppose I'm an emerging fingerstyle/classic student. and TablEdit lets me add fingerings for both hands with a click of the mouse. I also use the midi scores to practice duets and as a metronome. So, it's a great practice aid too."
Bob Parker - Michigan, USA
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Special Instruments
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| This category includes the diatonic accordion and the harmonica. As both of these instruments make use of a special variant of the Tuning portion of the "Instrument..." dialog, a separate page has been dedicated to them.
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| TablEdit recognizes these two instruments as a function of the number of strings and the tuning used (the bottom string having the highest pitch). Having been recognized, TablEdit manages all of the peculiarities of these instruments automatically, including the diatonic capo for the dulcimer.
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| Tip: In order to force TablEdit to display the tablature using a diatonic fingerboard, simply enter "Dulcimer" as the instrument name. To create a tablature for dulcijo, a tree string banjo/dulcimer combo that looks as a small banjo, simply enter "Dulcijo" as the instrument name
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| The Renaissance lute, which has anywhere from eight to twenty-one strings, is always tabbed out on a grid consisting of seven strings and, generally, using the notation "a=0, b=1, c=2". The first six strings are completely non-specific. On the other hand, the 7th string, all on it's own, represents all of the instrument's bass strings starting with the 7th, itself.
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| For example, //a indicates that the 9th string (7+2//) is played open, a simple 6 indicates that the 13th string (7+6) is played open, etc. TablEdit applies these rules as soon the instrument has seven or more strings with the 7th string tuned to G#, A or F#.
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| By default, the lute tuning obtained by use of the pre-defined tunings is for a thirteen string lute in A. In order to manage all the lute forms from seven to twenty-one strings, a specific dialog can be opened by selecting "Instrument configuration". This dialog allows you to:
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|  | define the number of strings
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| | adjust the tuning of strings 7 to n-1
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| | to specify the string to be used for the basses (entering "1" in the "Bass" field would, for example allow you to select a reversed tuning).
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| In the "Tuning" dialog, you define the tuning of the first six strings and the lowest bass string (n) as usual. The "Lute tuning" dialog allows you to adjust the tunings for strings 7 to n-1.
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| You can ask TablEdit to create a tablature for harp-guitar. If the name of a lute module starts with "Harp", TablEdit displays the note name. If the name of a lute module starts with "harp", TablEdit displays the number of the additional string.
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| In tablatures written for the violin, the numbers don't indicate hypothetical, non-existant frets. Instead, they indicate the finger used to fret the string, this finger corresponds to a note in the ongoing scale. Notes requiring a fingering which is offset from the base position are displayed by either an "L" (low) or an "H" (high). The algorithm used for deciding when a "L" low of "H" high finger position is displayed is relative to the diatonic fingerboard. To ask TablEdit to use this type of notation just enter "Fiddle" as the module name.
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| Tip: If you have a C displayed as "3H", you can change it into a "4L" by forcing a D .
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| Tip: To get a legato, just add a Slide to the starting note.
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| TablEdit handles this instrument without problems. Simply:
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| | select one of the tunings available in the popup list found in the "Tuning" portion of the "Instrument..." dialog.
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| | select the "Module" tab then click on the "Pedal Steel Guitar" option.
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| Pedals and knee levers are emulated through the use of the "Pitch change" function.
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| In order to provide the best possible sound reproduction, we recommend that you activate the "Extend Bends/Slides" and "Predefined Solo Instrument" options in the "Advanced" options dialog.
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| Tin Whistle/Recorder/Xaphoon
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| TablEdit can also create "tablatures" for Tin Whistle, Recoder or Xaphoon (this is a kind of mini-saxophone, also known as a "pocket sax" http://www.xaphoon.com/). Just select any of these three instruments in the "Instrument>Tuning" sub-dialog" and TablEdit will automatically display a graphical image representing the body of the instrument below the notation. It goes without saying that the tablature, itself, has no significance in this case. It's recommended that you deactivate the latter for printouts.
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| The "tablature" portion of tunes written for reed instruments contains three hypothetical strings which always maintain the same internal relation. You can change the tuning but make sure that all three strings are modified to the same degree (by, for example, pressing [Ctrl] while modifying a "string"). If this isn't done correctly, TablEdit will no longer recognise the instrument for what it is.
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| Tip: To get a legato, just add a Slide to the starting note.
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| In an autoharp tablature, the five lines of the tablature grid do not, obviously, represent the 36 actual strings of the instrument. Instead, they mirror the five lines of the classical notation by displaying, on the same line as the that of the corresponding pitch, fingering indications for rhythm and melody.
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| By default, melody notes are "plucks", that is to say that the player, using the thumb and a finger, picks the fundamental of the chord and two or three adjacent strings at the same time. You can enter a "pinch" (a single string) by assigning the note a right-hand thumb attack indication.
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| For rhythmic or accompaniment figures, enter the fundamental of the chord and assign it a "Brush" or "Roll" effect. (see Special Effects)
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| In order to force TablEdit to display the tablature in an autoharp-specific format, simply enter "Autoharp" as the instrument name. Given the fact that notes are not displayed on the string where they're actually located in the tablature, it's recommended that this display mode not be activated during editing.
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| The tablature normally does not make sense for a trombone. The fret number is even the exact opposite of the physical instrument : the more the pipe is extended, the more the sound is low. By pressing [W], you define the module as a wind instrument. Thus the logic is inverted : The 0 will be displayed as a 7, the 1 as a 6, and so on. In printout, the standard display of the tuning is replaced by a special display where each string represents an hole.
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| Some instruments, in particular oriental ones, produce naturally microtonal sounds. TablEdit allows you to emulate these instruments. In order to do this:
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| - | Apply to the module any name starting with "Arab", for example "Arabic Oud".
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| - | Select the note to be adjusted and apply the "Choke" special effect ([c]). TablEdit will then display an half sharp in the notation (which means that the note is augmented by one ¼ tone) and suffixes the number by '+' in the tablature. To achieve a half-flat, select the note, apply the "Choke" effect and type [<] twice.
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