TablEdit Users Say:

"Very useful for me as a musical novice! I use TablEdit mainly to learn new songs by writing the notation one note at a time, and also to better understand musical notation. As a beginner mandolin player, TablEdit is excellent for helping me with this. I chose it because it was the clearest and easiest to use program that catered for mandolin tuning (as well as other instruments) and allows song writing in both tablature and notation. As someone who is teaching themselves notation reading, the most useful feature for me is the highlighting of notes with an incorrect length which quickly shows me I've made a mistake. Finally, the support for the program is great and the developers respond quickly to queries. Not only that, but the ability to write tunes and upload them means that there is a vast online collection of songs that can be downloaded and learned."
- Hefin Jones, UK

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TEFview for Android Help


TEFpad is a light weight editor of TablEdit files (.tef format) designed for the Android tablets. It is now compatible with the phones. Just like TEFview for Android, our free file viewer, TEFpad opens, displays and plays all .tef files and imports as well many types of music files: ASCII tablatures, ABC files, XML Music, MIDI, Guitar Pro, PowerTab...

TEFview for Android is an app that allows you to view, print and play tablatures created in TablEdit Tablature Editor on your Android device. It also imports GuitarPro, PowerTab, ASCII, MIDI, ABC, TabRite and MusicXML files as well.

The user interface

Rotating the device switches to Page Mode (portrait) or Rows Mode (landscape). The Page Mode however is always used if there is only one instrument.

In Page Mode TEFviewTEFpad displays the tablature and/or the notation of the active instrument only on multiple rows, using the entire height of the screen.

In Rows Mode TEFviewTEFpad displays the contents of all instruments contained within the score in stacked rows. Each instrument occupies one row.

Gestures

TEFviewTEFpad supports several gestures for altering the display of a tablature:

  • touch and drag - makes a highlighted block selection. Useful for playing/editing only the selected measures.
  • long press - makes a block selection of the entire contents of a measure
  • swipe left or right
    • Page or Rows mode - scrolls the measures displayed (same as moving the scroller)
  • swipe up or down
    • Page mode - scrolls the measures displayed (same as moving the scroller)
    • Rows mode - scrolls the display up or down to display instruments not shown
  • two finger pinch or stretch - zooms the display smaller (pinch)) or larger (stretch)
  • double tap - Moves to the beginning of the score.
  • single tap
    • Top Edge Left of Center - move backward one measure (only when scroller not displayed)
    • Top Edge Right of Center - move forward one measure (only when scroller not displayed)
    • Right Edge Above Center - move backward one measure (Rows mode) or one line of measures (Page Mode)
    • Right Edge Below Center - move forward one measure (Rows mode) or one line of measures (Page Mode)

The Action Bar

The action bar provides access to frequently used functions. In the action bar from left to right:

  • the title information. Tapping on this area displays the Information and Notes dialog. Note: TEFpad Free does not allow you to edit the song information if the file was not created with TEFpad.
    During playback, this area displays: the time elapsed, the tempo and the relative speed.
  • the button starts the playback or stops it. By default TEFviewTEFpad plays from the current measure (the one where the cursor is) to the end. However, if you have selected several notes, TEFviewTEFpad will only play the selection. You can restart playback from any point by tapping the desired position..
  • the places TEFpad in Edit Mode to change the contents of the score (see below).
  • the button opens the Options window that allows you to:
    • force Page or Rows mode regardless of device orientation
    • display the tablature, the notation or both
    • adjust the scale view, i.e. the bar width on display
    • change the orientation of the note stems in the tablature
    • set the metronome click volume (0 = off)
    • ask TEFviewTEFpad to play one measure of metronome clicks before starting playback
    • set the relative speed of the playback (20-200%)
    • display or hide the scroller at the top of the display screen. This scroller allows you to easily browse the score and, if playback is active, to control it.
    • change the background color and the foreground color, i.e. the color of the various partition elements (notes, tablature numbers...).
    • change the "Note names" convention. You can replace the English note names (C, D, E, F, G, A and B) by their French equivalents (Do, Ré, Mi, etc...) or replace just the B natural by the H commonly used in Sweden and Germany.
    • select the favorite tuning, i.e. the tuning that will be used when you create a new file or import a file with no information on the targeted instrument (ABC, MIDI or ASCII).
    • activate the "Tablanote EmaB" option that displays in the tablature the numbers prefixed by the note name.
    • reset to the default options
  • the displays a menu to quickly reopen one of the last eight files opened. The "Other Files..." command opens the File Manager (see below). If your Android version doesn't allow access to files other than those saved in the app cache, only the cache is accessible to the integrated file explorer. In this case, you can use the "Import" command, which calls up Android's file picker and transfers selected files to the app's cache.
  • the button toggles the Repeat mode on/off (visible during playback).
  • the button button displays a menu with additional items:
    • Print Preview
    • "Instruments" allows to display/change the MIDI attributes of the instruments and tranpose the general pitch of the score. The buttons and the slider below the dialog title transpose the music pitch down or up:
      • Transpose one semitone downward
      • Transpose one semitone upward
    • "New" allows you to create a new file for one single instrument. This file can be saved without any restriction. You can eventually reopen it in TablEdit.
    • "Save As" allows to save the document. It is only active if changes have been made to the document. TEFpad Free can only save 16 4/4 measures. TEFpad Pro removes this limitation. To export the score as a MIDI, an ASCII, an MusicXML or an ABC file, just tap the corresponding button in the "Save As" dialog.

File Management

TEFviewTEFpad has a built-in file explorer that enables you to navigate through the files on your device. Single tap on a file name to open it in TEFviewTEFpad. A long press on a file name provides additional options found in the buttons at the bottom of the dialog:

  • deletes the file from your device.
  • opens your email app and attaches the file for emailing to friends, etc.
  • and sorts the list alphabetically in ascending or descending order.
  • and sorts the list by date in ascending or descending order.

You can also open files from most external file explorer or cloud apps. A highly recommended free file explorer is ES File Explorer available on the Google Play Store. Cloud apps (Google Drive, DropBox, etc.) can also be used to load files into TEFviewTEFpad. If asked how the file should be opened, try the various options.

You can easily add files from your email app or Web browser. Just tap on any file you want to download, then select Open with TEFviewTEFpad.

TEFviewTEFpad opens .tef, .abc, .mid, .txt, .bjo, .ptb, .gp, .zip or .xml files present on the device.

The importation of ASCII and ABC files is performed in the "preferred tuning" you have defined in the dialog whenever possible.

Edit mode

Tap the button. TEFpad displays a ruler at the top of the screen, that allows you to find your way around the score – and a special keyboard with three (or four) rows of buttons that allow you to perform the most common editing actions:
  • the 1 to 0 buttons to insert a number in the tablature.
  • the button inserts a note in the notation. If you tap the enter button while the cursor is located into the tablature, you toggle the auto-advance mode on/off. In Auto-Advance mode, the button turns green.
  • the and buttons increase or decrease the selected notes by a semitone.
  • the and buttons move the note from one string to another.
  • to the right of the button is a wider button.
    When a note is selected, this button displays the pitch of the selected note. Depending on the context, it inserts a note in the staff or activates a palette that allows you to change the accidental symbol to be displayed, the orientation of note stems (in the staff) or the appearance of the number in the tablature ().
    When an element other than a note is selected, the button displays the type of element. This button opens the Format dialog box, which lets you change the appearance of the element.
  • to the right of this wider button is the duration button that displays the duration of the currently selected note in the score, the current default duration for the next entered note or, in automatic duration mode, the duration that would be applied to a newly inserted note.
    When tapped, this button displays a palette to change the duration of the selected note(s) and the default duration (aka current duration). In the palette, the button corresponding to the current duration appears as selected. The duration of the note currently selected in the score is framed by a purple border. Tap the button to select/deselect automatic duration mode.
  • the next two buttons to the right of the duration button are effect and velocity. To add a special effect to the selected notes or change their volume, tap the related button to display the Effect palette or the Velocity palette. The button that represents the current effect and velocity appear as selected in the palette. The effect and velocity of the current selected note in the score is framed by a purple border.
  • the button ties the current selected note in the score to the previous note.
  • the button inserts a rest in the score.
  • the button opens a chord diagram dialog for entering a chord in the score.
  • the button inserts a text in the score.
  • the button inserts a tempo change.
  • The button allows to insert a grace note.
  • the button opens the Hand dialog for enterings various stroke and fingering indicators.
  • The button allows you to create simple repeat and ending guides. Move the cursor to the measure and select the desired attribute. When you are finished, the button validates the reading list in order the MIDI playback matches the inserted repeat signs.
  • the button selects the whole score.
  • the button displays a palette to align the selected notes with the nearest note of the selected duration.
  • Copy, Cut, Paste: TEFpad Free doesn't allow you to copy data from one file and paste them to a new created one. TEFpad Pro removes this limitation.
  • to change the time signature or the key signature, tap the corresponding area in the top left of the screen. The window that opens allows you also to change the tempo, the triplet feel and to transpose the score.
    The "Measures" button allows adding, deleting, copying or cutting measures.
  • to edit the instruments or to change their tuning, tap the tuning of the current instrument. This opens the Instrument modal window.
  • TEFpad also accepts TablEdit keyboard shortcuts. To reveal the standard virtual keyboard, tap the ABC button. To return to the TEFpad special keyboard, tap the "Done" button on the virtual keyboard.
  • to hide the keyboard, tap the button .

Print Preview

The "Print Preview" window shows the score as it will be printed. This allows you to visually proof the printout of your tablature without having to actually print it. When printed a PDF is created with the same name as the tablature.

To exit the Print Preview, tap the TEFviewTEFpad icon at the upper left of the screen. Notice the '<' (go back) which appears to the left of the TefView icon when the Preview is open.

A two finger pinch or stretch gesture zooms the display in and out (see Gestures above). A double press provides a quick zoom by toggling the display between one full page and page width.

In the Print Preview toolbar from left to right:

  • the button opens the Print Options window that allows you to:
    • Cancel - close the dialog and discard all changes. Tapping outside the dialog or pressing the device Back button also closes the dialog and discards any changes.
    • OK - close the dialog, save and apply the changes to the print preview.
    • The scrollable instrument list displays the first two instruments in the score. Additional instruments can be displayed by scrolling the list up and down. The instruments list enables you to customize what to print for each instrument. By default, all instruments are printed based on the tablature/notation display option selected in the Settings dialog. This list, however, allows you to specify a different printout mode for each individual instrument. NOTE: these settings affect only what is printed and does not alter how the instruments are displayed in the edit view.
    • Vertical spacings between:
      • Tablature lines - adjust vertical spacing of the tablature lines
      • Notation tab - adjust vertical spacing between the notation and tablature
      • Systems - adjust vertical spacing between the systems
      These first three options also affect the score display on the screen.
    • Proportional Spacing switch:
      • OFF - set the number of fixed width measures per line
      • ON - use proportional note spacing to adjust the width of measures based on the notes in each measure
    • Adjust Page Number switch:
      • OFF - adjust the print scale
      • ON - adjust the print settings so the printed score fits on a specified number of pages
    • Measure Numbers switch - set ON to print measure numbers
      • For all measures switch - set OFF to print measure number only for first measure of each system. Set ON to print measure number for all measures. This switch is disabled if the Measure Numbers switch is OFF
    • Connecting Lines - To display connecting lines between systems of multi-instrument scores or between the notation and the tablature of a single instrument. You can choose to display connecting lines only at the left and right edges of the page or for each measure.
    • Paper Size selector - change the size of the paper (A4 or US Letter).
    • Paper Orientation selector - change the orientation of the paper (landscape or portrait).
    • Margins - set the top, left, bottom and right margins.
  • the button creates a PDF of the score. A dialog opens that displays installed apps that are able to open a PDF file. When selected, an app is opened and the PDF is transferred and displayed.
  • the button creates a PDF of the score. A dialog opens that displays installed apps that are able to transfer a file (save to DropBox, Google Drive, attach to an email, etc.). When selected, an app is opened so the PDF can be saved, sent as an email attachment, etc.

Final Note

This embedded help is intentionally simple and short. To use efficiently TEFpad, you have to master TablEdit basic concepts. For this purpose, we strongly suggest these online resources: