Ultimate Tab Lesson (Ver. 1.4) ___________________________________________________________________________ Below is what a proper 'basic' tab should look like. This is the opening 3 measures of my post ('Da Tickler') of the complete "Don't Stop Believin'" by Journey. RH 5|G---G---G---G---|F---F---F---F---|e---e---e---e---| RH 5|e---e---e---e---|D---D---D---D---|C---C---C---C---| RH 4|--b---b---b---b-|--b---b---b---b-|--G---G---G---G-| LH 3|----------------|----------C-D-C-|----------D-e---| LH 2|e---------F-G-b-|----------------|--------------a-| The previous tab example is what a proper 'basic' tab should look like. A complete tab should include the timing, lyrics & chords as shown below in an excerpt from my posting of Kiki Dee's hit 'I've Got The Music In Me' (Written by Tobias Boshell). The 'GREATER THAN' symbol is used to indicate a particular note's length of sustain. 4/4 I've got the… I've got the… I've got the… G C Bb A R5|----------------|----------------|--------d>c>----| R4|----gg>gg>fg>>g>|----gg>gg>fg>>g>|----gg>g----A>g>| R4|----------------|e>>>------------|f>>>------------| R4|d>>>------------|c>>>------------|d>>>------------| R3|b>>>------------|----------------|----------------| L3|g>>>g>>>g>g>g>g>|c>>>c>>>c>c>c>c>|A>>>A>>>A>A>a>a>| L2|g>>>g>>>g>g>g>g>|c>>>c>>>c>c>c>c>|A>>>A>>>A>A>a>a>| NOTES: ___________________________________________________________________________ Referring to the left-hand side of both tabs, above, for notes 1 & 2 - 1. 'RH' = Right Hand & 'LH' = Left Hand (Some prefer simply 'R' or 'L' right/left hand designation which is actually more economic, but just make sure you use one or the other for clarity. 2. '5' = 5th octave, '4' = 4th octave, '3', '2', etc., where octaves are referenced to 88-key piano/keyboard from 'C' to 'C' where MIDDLE 'C', or 'c4', is the beginning of the 4th octave. Remaining notes refer to both aforementioned tabs in general - 3. lower case letters = natural notes (a,b,c,d,e,f,g) & UPPER CASE LETTERS = sharps (C,D,F,G,A). Since only sharps are used in keyboard/piano tablature, Eb is represented by a D#, or 'D', Ab is represented by a G#, or 'G', etc. There is no B# ('B'), nor E# ('E'), since there are no sharps between B & C, nor between E & F. *** Below is a complete listing of all piano tablature notes for the entire 88-key piano keyboard. The piano tablature notation is shown with the corresponding classical sheet music notation directly below each note. PIANO TAB LEGEND: Above the lines - Upper note names are BLACK keys ----------------- (Sharps); Lower note names are WHITE keys (Naturals). Within the lines - Actual Piano Tab Notes (UPPER case = Sharps & lower case = Naturals). The 1st line starts at the lower end (left-hand side) of the keyboard. The following lines go up the keyboard towards the right-hand side. PIANO TAB (a0-b1) - A#0 C#1 D#1 F#1 G#1 A#1 A0 B0 C1 D1 E1 F1 G1 A1 B1 2|---------------------------------------------| 1|---------c--C--d--D--e--f--F--g--G--a--A--b--| 0|a--A--b--------------------------------------| CLASSICAL SHEET NOTATION - BASS CLEF (A0-B1) |---------------------------------------------| |---------------------------------------------| |---------------------------------------------| |---------------------------------------------| |---------------------------------------------| ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ----- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ----- o ------------------------------------o--o#---- o o# ------------------------o--o#-- o ---------------o--o#-- o o# ------o--- o o# PIANO TAB (c2-b3) - C#2 D#2 F#2 G#2 A#2 C#3 D#3 F#3 G#3 A#3 C2 D2 E2 F2 G2 A2 B2 C3 D3 E3 F3 G3 A3 B3 4|------------------------------------------------------------------------| 3|------------------------------------c--C--d--D--e--f--F--g--G--a--A--b--| 2|c--C--d--D--e--f--F--g--G--a--A--b--------------------------------------| 1|------------------------------------------------------------------------| CLASSICAL SHEET NOTATION - BASS CLEF (C2-B3) o |---------------------------------------------------------------o--o#----| | o o# |---------------------------------------------------o--o#----------------| | o |------------------------------------------o--o#-------------------------| | o o# |---------------------------------o--------------------------------------| | o o# |---------------------o--o#----------------------------------------------| o o# -------------o--- o o# -o--o#-- PIANO TAB (c4-b5) - C#4 D#4 F#4 G#4 A#4 C#5 D#5 F#5 G#5 A#5 C4 D4 E4 F4 G4 A4 B4 C5 D5 E5 F5 G5 A5 B5 6|------------------------------------------------------------------------| 5|------------------------------------c--C--d--D--e--f--F--g--G--a--A--b--| 4|c--C--d--D--e--f--F--g--G--a--A--b--------------------------------------| 3|------------------------------------------------------------------------| CLASSICAL SHEET NOTATION - TREBLE CLEF (C4-B5) o ---o--o#-- o o# |---------------------------------------------------o--o#----------------| | o |------------------------------------------o--o#-------------------------| | o o# |---------------------------------o--------------------------------------| | o o# |---------------------o--o#----------------------------------------------| | o o# |------------o-----------------------------------------------------------| o o# -o--o#-- PIANO TAB (c6-c8) - C#6 D#6 F#6 G#6 A#6 C#7 D#7 F#7 G#7 A#7 C6 D6 E6 F6 G6 A6 B6 C7 D7 E7 F7 G7 A7 B7 C8 8|----------------------------------------------------------------------c-| 7|------------------------------------c--C--d--D--e--f--F--g--G--a-A-b----| 6|c--C--d--D--e--f--F--g--G--a--A--b--------------------------------------| 5|------------------------------------------------------------------------| CLASSICAL SHEET NOTATION - TREBLE CLEF (C6-C8) ----o-- o ---o-o#-- o o# ---o--o#-- ---- --- o ---o--o#-- ---- ---- --- o o# ---o--- ---- ---- ---- --- o o# ---o--o#-- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- --- o o# ---o--- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- --- o o# -o--o#-- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- --- --- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- --- |------------------------------------------------------------------------| |------------------------------------------------------------------------| |------------------------------------------------------------------------| |------------------------------------------------------------------------| |------------------------------------------------------------------------| 4. TIMING - Typical musical time signatures are as follows: 4/4 (Common Time) - 4 Quarter Notes (1/4) per measure; 3/4 - 3 Quarter Notes (1/4) per measure; 2/4 - 2 Quarter Notes (1/4) per measure; 7/4 - 7 Quarter Notes (1/4) per measure (Pink Floyd's 'Money'); 6/8 - 6 Eighth Notes (1/8) per measure; 12/8 - 12 Eighth Notes (1/8) per measure. Each line of the 'staff' for these two tab excerpts is made up of 3 measures of 16 increments (inc's.) each (1/16 notes) for proper timing since 1/16 notes are the smallest notes in these songs, and both their time signatures are 4/4. If there are 1/32 notes to be played, you would use 32 increments per measure. So, to make a long story short, what determines how many increments per measure are the shortest note in the song (1/32 = 32 inc's., 1/16 = 16 inc's., 1/8 = 8 inc's., etc.), and the time signature. For example, note in the tabs above (both in 4/4 TIME) how there are 16 inc./meas., so 1/8 notes take up 2 increments (2/16 = 1/8), 1/4 notes take up 4 inc's. (4/16 = 1/4), etc. Typically, if 1/16 notes are the shortest notes in the entire song, 4/4 TIME requires a minimum of 16 inc's./meas., 2/4 TIME requires 8 inc's./meas., 3/4 TIME requires 12 inc's./meas., 6/8 TIME requires 12 inc's./meas., & 7/4 TIME requires 28 inc's./meas., etc., etc. To mathematically determine the minimum # of increments required per measure for a given time signature: # inc's./meas. = Time Signature / Shortest Note in entire song. Ex. #4a: 3/4 Time with 1/8 note shortest note in entire song. (3/4) / (1/8) = 6 inc's./meas. Ex. #4b: 2/4 Time with 1/16 note shortest note in entire song. (2/4) / (1/16) = 8 inc's./meas. Ex. #4c: 12/8 Time with 1/32 note shortest note in entire song. (12/8) / (1/32) = 48 inc's./meas. Now, to mathematically determine the # of increments required per note for a given # of inc's./meas. & time signature: # inc's./note = [(# inc's./meas) * Note Length] / (Time Signature). Ex. #4d: 1/4 Note with 12 inc's./meas. in 3/4 Time Signature. [(12) * (1/4)] / (3/4) = 4 inc's./(1/4 note). Ex. #4e: 1/2 Note with 24 inc's./meas. in 6/8 Time Signature. [(24) * (1/2)] / (6/8) = 16 inc's./(1/2 note). Ex. #4f: 3/8 Note with 16 inc's./meas. in 4/4 Time Signature. [(16) * (3/8)] / (4/4) = 6 inc's./(3/8 note). Further examples showing required # of sustain ('>') symbols: Ex. #4g: 3/4 TIME - 4 Measures with 12 inc's./meas. (1/16 note = shortest note) 1 & 2 & 3 & 1 & 2 & 3 & 1 & 2 & 3 & 1 & 2 & 3 & R4|------------|------------|------------|------------| For this configuration typical note lengths are notated as follows (using Middle 'c' as the note): 1/16 -|c-----------|- 1 inc. - 1 note & 0 '>' 1/8 -|c>----------|- 2 inc. - 1 note & 1 '>' 3/16 -|c>>---------|- 3 inc. - 1 note & 2 '>' 1/4 -|c>>>--------|- 4 inc. - 1 note & 3 '>' 3/8 -|c>>>>>------|- 6 inc. - 1 note & 5 '>' 1/2 -|c>>>>>>>----|- 8 inc. - 1 note & 7 '>' 3/4 -|c>>>>>>>>>>>|- 12 inc. - 1 note & 11 '>' Ex. #4h: 3/4 TIME - 4 Measures with 6 inc's./meas. (1/8 note shortest note) 1&2&3& 1&2&3& 1&2&3& 1&2&3& R4|------|------|------|------| 1/8 -|c>----|- 1 inc. - 1 note & 0 '>' 1/4 -|c>>---|- 2 inc. - 1 note & 1 '>' 1/2 -|c>>>--|- 4 inc. - 1 note & 3 '>' 3/4 -|c>>>>>|- 6 inc. - 1 note & 5 '>' Ex. #4i: 4/4 TIME - 4 Measures with 16 inc's./meas. (1/16 note shortest note) 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 & 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 & 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 & 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 & R4|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------| 1/16 -|c---------------|- 1 inc. - 1 note & 0 '>' 1/8 -|c>--------------|- 2 inc. - 1 note & 1 '>' 3/16 -|c>>-------------|- 3 inc. - 1 note & 2 '>' 1/4 -|c>>>------------|- 4 inc. - 1 note & 3 '>' 3/8 -|c>>>>>----------|- 6 inc. - 1 note & 5 '>' 1/2 -|c>>>>>>>--------|- 8 inc. - 1 note & 7 '>' 3/4 -|c>>>>>>>>>>>----|- 12 inc. - 1 note & 11 '>' Whole -|c>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>|- 16 inc. - 1 note & 15 '>' Ex. #4j: 6/8 TIME - 2 Measures with 24 inc's./meas. (1/32 note shortest note) 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 & 5 & 6 & 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 & 5 & 6 & R4|------------------------|------------------------| 1/32 -|c-----------------------|- 1 inc. - 1 note & 0 '>' 1/16 -|c>----------------------|- 2 inc. - 1 note & 1 '>' 3/32 -|c>>---------------------|- 3 inc. - 1 note & 2 '>' 1/8 -|c>>>--------------------|- 4 inc. - 1 note & 3 '>' 1/4 -|c>>>>>------------------|- 6 inc. - 1 note & 5 '>' 1/2 -|c>>>>>>>----------------|- 12 inc. - 1 note & 11 '>' 3/4 -|c>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>|- 24 inc. - 1 note & 23 '>' 5. Each line is made up of measure separators which are 'pipeds' ('|') on your computer keyboard. The space consumed by the piped is ignored and is not part of the count. Blanks, or 'rests' are just 'dashes' ('-'). Tabs can be easily done in 'Notepad' (or any other word processor) as a simple text file, and then copied into the submission window on 'TabNabber'. 6. For a standard 8-1/2"W x 11"H sheet of paper, it's best to keep your TAB WIDTHS to NO MORE than '80' characters across the page at any point. This allows the entire tab to be easily printed within 1/2" left & right margins using the standard 'Lucida Console' FONT common to all tabs on TabNabber at a height of '10'. Also, 1/2" top & bottom margins will allow '70' lines per page to be printed before a page break. The 3 biggest things to remember are to check the form, note accuracy, and timing of the tabs you write to maintain quality promoting easily read & understood tabs. Use the the MIDI player on 'TabNabber' to play your tabs back and verify you have the correct timing for each note, or notes. Happy Tabbing, Da Tickler. _/_/_/ _/_/ _/_/_/_/_/ _/_/ _/_/ _/ _/ _/ _/_/_/ _/_/_/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/_/_/ _/ _/ _/ _/_/ _/ _/_/ _/_/_/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/_/_/ _/ _/ _/ _/_/ _/_/ _/ _/ _/_/_/ _/_/_/ _/ _/ _____________________________________________ /_ _ ____ ALESIS QS6.1 /| ///// ///// --- -- _______ /777777777777777 / | ///// ///// --- -- /______/ /7777777777777/7 / | / _____________________________________ / / / / // /// // /// // /// // /// // /// / / / /___//////////////////////////////////////___/ / _______| |111111111111111111111111111111111111| | /_________ / _ |____________________________________________|/ /| / // - -- /________/(O) --- --- --- KORG / | / // - o o o o -- ---------- - - ---- --- TR88 / | / -- ________________________________________________________ / / / (^) // /// // /// // /// // /// // /// // /// // /// // /// / / / /_____/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////_/ / | |1111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111| | / | | / |_________________________DA TICKLER ROCKS!_____________________|/ ( )/\ \ \ ( )/ / / \ \ \ \ / / / / \ \ \ \ / / / / ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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