Transcript
GDB: Guitar/Drum/Bass Tablature Editor and Player
1
Table of Contents: What is Tablature?..............................3 Starting GDB....................................4 Main Menu.......................................5 Guitar Tablature Editor.........................6 Bass Guitar Tablature Editor....................6 Drum Tablature Editor...........................7 Using Tablature Edit Functions..................7 Keyboard Shortcuts Index........................8 Drum Symbol Index...............................9 Guitar/Bass Stylistics Index....................10
2
What is Tablature? Tablature is a method of music notation that is typically used for fretted instruments such as guitar and bass guitar, as well as drums. Instead of using notes, tablature use ASCII characters to represent where one would place their fingers on the fretboard. This notation style offers a different visual representation of the music.
Guitar Tab Example: Red Hot Chili Peppers – Snow(Hey Oh) Intro e|----------------------------------|------------------------------------| B|----------------------------------|------------------------------------| G|----4---4h6h4---4-----4---4h6h4---|------------------------6---6h8h6---| D|--6---6-------6-----6---6-------6-|----4---4h6h4---4-----8---8-------8-| A|6-----------------7---------------|--6---6-------6---6/9---------------| E|----------------------------------|7-----------------------------------|
Bass Tab Example: Rage Against the Machine – Killing in the Name of G|-------------------------|-------------------------| D|---------3h4-------------|---------3h4-------------| A|----3h5------5-----------|----3h5------5-----------| D|-0--------------0-2h3-2--|-0--------------0-2h3-2--|
Drum Tab Example: Metallica – Enter Sandman Chorus
C|X--------------|---------------|--------------X|---------------| H|----x-x-x-x-x-x|x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x|x-x-x-x-x-x-x--|x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x| S|----o-------o--|----o-------o--|----o---------o|----o-------o--| B|o-------o------|o-------o-o----|o-------o---o--|o-------o-o---o| 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +
Tablature is easier to read for those of us who don't/can't/are too lazy to read sheet music. Musical purists tend to frown on tablature because it is possible to learn entire songs without knowing what notes you are playing nor having any knowledge of musical theory. However, tabs make learning easy and instantly satisfying.
~ Happy tabbing!
3
Starting GDB Editor The GDB Guitar, Drum, and Bass Tablature Editor allows slick editing of Tablature. Many tabs are created in a simple text editor where the user spends hours typing every line of ASCII text. GDB seeks to take all the grunt-work out of tabbing by automating many repetitive tasks. It also provides a clean, organized template for song information. When starting GDB Editor, a prompt will appear:
Welcome to GDB Tablature Editor!
Select Instrument: Guitar
Bass
Drum
With this opening menu, one can select which instrument to make tablature for: guitar, drums, or bass guitar. After selecting an instrument, the main menu will appear.
4
Main Menu File
Insert Measure
Title: Artist: Album: Tempo:
e|--------------------------------|----------------------------------| B|--------------------------------|----------------------------------| G|--------------------------------|----------------------------------| D|--------------------------------|----------------------------------| A|--------------------------------|----------------------------------| E|--------------------------------|----------------------------------|
The interface is similar to any text edit application seen today. It is a white screen with several drop-down menus. It will also include a comment field in which the user can add lyrics to the song or any basic notes or comments about the tab. The tablature appears on the screen with blanks to fill in, such as number of measures, tempo, and time signature. When these are changed the tablature will adjust to reflect these modifications. The ability to have a tablature ready and waiting allows the user much more ease in creating their song. There are different functions that incorporate ease even further, incorporating the LINUX terminal to help guide the user through the steps in performing each function.
File: In the file button, there are several functions that incorporate the main program and the song information. New allows the user to restart the program. Save allows the user to save song information into a text file. It can be retrieved into the program using Open. Quit shuts down the GDB tablature editor.
5
Insert: Insert allows the user to add certain “stylistic” notation for guitar and bass guitar tablature. These work the same as the addsymbol shortcut (p. 7). Measure: Measure allows the user to quickly edit the measure by either adding or removing measures or changing the quantization (the number of dashes per measure).
Guitar Tablature Editor When Guitar is selected as the instrument from the opening prompt, the tablature will look like this: e|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------| B|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------| G|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------| D|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------| A|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------| E|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
To notate chords, the chord name can written in the comment field directly above the staff and then notate the fingering on the lines. This way, the chords can be played in rhythm during playback.
Bass Guitar Tablature Editor When Guitar is selected as the instrument from the opening prompt, the tablature will look like this (without the symbols): G|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------| D|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------| A|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------| E|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
The Bass Guitar Tablature Editor is basically the same as the Guitar Tablature Editor excluding the top two strings.
6
Drum Tablature Editor When Drums are selected as the instrument from the opening prompt, the tablature will look like this (without the symbols): BD|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------| HH|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------| S|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------| B|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------| 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + <--- Meter
Using the Tablature Edit Functions There are several tablature edit functions that allow the user to do things such as adding and removing symbols, drum parts, or changing tuning, that incorporate several keyboard shortcuts. This list can be found in the next section, showing the shortcut and what it does. Certain functions incorporate the LINUX terminal in order to allow for user input. Example: add_symbol (Ctrl+ +)
LINUX Terminal 1 2 3 4 5 6
add_symbol does the symbol have 2 digits (1=yes, 0=no): Insert symbol: Which line do you want to place it?: Which position do you want to place it?: Insertion complete!
when a shortcut using the terminal is performed: the first two lines will be shown right away.
1: the terminal will display the name of the function 2: in add_symbol, the user must specify if they are adding a 1-digit symbol or a 2-digit symbol. 3: the terminal will prompt the user for the symbol to add to the tablature. 4: then, it will ask for the line to place the symbol in the tablature (the top string is 0). 7
5: then, it will ask for the position in the line to place the tablature (the first horizontal dash is 0). 6: having performed the action, the terminal will display that the function is finished. *Note: Be sure to perform these shortcuts while clicked onto the program rather than the terminal.
Keyboard Shortcuts Shortcut (Main)
Name
Functionality
Ctrl + S
save
Saves the current tablature onto a text file
Ctrl + O
open
Opens a GDB tablature file
Ctrl + N
new
Returns to the main menu and clears data
Shortcut (Editing)
Name
Functionality
Ctrl + A
add_measure
Adds one measure to the tablature file.
Ctrl + R
subtract_measure
Removes one measure to the tablature file.
Ctrl + +
Add_symbol
Allows the user to add a symbol. The user gives the symbol, the line where to place it (top line = 0), and the position in the tablature.
remove_symbol
Allows the user to remove a symbol. The user gives the line where to place it (top line = 0) and the position in the tablature.
Ctrl + T
Change_tuning
Changes the tuning symbols *(for guitar and bass only.)
Ctrl + D
Change_meter
Changes the quantization of the tablature from 8th notes to 16th notes.
(w/ terminal) Ctrl + (w/ terminal)
(8th to 16th)
8
Shortcut (Editing)
Name
Functionality
Ctrl + F
Change_meter
Changes the quantization of the tablature from 8th notes to 16th notes.
(16th to 8th) Ctrl + C
Add_drumPart
Adds a drum part at the top of the current tablature. The user inputs which part to create *(for Drum only)
Remove_drumPart
Removes a drum part. The user inputs which line to remove. *(for Drum only)
(w/ terminal) Ctrl + V (w/ terminal)
Drum Symbol Index Instrument
Symbol
Meaning
Bass Drum (BD)
O
Normal Bass Drum
Snare Drum (SD)
x o X g r
Normal Snare Hit Cross-stick Hit Rim-Shot Ghost Hit Roll
Floor/Rack Toms (FT,RT)
o
Tom Hit
High Hat (HH)
x o +
Closed High Hat Open High Hat Pedal
Ride Cymbal (RC)
x o
Cymbal Bell
Crash, China, Splash Cymbals (CR, CH, SP)
X
Hit
Woodblock, Tambourine, Cowbell (WB, TB, CB)
+
Hit
9
Guitar/Bass Guitar Stylistics Index Symbol
Function
b (Bend)
Bend string to next note equivalent 5b7: bend from 5th fret 1 whole tone 8b9: bend from 8th fret 1 semi tone
h (Hammer-on)
Hammer-on from one position to a higher position to create clean movement between notes
p (Pull-off)
Pull-off from one position to a lower position to create clean movement between notes
/ (Slide)
Slide fingers from one position to another 8/10: slide from 8th fret to 10th fret
~ (Vibrato)
Wiggle string to create vibrato
= (Sustain)
Holds on to the note to create sustain
10
