I know that many of you are very familiar with the TabEdit and TEF viewer, so hopefully you can help those of us less familiar, get up to speed. I have the free TEF viewer installed on my computer, so that when I go to mandozine, and click on the TAB there, I can open those files and then have either TAB or notation, if I so desire, and can click 'play' and adjust the speed, and learn the way the tune is supposed to sound, as well. What are the other ways that I can use the TEF viewer, other than when I'm downloading a .tef file from mandozine? It seems like some of ya'll are saying that if you have the ABC for a tune, you can then turn it into a .TEF file, and then open it with the TEF viewer... is that right? If so, can you give me a step by step instruction on how to do it? As far as printing out the notation from the ABC, I am pleased with the convert a tron at www.concertina.net, but if I can use the ABC code and get it into the TEF viewer where it generates a sound too, on some tunes, that would be VERY helpful!
I have the BarFly abc viewer on my Mac, and it plays the abc files. There must be a shareware or freeware ABC viewer for PC that plays the abc files too. I'm not sure, but you may need more than the free TEF viewer to copy abc's into TablEdit. Edit: there's some abc programs for PC that play back on this page. http://www.thesession.org/links/display.php/6
I started off with TEFView, and Barfly for all my files. Then I determined that I needed a bit more, since TEFView does not import ABC files. I downloaded the demo of the TEFCarbon, an upgraded player with editing capabilities. I also downloaded melody assistant. Out of them all I find myself using Melody Assistant the most. I still use the TEFView for those few random TEF files, but almost everything I work with now is ABC. Melody Assistant allows me to edit, play along with, transcribe, TAB, chord, and so much more, as well as import ABC, MIDI, etc... It was $20 well spent. TEF is nice for a few good files that you just need to print off quickly, but that's about all it really does. Kinda like using Adobe to print off PDF's, except with the sound option added. If you want more out of it I think you need the TEF Carbon program.
Barbara -- in order to import midi (.mid) or ABC (.abc) files or to edit them you have to buy the full TablEdit program -- its actually is not too expensive --it was a few years ago but something like $35 sticks in my mind. TablEdit is an OK program but it has a lot of annoying idiosyncracies about it that can be frustrating. These are surmountable but it takes patience and often some help. The on-line support is always available but sometimes you have to wait a few days to hear back. Many use it because it was one of the first programs and frankly there is alot of tab in the .tef format. BUT I think things are changing because there are new programs comming on line and some of these will import .tef files. Like Guitar-Pro6 for example-- however before you buy anything look close -- my understanding is that the current GP6 does not yet import ABC (a must!) but that the next version will. There are several other programs like Melody Assistant, WholeNote, SibeliusG7 and so forth -- all have their + & -. Hope that helps.
Ok, I made a quick video on how to go from ABC text to a printed score. Had a little time to kill and wanted to play with this program. I did this on a Mac with Melody Assistant, but most of these programs work the same way... or at least close enough. I also did it slow and simple so that PC users could see how it might apply to their machine. Not saying that PC users are slow but I didn't use the shortcuts I usually use on the Mac because it wouldn't be helpful to those using right-click on a PC. Probably wouldn't help Mac users much either as I drag and drop, and shortcut just about everything. Hope someone finds this helpful. The process for Melody Assistant is pretty close to the one for the upgraded TEF program, or it will at least get you on the right path. Maybe I can make one for Barfly too? Chris
I just hate it when I can't figure stuff out! I also have this program finale, which I really like for creating notation. It has a playback feature, so you can hear it. It was working fine, but I downloaded MelodyAssistant (as per recommendation) for the ABC thing we were discussing, but haven't opened it or tried it. I decided I wanted to print out some notation, and went to my finale program, and when i opened it, it said that some files were now associated with melody assistant, did I want to do something, I can't remember what I clicked. Opened Finale, created the tune notation I wanted to, but when i go to play it back, there's no sound. I remember I was having a problem a while back that the TEF viewer didn't play back, and several people had suggestions, and one of them (a setting somewhere, can't remember what or where) did the trick, and both the TEF viewer & finale played back. Now the TEF viewer is playing back, but not finale. Any suggestions? Sorry to be such a dummy!
Bert's solution with concertina.net works very well, Barb. It's very straightforward, no software to download. A copy, paste, submit, and view the pdf, save or print it. Pretty slick and quick! (Thanks, again, Bert!) Of course if you're livin' off the tab, then that's another story. Got to learn to translate either the abc or the standard notation. But I know you know how to read standard notation.
Joe, I'm all about www.concertina.net's tune-a-tron converter! My problem is that somehow I lost my sound on my finale music program. It's the program that I use when I want to print a tune out in standard notation, not from ABC or TAB, but from how I play it... the program has the clefs, and you put the notes where you want them.... and it's got a playback feature like the TEF viewer does. So, after I've put it down, I like to play it back, just to see if I've gotten it right. I'm sure that something I did on my computer, probably downloading that Melody Assistant, did something that made the playback feature go silent...
Barbara you should be able to regain your audio output by using the "Midi" menu in Finale. Check to see if the internal speaker output is set to off and if that doesn't work use the Audio Midi setup feature.
My apologies for misunderstanding and wasting space, Barb.
Joe, no apologies necessary!!! It wasn't wasted space, even if it didn't address MY problem... it might be JUST what someone else needs to read!
Regarding conversions of ABC to midi using concertina...here is a "typical" ABC file: X: 1 T: Road To Sligo, The M: 4/4 L: 1/8 R: reel K: Dmaj |:A | BAdB AF ~F2 | DEFD EFDB, | DEFA BABd | ABdf eBdA | BAdB AF ~F2 | DEFD EFDB, | DEFA fece | dBAG FAD :| |: A | fd ~d2 Adfb | bafb afeg | fd ~d2 adfa | baaf e2de | f2fd edfa | bafb afed | ABde fece | dBAG FAD :| This ABC happens to convert nicely on the site. However, some ABC file I have seen have some other catagories -- i.e., other than... X = ? number of tunes?; T = title; M = meter; L = what? eighth notes?; R = song type; K = key Some ABC's I have seen contain some other catagories such as A: = ?? Sometimes these other bits of data are a "surprise" for the conversion program and it fails -- but if you eliminate the extra catagories before you paste it seems to convert OK. Anyone who can speak authoritatively on this matter? If not a good snow job would be fine too!
Barbara, do you use a PC or a Mac? I'm downloading the Finale to see if I can trouble shoot for you. Also to try finale out. I'll report back.
Hastyman, I use a PC (in the minority here, I believe!) Must have been some kind of fluke, cause I opened it up today, and opened one of my saved files, and used the playback feature, and it worked. But, let me know how you like finale!
I'm download it on my laptop cause it's a PC. I'll let you know what I think of it. I'd like to learn about as many of these programs as possible.
