Best method to create SG tab and how to post it on the SGF?

Jesse Pearson · Post by **Jesse Pearson** » 10 Nov 2018 3:09 pm

I want to make some C6 steel tab to post in the SGF tab section. I need to know what's the best free program to do this with and what process is currently being used here on the forum to post tab. I looked in the search area but didn't find what I was looking for. It looked like everyone was using a URL address to post a pic in the tab section?...Thanks

Scott Duckworth · Post by **Scott Duckworth** » 10 Nov 2018 3:40 pm

I have done them in excel (or LibreOffice Calc) and take a screenshot of them.

Jesse Pearson · Post by **Jesse Pearson** » 10 Nov 2018 4:19 pm

Anyone had any luck yet with the new free Musecore 2.1 yet? It can do notation and tab together at the same time. How are you guys posting your tab nowadays here on the SGF tab section?

Scott, thanks for the effort, but Excel is too challenging for me to read easily.

Robert Allen · Post by **Robert Allen** » 11 Nov 2018 6:40 am

I've used Guitar Pro for years. It is inexpensive and easy to learn. It'll do both tab and notation at the same time. However, if you write in notation, the tab will be musically correct but not in the positions where you'd normally play them so you'll need to edit the tab.

Larry Carlson · Post by **Larry Carlson** » 11 Nov 2018 7:04 am

I use Guitar Pro and I set it up in the preferences to display tab only.
It prints out and looks just like the tab you get from Troy.
Then just post that on the site as you normally would.

admin · Post by **b0b** » 11 Nov 2018 9:39 am

You can do it in Notepad (Windows) or Textedit (Mac) using a monospace font. Then copy/paste into a forum post between the [tab] and [/tab] BBCodes.

See https://bb.steelguitarforum.com/faq.php?mode=bbcode#5

admin · Post by **b0b** » 11 Nov 2018 9:50 am

Here's an example of the plain text method. It's for pedal steel, but the same technique works for lap steel tab and for tuning charts.
[tab]Night Life intro in C:

C Eb9 Abmaj7 G7
1)___________________________________________
2)___________________________________________
3)___________________________________________
4)_____________________________________6~4_3_
5)__5~6~7~8____________________6_6A__________
6)________8______8~8B_11_____6B____________3_
7)____________________11_________6___________
8)________8___________11_____________________
9)____________________11_________6_________3_
10)__________________________________________

1)___________________________________________
2)___________________________________________
3)___________________________________________
4)___________________________________________
5)____8__________________6A_______8__________
6)____8________11_________________8B______8__
7)_____________11________6___________________
8)____8________11_________________8E______8__
9)_____________11________6___________________
10)_______________________________________8__

C Eb9 Abmaj7 G7 C
[/tab]

Jesse Pearson · Post by **Jesse Pearson** » 11 Nov 2018 10:53 am

Bob, the old forum section used to be able to use something called "tab edit" if I remember correctly. It was very basic but easy to use and then you would post it using the [Tab] markers that you explained above. Does that still work, I don't see anyone using it on the new tab section?

Also, I'm thinking I might need my own URL hosting to post tab made on something like "Guitar Pro" software. Would that be correct? I want to post full songs with Musescore 2.1 if possible, because it is free, looks great and has a lot of support. It does tab and notation very well from the looks of it and seems like a great way to get back into practicing lap steel again. Thanks...

admin · Post by **b0b** » 11 Nov 2018 7:21 pm

Jesse Pearson wrote:Bob, the old forum section used to be able to use something called "tab edit" if I remember correctly. It was very basic but easy to use and then you would post it using the [Tab] markers that you explained above. Does that still work, I don't see anyone using it on the new tab section?

Also, I'm thinking I might need my own URL hosting to post tab made on something like "Guitar Pro" software. Would that be correct? I want to post full songs with Musescore 2.1 if possible, because it is free, looks great and has a lot of support. It does tab and notation very well from the looks of it and seems like a great way to get back into practicing lap steel again. Thanks...

I've never tried any other method. Sorry I can't be more help.

Robert Allen · Post by **Robert Allen** » 11 Nov 2018 8:36 pm

I created this with Guitar Pro ver 6. Then did a screen capture by pressing the Prnt Scn key. Then dragged the mouse around the part to be copied and saved it as a png file using Windows 7. On the forum I uploaded the file.

Jesse Pearson · Post by **Jesse Pearson** » 11 Nov 2018 10:08 pm

Thanks for the reply Bob.

Robert, that looks pretty good. I just looked up what a PNG file is, so I'll try and post with a PNG file if I can save a Musescore file as one. I guess your using the process that Bob posted up above from the SGF FAQ, so the URL/host question I had is just for posting pictures and not tab files, if I'm starting to understand the process correctly? I'm beginning to figure out the free Musescore Tab/notation software and hopefully I can post a song using it before too long. Thanks for the help...

Ed Baker · Post by **Ed Baker** » 12 Nov 2018 6:03 am

Tabledit does still exist. You can find it here
https://www.tabledit.com/
It's been around since 1987 and still sees regular updates. The latest version is v2.78

Doug Beaumier's books are all published with it. At least, they were the last time I asked him.

Tabledit does a great job, but it's been surpassed by GuitarPro. The GuitarPro interface is more "mouse friendly" than Tabledit and you could argue that it has more features.

But, once you're used to it, you can go very fast with Tabledit.

admin · Post by **b0b** » 12 Nov 2018 8:17 am

Jesse Pearson wrote:Thanks for the reply Bob.

Robert, that looks pretty good. I just looked up what a PNG file is, so I'll try and post with a PNG file if I can save a Musescore file as one. I guess your using the process that Bob posted up above from the SGF FAQ, so the URL/host question I had is just for posting pictures and not tab files, if I'm starting to understand the process correctly? I'm beginning to figure out the free Musescore Tab/notation software and hopefully I can post a song using it before too long. Thanks for the help...

Like JPG, a PNG file is a picture. Use the "Upload picture" button to post it. You don't need to host it elsewhere.

Jesse Pearson · Post by **Jesse Pearson** » 12 Nov 2018 9:18 am

Perfect, thanks guys.

Erv Niehaus · Post by **Erv Niehaus** » 12 Nov 2018 9:23 am

Or, if everything else fails, you can always do it the old fashioned way:

Roy Thomson · Post by **Roy Thomson** » 12 Nov 2018 12:59 pm

Reminds me of Jerry Byrd method. You can't go wrong Erv.

Erv Niehaus · Post by **Erv Niehaus** » 12 Nov 2018 1:57 pm

Thanks, Roy!
You can't beat Jerry Byrd.

Erv

admin · Post by **b0b** » 12 Nov 2018 2:59 pm

I see it, Erv, but I have no clue how you made it. Enlighten us, please.

Michael Hegedus · Post by **Michael Hegedus** » 13 Nov 2018 5:38 am

For Guitar Pro users what tuning(s) do you use? When I select a C6 tuning GP gives me CGCGAE reading from low to high notes. What I would like to use is CEGACE. Is there a trick to getting the latter tuning? I use GP version 7.5.

I have had success in findingÂ CEGACE in TablEdit.

Mike Hegedus

Ed Baker · Post by **Ed Baker** » 13 Nov 2018 6:20 am

That's always been a little obscure in GuitarPro.
Here's what you do.
Go to the track menu for your instrument.
Click on the gear symbol next to "Tuning"
and you'll see the pop up.

Andy Volk · Post by **Andy Volk** » 13 Nov 2018 8:12 am

I use Guitar Pro 7 and for the Forum, output to PNG,then post each page of the tab.

You can customize the tuning easily and save it as a pre-set. See 1 & 2 below .....

Erv Niehaus · Post by **Erv Niehaus** » 13 Nov 2018 8:56 am

b0b,
I do it all by hand, no program involved.
The only thing I use is located between my ears.

Erv

Greg Cutshaw · Post by **Greg Cutshaw** » 13 Nov 2018 9:24 am

I just use Excel, one of the most powerful format programs there is. Actually I use the free OpenOffice version of Excel which looks pretty much identical to Excel.

http://www.gregcutshaw.com/The%20Christ ... %20Tab.pdf

I create the tab in Open Office, use the free CutePDF writer to convert it to a pdf, then free program PDF-Viewer to convert the pdf to a jpg file if needed:

http://www.gregcutshaw.com/The%20Christ ... 20Tab1.jpg

It's easier than it sounds and once you've done a few tabs you can use them as source for new tabs, changing only what needs changed in the new tab.

admin · Post by **b0b** » 13 Nov 2018 10:20 am

Erv Niehaus wrote:b0b,
I do it all by hand, no program involved.
The only thing I use is located between my ears.
Erv

The notes on the staff aren't by hand, and neither is the tab grid. That's why I asked.

Greg, could you share your OpenOffice template?

Erv Niehaus · Post by **Erv Niehaus** » 13 Nov 2018 10:35 am

b0b,
Cut and tape, cut and tape.

Erv