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Tux Guitar tab software

Free tab software http://tuxguitar.herac.com.ar/

I recently gave Tux another shot and it's gotten pretty good. I've had
some glitches, but I was able to do a tune with it that will work for
learning/sharing arrangements. It's about as good as Power Tab which
I've used in the past, and its printouts are better.

As an example, I did "Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee" for 3-string
fretless. See the attached zip for the .tg (tux) file and a pdf showing how it
prints.

To use Tux, you just click on the tab line and start putting in
numbers. You don't need to read music, but you do have to understand
rhythm to compose something.

Some thoughts:

- The "Excelsior Jet" version didn't install for me. I used the regular "Windows-x86 Installer" version.

- Tux CAN do 3-string, even though the dialog won't let you. It opened a
Power Tab 3-string doc just fine, and let me compose, save, print, and
everything. I've attached a blank 3-string .tg as a template. you can
change the tuning on it as needed and use "Save as" to get a new tune
going.

- There are two "voices" which you typically use for bass/treble notes.
The point is that you can have different durations, like a ringing bass
while the melody does something else. They're like layers - you have to
have the voice selected in order to work with those notes. E.g. you
can't delete a Voice 2 note while your in Voice 1. So, use Ctrl+1 and
Ctrl+2 (on the number pad) to switch as you enter notes.

- Tux automagically enters rests, and sometimes they get screwed up.
Shortening the duration of a note in that voice and then changing it
back fixes it.

- You can copy and paste groups of measures - that's useful.

- For those that play fretted, it has a pretty neat chord generator

Anyone else use Tux Guitar? Tips? Problems?

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Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Mark Bliss on December 6, 2010 at 11:20am

Hey BenBob,
This looks interesting, but I am a little unsure exactly what I am looking at, does it simply transpose guitar style simple tab to standard tab, or can I do basic midi editing......
Like I said I am a little lost. I am an old analog and pad/paper guy, not ready to graduate into the midi composing age, but trying to learn........
Maybe you could teach us all a little bit here?

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Permalink Reply by BenBob on December 6, 2010 at 3:15pm

It's like a word processor for tablature. You would use it if you want error-checked, professional-looking tablature either for yourself or to share with others.

To use it, you just enter your tablature (numbers) on the tab line (strings), and musical notation is generated for you. The notation can be turned off if you don't want to see it, and it will just put the stems on the tab so you can still read the rhythm.

One difference between this and paper is that with the software, you have to set the duration of each note, and it has to be logical (the notes and rests of each voice in each measure have to add up). You don't have to really read music - only understand the rhythm.

That might be a hassle if you're just working out fingering for a melody you know, but if you're ever going to share it with someone else, it's good to indicate duration somehow, even on paper. Otherwise, they won't know if --0--2--4--7--9--12-- is just a major pentatonic scale, or the riff from My Girl.

As for midi, it's not really a midi composer or editor, but you can export a midi of your tune, and it uses midi to play back your tab so you can hear that it's right.

Paper has the advantage of portability and speed, but software has the advantage of being able to hear what you're writing - an auditory error-checking. Plus, you get pretty printed output for easily sharing with others.

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Permalink Reply by Mark Bliss on December 7, 2010 at 12:36am

OK! Thanks for that explanation.
Being able to share the tablature, edit across instrument types and hear the piece even if just to verify the composition all would make that a very useful program. I'll have to try it out!
Hey, I just realized.... this would be great for sharing and learning songs here...... (Hint hint folks!)

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Permalink Reply by Gary James on April 7, 2013 at 7:07am

Can you configure it for 3 string tabs? I couldn't figure it out, but was using the online version.

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Permalink Reply by BenBob on April 7, 2013 at 8:20am

I couldn't create 3-string, but I could import and save 3-string. Here's a blank.

Attachments:

Joyful.zip, 32 KB

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Permalink Reply by Edward Hardin on January 24, 2019 at 5:52pm

The latest version is awesome. I already transposed three known riffs, "walk this way"," I shot the sheriff"and "come as you are". I am planning on doing more. You need to use the simple versions of songs to get things right.

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