mudbug - Posted - 01/30/2010:  09:20:14

What is ABC, and how is it deciphered? It looks like some weird computer language.

DougD - Posted - 01/30/2010:  09:28:11

Here's some info: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abc_notation

Or go the "official" site of Chris Walshaw, who invented this scheme: abcnotation.com/

You don't really need to understand how it works. Carlb just posted instructions here, but basically you cut and paste the text into a converter like this one: concertina.net/tunes_convert.html and out pops nice printed music, and usually a MIDI file too.

Edited by - DougD on 01/30/2010 09:28:47

bj - Posted - 01/30/2010:  09:28:43

It's just a simple way to notate.

Look at some of the tunes here:

ibiblio.org/fiddlers/CAT_CAZ.htm

Use this gizmo to "translate" them. (read the notes on the top of the fiddler's companion page first!)

concertina.net/tunes_convert.html

Then compare the results and you'll see what it is and does pretty easily.

mudbug - Posted - 01/30/2010:  09:42:35

Thanks, Doug and BJ! Now I understand. And it IS some weird computer language. Sometimes, weird can be good!

DougD - Posted - 01/30/2010:  10:05:11

mudbug, one of the advantages of abc notation is that it can represent music with regular ASCII characters so it can be transferred easily by computers. After you look at it awhile, you begin to see how it works, although the converters mean you don't have to know much about it. If you haven't been using it up till now, sites like the Fiddler's Companion and the Session will become a whole different world.

M-D - Posted - 01/30/2010:  10:18:36

The TablEdit program will convert ABC into notation/tab, and vice-versa.

Harry - Posted - 01/30/2010:  11:10:26

ABCexplorer is nice freeware for reading, playing or making abc files.
abc.stalikez.info/abcex.php (download page).

There are many abc collections available on the web:
oldmusicproject.com/oneils1.html (O'Neills music of Ireland, 1600 tunes)
ceolas.org/tunes/ (see Collections, halfway on that page).

Downloading files from this collections will give you several thousand tunes to play.

Edited by - Harry on 01/30/2010 12:22:13

BanjoBrad - Posted - 01/30/2010:  11:24:50

I've known people who can actually read ABC notation directly. I guess it just takes a little work.

brya31 - Posted - 01/30/2010:  12:51:35

ABC notation that I have used is simple a code that can be transformed by free ABC software into sheet music.

jehanna - Posted - 01/30/2010:  13:18:58

It is a good thing too because otherwise it is goobbledegook and I am too old and lazy to take it on. This could not possibly be easier to make sense of than plain old notes on a staff.
FACE. Every Good Boy Does Fine. Gee after 55 years you would think I would forget that.

ajisai - Posted - 01/30/2010:  15:51:59

I haven't looked at the other links yet, but I've been using this page to help me figure it out. formulus.com/hymns/How_to_Write_ABC.html

I'm finding that I sometimes want to jot down new jam tunes or an improvised phrase that I want to remember and it seems like a pretty painless way to do it. I can't write readable music on a staff but I can type letters and numbers and let a program do it for me. <smile> And what I really like is that over at Concertina.net I can easily listen to I know if what I've written is right.

hendrid - Posted - 01/31/2010:  10:17:13

Pretty well explained above but: Don

I use a simple ABC notation to put together my songs and am able to get a half dozen or more songs on each of my printed sheets. I do play directly from ABC or tab or sheet music also but find ABC as my most convenient crutch. I am trying hard to do it all by ear though. The ABC notes are:

G String G, A, B, C (note the first three notes have commas)
D String D E F G
A String A B c d
E String e f g a b (then to c' d' and so forth )

Numbers shown after letters, G2 means G note for two beats. A4 is A note for 4 beats. "D" or "A" embedded in the ABC version is the chord to be used.

In Tab notation for string selected and finger or open string would be (compare this to the above):

G String G G1 G2 G3
D String D D1 D2 D3
A String A A1 A2 A3
E String E E1 E2 E3 E4 E5 and so on

mudbug - Posted - 01/31/2010:  14:58:09

Good explanation,Don. I was wondering about the numbers after the letters. Now you've cleared that up, but how does on differenciate between the capital G, A, and B on the "G" string, as opposed to those occuring on the "D" and "A" string?

DougD - Posted - 01/31/2010:  15:05:14

I think its the commas, mudbug.

Thanks a lot for that explanation, hendrid. I had gotten the letter part, but didn't know how the strings were differentiated.

GeeDubya - Posted - 02/01/2010:  05:20:48

I find ABC is a handy tool for leping me learn new tunes as well. If I find a recording of a fiddle tune I'd like to learn, I first take time to translate it into ABC. By the time I have listened and analyzed the tune closely enough to write it down, guess what? I have learned it. And I have a notated copy of the music as well. This method probably isn't for everyone, but it works for me.

Best
George