Missing something to created tablature

• Jun 18, 2022 - 13:25

So I am new to this program and trying to learn as fast as I can. But the tutorial is a bit uphill for me.

What I want to do is create a score with a tablature for banjo.

I have gotten far enough to create a new score--the New Score Wizard prompts me through it. I select "treble clef'" and the key signature, then time signature, etc.. It all looks as expected.

Now i want to add banjo tablature that is "linked (?) to the treble clef score so that the corresponding tabs don't have to be filled in manually (if that was even possible). From what I understand you can create a score that will allow you to copy and paste the standard notation into the tablature staff (I originally thought the tabs would fill in automatically as the treble clef notation was entered).

So, I hit "I" and select. "plucked strings" and then "banjo tablature". At this point, I can "add to score" but I cannot "add linked staff."

What am I missing? Where did I go wrong? What am I not understanding?

Apologies if this question seems awkward or clueless.

Comments

• Jun 18, 2022 - 20:44

While you are learning, don't start with a grand staff. Start with just treble. When you add the tab staff, it will be linked automatically. After you are all done, you can go back to "I" and delete the treble line. Don't worry about Standard or Common yet.

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• Jun 18, 2022 - 23:41

Well, when I use the New Score wizard, it gives me the option, under General, to choose a treble clef instrument, a bass clef instrument or a Grand Staff. At the same time Musescore gives me the option to choose instruments under Choral, Chamber Music, Solo, Jazz, Popular, etc.

I don't see banjo under any of those initial categories. So, I have been choosing treble clef. It is always listed as a Piano when I hit "I".

Prior to actually finishing the set up with New Score Wizard and then calling up the Instruments window, I don't see any way to choose five string banjo. Of course, by that time the piano is the first entry.

So I have tried the suggestion above and it looks like this:

musescore_linked_2.jpg

I understand that this is undoubtedly incorrect. But it did add a tab to my score...in fact it added two of them. I only need one.

It also does not seem to be functioning correctly:

First, the tab score is not even remotely correct. As you can see in the attachment, the first measure starts with two eighth notes, both G in standard notation. In tablature for five string banjo , if the banjo is tuned to open G (I don't know how to set the tuning for the strings) the correct tab notation would be open third string twice. And the second measure would be/should be open third string followed by second fret on the third string, followed by open third again.

Yes, the fifth string is ordinarily tuned to G but it is a usually used as a drone note and is probably an octave higher. And the A in the second measure is tabbed/scored as seventh fret on the first string. Not what I was expecting at all.

musescore_linked _tab.jpg

Second, Marc Sabatell suggest in his video tutorials that the tablature should update automatically and in real time as you enter notes in the Treble clef staff. I am not seeing that happen. i had to copy and paste the melody from the piano score to the tablature staff to get it to display anything.

So obviously my understanding of this linked business is sadly awry.

BTW, in case I haven't said it in this thread, I sincerely appreciate the help and the generosity that informs it. I am currently so wrapped up in trying to figure out what's what, I sometimes forget.

Thanks.

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• Jun 19, 2022 - 00:21

Have a close read of the handbook instructions that I linked to and follow them as laid out step by step …. For instance, in the wizard you need to select “choose instruments” at the top of the list under General before you can find the banjo. It’s not immediately obvious to a newbie, hence the need to read the handbook section as you go.

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• Jun 19, 2022 - 00:40

When you start a new score it prompts you to select a template. If you don't choose a template but just press Next it takes you to the Instruments list. Type banjo in the search box above the drop-down instrument list and choose a banjo. In the right pane, click on the Stave 1 line of the banjo and click Add Linked Stave. Then change that linked stave to a TAB.

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• Jun 19, 2022 - 02:10

Hmm.... Are you saying that I can set up a new score using the treble clef (piano) to add notes? I can't seem to do that.

How did you get the treble clef with the 8 underneath it? I don't see that in the selection process. (I actually did get it but I don't know what I did.)

Actually, I do want both the standard notation and the banjo tab, If I just wanted to write tablature I'd use Tabrite or Tabledit.

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• Jun 19, 2022 - 08:29

Banjo (like guitar) is a transposing instrument. It sounds one octave lower than written. When you set up your score, choose banjo from the instruments list, which automatically adds the treble clef with the 8 underneath.
This way if you link a TAB staff, the string/fret will be correct.

Have a look at this score:
5_string_banjo_tab.mscz
Notice that the first note the banjo plays "looks" the same (unison) as the first note the piano plays. Press the play button, listen, and compare the notes as they play. Those first two notes sound an octave apart.
(Conversely, measure 4 sounds as unison, as does measure 8 -- though they "look like" octaves.)

Also, the linked TAB staff shows correct fret/string - unlike the problem you experienced earlier.
To verify the linkage:
If you click on a notehead in the banjo treble staff and press the up/down arrow, you will raise/lower the note's pitch and can observe the fret/string change in the TAB staff.

EDIT: Corrected attachment - changed 4 string TAB to 5 string.

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