Alternate Guitar Tuning Help

• Jan 20, 2017 - 14:42

I'm trying to get the software to allow me to write tabs using a Drop F tuning or lower. Every note below open E (Low) shows up red and refuses to write to the tab. I followed the steps in the tablature FAQ, but maybe I'm missing something. Any assistance would be appreciated.


Comments

upload an empty score so I can see what you did and I'll tell you how to fix it. Also please specify the tuning for each string since I'm not a guitarist.

In reply to by mike320

"I'm trying to get the software to allow me to write tabs using a Drop F tuning or lower. Every note below open E (Low) shows up red and refuses to write to the tab"
A misunderstanding probably.
I observe the same behaviour (in Staff Properties -> Edit string data) if, instead changing the pitch of 6th string in drop F (F2), I add a 7th string (F2). With the result you describe: tab1.mscz

So, for a Drop F (or Drop D) - of the 6th string-, you have just to edit the pitch of this string (E2 -> F2, or E2 -> D2 eg): tab2.mscz
If it is not corresponding to your concern, please share your score, by describing the wished result.

This is making sense now. If F2 is the lowest string, then any note below F2 will be red on the staff and not display on the TAB since there is no string for it. E is below F. My understanding is that you need to change the tuning to F1. I realize this usually means replacing the string in real life, but this is what sounds like the problem is.

I got it. As it turns out, the fix is to right-click the staff, go to Staff Properties, change the Usable Pitch Range (2 different boxes, I changed both to F1), click on Edit String Data, and then set strings to my custom tuning, click Ok, Apply, Ok. The trick is that this has to be done to all connected staves. In my case, a traditional 5 bar staff and a tab, by running these steps through both staves, it now works perfectly.

It was mentioned that a the strings on the guitar could be an issue. This is correct, but the particular guitar that I'm using for this part has been modified specifically for these lower tunings.

In reply to by cadiz1

Using MS 3 with a MacBook pro. I rifer click the stave and change the 'Usable Pitch Range" to D2 - B5 for both Amateur and Professional,. Then edit string data and change the pitch of the 6th string to D2. Save, Apply, OK. Nothing happens. I have no idea what I'm missing. Any help is greatly appreciated.

Attachment Size
Drop_D_Tuning.mscz 10.49 KB

In reply to by Fast Eddie

I believe the problem is that you have two guitars rather than one with linked staves. You are apparently changing the string data on the treble staff rather than the tablature staff. It would be best if you selected staff 1 of the first guitar and added a linked staff to it. This will allow you to enter either tablature or notes and the other will automatically update. It will also make them have the same tuning. You can then remove the second guitar.

In reply to by Fast Eddie

cadiz1 is an accomplished guitar teacher and a valuable contributor to the MuseScore community, especially on the subject of tablatures. This tells me your problem was not an obvious one or it would have been the first thing suggested. We're always glad to help.

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