7Repertoire: String Tablature

7.1.1Defining the Notation

Tablatures come in a variety of types or notations, varying according to instrument but also according to historical context. The notation used is defined on the staffDef element using the notationtype attribute. Possible values are: tab.guitar, tab.lute.italian, tab.lute.french and tab.lute.german.

The lines attribute on the staffDef element is used to define the number of horizontal lines used in a staff.

<staffDef lines="6" n="1" notationtype="tab.guitar"> ... </staffDef>

7.1.2The Instrument Setup and Tuning

Because string tablatures specify which frets and strings to play on the instrument, rather than abstract pitches, it is necessary to know the tuning and setup of the instrument.

Guitar-like instruments can be described in terms of the number of strings they have, but often the strings are grouped and notated as if those groups were a single string. Examples include mandolins and 12-string guitars. To make this distinction explicit, we use "string" exclusively to refer to physical strings. To refer to the notated version, which may consist of one or more physical strings, we use the historical term, "course". Thus, both a 6-string and a 12-string guitar are 6-course instruments.

The course tuning for 6- and 12-string guitars are the same – so they can both play from the same tablatures. Our tuning specification supports indicating course tunings on their own, or string tunings as well.

The tuning element is used inside staffDef to describe the pitches of the open strings of the instrument. In the simplest cases, the tuning can be named from a standard list. For example, to specify the most common tuning of the guitar:

<staffDef lines="6" n="1" notationtype="tab.guitar">

<tuning tuning.standard="guitar.standard"/>

</staffDef>

or, for six-course lute:

<staffDef lines="6" n="1" notationtype="tab.lute.french">

<tuning tuning.standard="lute.renaissance.6"/>

</staffDef>

Custom tuning may be needed when no existing tuning.standard value applies. The course element gives the tuning of each course. n captures the course number (counting from the course closest to the player's feet when the instrument is played), pname the pitch information and oct the octave information.

For standard classical guitar tuning, the tuning element might look like this:

<tuning>

<course n="1" pname="e" oct="4"/>

<course n="2" pname="b" oct="3"/>

<course n="3" pname="g" oct="3"/>

<course n="4" pname="d" oct="3"/>

<course n="5" pname="a" oct="2"/>

<course n="6" pname="e" oct="2"/>

</tuning>

Chromatic alteration of the open string’s pitch may be indicated by adding the accid. For example, a guitar in E-flat tuning might look like this:

<staffDef lines="6" n="1" notationtype="tab.guitar">

<tuning>

<course n="1" oct="5" pname="e" accid="f"/>

<course n="2" oct="4" pname="b" accid="f"/>

<course n="3" oct="4" pname="g" accid="f"/>

<course n="4" oct="4" pname="d" accid="f"/>

<course n="5" oct="3" pname="a" accid="f"/>

<course n="5" oct="3" pname="e" accid="f"/>

</tuning>

</staffDef>

Where the specific instrumental setup is important, the stringing of the instrument can also be specified. The example below is a common way to string and tune a 6-course renaissance lute. The pitch on course indicates how the resulting note would normally be transcribed in score, and would often be derived from the lowest sounding pitch.

<tuning>

<course n="1" pname="g" oct="4">

<string pname="g" oct="4"/>

</course>

<course n="2" pname="d" oct="4">

<string pname="d" oct="4"/>

</course>

<course n="3" pname="a" oct="3">

<string pname="a" oct="3"/>

<string pname="a" oct="3"/>

</course>

<course n="4" pname="f" oct="3">

<string pname="f" oct="4"/>

<string pname="f" oct="3"/>

</course>

<course n="5" pname="c" oct="3">

<string pname="c" oct="4"/>

<string pname="c" oct="3"/>

</course>

<course n="6" pname="g" oct="2">

<string pname="g" oct="3"/>

<string pname="g" oct="2"/>

</course>

</tuning>