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ASCII guitar tab maker
Turn any guitar, bass or ukulele part into plain-text tab you can paste into a forum, a Reddit post, an email or a chat. Copy it with one click or download a .txt file.
Riverside Étude Study in E minor SimpleNotation Tempo: 120 bpm Tuning: E A D G B E [A Intro] Em C G B7 e|-----------------|---------0-------|-----------------|---------2-------| B|---------0-------|-------1---1-----|---------0-------|-------0---0-----| G|-------0---0-----|-----0-------0---|-------0---0-----|-----2-------2---| D|-----2-------2---|---2-----------2-|-----0-------0---|---1-----------1-| A|---2-----------2-|-3---------------|---2-----------2-|-2---------------| E|-0---------------|-----------------|-3---------------|-----------------| [B Melody] Em C G e|-0---2h-3-7~--5-3-|---0-3/--5-3-0---|-----3-7---5-3-2---| B|------------------|-1---------------|-0-3---------------| G|------------------|-----------------|-------------------| D|------------------|-----------------|-------------------| A|------------------|-----------------|-------------------| E|------------------|-----------------|-------------------|
How to export text tab
- Write your score in the editor, or import a Guitar Pro, MusicXML or MIDI file.
- When it is ready, open the ⋯ menu at the top right of the editor and choose Export → Text tab (.txt). You can also press Ctrl+K (⌘K on a Mac) and type “export”.
- Choose Text tab (.txt) to download a file, or Copy as text tab to put it on your clipboard, ready to paste.
What the file keeps
- One line per string, named from the tuning (e B G D A E in standard), with the tuning and capo written above the tab
- Spacing that follows the rhythm: one dash per sixteenth note, so long notes look long
- Chord names above the beats they belong to, plus sections, repeats, first and second endings and tempo changes
- Technique symbols: h hammer-on, p pull-off, / and \ slides, b bend and r release, ~ vibrato, x dead note, (5) ghost note, <12> harmonics, PM palm mute
- Every fretted part in the score (guitar, bass, ukulele, banjo, mandolin), each in its own tab, and a legend of the symbols used
What it leaves out
- Exact note lengths: text tab can only hint at rhythm with spacing
- Standard notation, dynamics and parts for instruments without tab, such as piano or vocals
- Tied notes are not written again; the note simply rings on
Pasting text tab so it stays lined up
Text tab only works in a font where every character is the same width. On Reddit and Discord, put the tab in a code block (start and end it with three backticks). In email, switch the message to plain text or a monospaced font. Lines are wrapped at 80 characters, at bar lines, so they do not break in narrow windows.
Convert Guitar Pro or MIDI to text tab
Import a Guitar Pro file, MusicXML or MIDI and copy it as text tab. For a file that keeps exact rhythms and techniques for other tab software, export Guitar Pro instead.
Questions
What do h, p, b and ~ mean in guitar tab?
h is a hammer-on, p a pull-off, b a bend (7b9 means play fret 7 and bend it up to the pitch of fret 9), r a release back down, and ~ vibrato. Every exported tab ends with a legend of the symbols it uses.
Why does my pasted tab look crooked?
The place you pasted it uses a proportional font. Put the tab in a code block or switch to a monospaced font and the columns line up again.
Can I make text tab from a Guitar Pro file?
Yes. Import the Guitar Pro file into SimpleNotation, then choose Copy as text tab or Text tab (.txt).
Does it work for bass and ukulele?
Yes. Every fretted instrument in the score gets its own tab with the right number of strings and their names.
Other export formats
All exports are free and need no account. Compare every format.