Harp Tab - Part 2

[Winslow Yerxa <76450.3230@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

In my other message about harp tab, I wrote about using a
tuning diagram to lay out a riff, and using succesive
screens to create note-by-note animation.

In this message, I'm proposing a method more like the traditional
arrow-and-number method, which allows you to

    - notate long melodies

    - use or not use rhythmic notation

    - add chord symbols, lyrics

    - write "scores" that include chord charts and independent
      instrumental lines

    - notate actual pitches instead of harp-specific hole &
      breath info

    - indicate musical structure, with repeats, second endings,
      and codas.

You can keep it as simple as you like, with just hole & breath
info, or get fancy with full-blown scores, or anything in
between.

I haven't seen the other proposals made, so I don't know if this
contains anything that people have already dismissed, but I think
this system is flexible enough to be very versatile, while still
conveying exact information whenever desired.

HARP SYMBOLS

===Hole and Breath

  1B is Hole 1 Blow

  2D is Hole 2 Draw

===Bend and Overblow

  b   is bend down 1 semitone (flat)
  bb  is bend down 2 semitones
  bbb is bend down 3 semitones

  x  is overblow (the basic amount varies depending on the tuning
                 in any given hole)
  #x is overblow, and bend up one semitone
  xx is overblow and bend up two semitones

===Special Effects

  = is warble, or rapidly alternate two holes. as in 3D=4D

TIME SYMBOLS

Time Signature can be indicated as 4/4 3/4 etc.

Time values:

  o is a whole note - 4 beats
  d is a half note - two beats
  / is a quarter note - 1 beat (you see this in chord charts)
  ' is an eighth note - half a beat
  " is a sixteenth note - a quarter of a beat
  * is a thirty-second note

  RESTS occur whenever no hole/breath indication appears under a
  note value.

  Any note can be increased by half its value with a dot:

    d. = / / /

  Two or more notes can be tied together:

    /~/~/ = three quarters tied together = d.

  And substitute values like triplets, can be notated:

    --3--
    / / /  depicts three quarters in the space of two.

Structure can be indicated:

  Barlines:

    4/4 / / / / | / / / / | etc.

  Repeats:

    ||: /  /  /  /  | /  /  /  / :||

  First and second ending:

                     (1)             (2)
    ||:  /  /  /  /  |  /  /  /  /  :|| /  /  /  / |]

  Coda:

    D.S. al @

Articulations:
               .
  Staccato:   /
             _
  tenuto     /
            ^
  Marcato   /

Chords:

  G7             C7             G7             D7
  /  /  /  /  |  /  /  /  /  |  /  /  /  /  |  /   /   /   /  ||

Lyrics:


     '   ' | ' '  '   '~'  ' |  /   /  /   '     '~|~o
   Well, My baby left me, she left me high and dry

Actual pitches, independent of the harmonica. The same notes in
idderent octaves can be indicated with a comma for lower (G,) or
apostrophe for higher (G') where needed.


             C7                 F7                  C7
     '   ' | ' '  '   '~'  ' |  /   /  /   '     '~|~o
   Well, My baby left me, she left me high and dry
     G   G   G F  E   C    C   G   F  Eb   C     C

Scores:

  You can notate several parts together, like, vocal melody and
  independent harp part:

             C7                     F7
  '   ' | /  /     '    '~ '    ' | /       /     /    '      '~     |
Well, My|Ba by    left me,    she |left    me     high and  dry      |
 G     G| G  F     E   C        C | G       F     Eb   C      C      |
        |                         |                                  |
        |                         |                                  |
 F harp | /  '  '  '    '  '    ' | '  '    '   '~/    "  "   "   "  |
        |   3D 4B 4D   3D 2D bb2D |2B 3B bb3D b3D    b4D 4D b4D b3D  |


This took a fair amount of work, but it's exact.

WORD PROCESSOR CONSIDERATIONS

  Obviously, save ASCII files for uploading.

  Turn off word wrap, and associated features like wrap compression
  (this deletes extra spaces, which notation needs).

  Set your margins wide enough, but not too wide for email parameters

  Use Insert and Overstrike mode as needed: insert to add extra space
  in the middle of something already written, overstrike to "erase &
  correct."

Give it a try.

Winslow Yerxa
Editor, HIP - the Harmonica Information Publication
76450.3230@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx