1 @c -*- coding: utf-8; mode: texinfo; -*-
3 Translation of GIT committish: FILL-IN-HEAD-COMMITTISH
5 When revising a translation, copy the HEAD committish of the
6 version that you are working on. See TRANSLATION for details.
11 @node Fretted string instruments
12 @section Fretted string instruments
14 @lilypondfile[quote]{fretted-headword.ly}
16 This section discusses several aspects of music notation that are unique
17 to fretted string instruments.
20 @cindex guitar tablature
23 * Common notation for fretted strings::
28 @node Common notation for fretted strings
29 @subsection Common notation for fretted strings
31 This section discusses common notation that is unique
32 to fretted string instruments.
35 * References for fretted strings::
36 * String number indications::
37 * Default tablatures::
40 * Right-hand fingerings::
43 @node References for fretted strings
44 @subsubsection References for fretted strings
46 Music for fretted string instruments is normally notated on
47 a single staff, either in traditional music notation or in
48 tablature. Sometimes the two types are combined, and it is
49 especially common in popular music to use chord diagrams above
50 a staff of traditional notation. The guitar and the banjo are
51 transposing instruments, sounding an octave lower than written.
52 Scores for these instruments should use the @code{"treble_8"} clef.
53 Some other elements pertinent to fretted string instruments
54 are covered elsewhere:
57 @item Fingerings are indicated with @ref{Fingering instructions}.
59 @item Instructions for @notation{Laissez vibrer} ties
60 as well as ties on arpeggios and tremolos is described in
63 @item Instructions on handling multiple voices is described
64 in @ref{Collision resolution}.
71 @ref{Instrument names},
72 @ref{Writing music in parallel},
73 @ref{Fingering instructions},
76 @ref{List of articulations},
79 @node String number indications
80 @subsubsection String number indications
82 @cindex String numbers
84 The string on which a note should be played may be indicated by
85 appending @code{\@var{number}} to a note inside a chord construct
88 @warning{String numbers @strong{must} be defined inside a chord
89 construct even if there is only a single note.}
91 @lilypond[verbatim,quote,relative=0]
97 When fingerings and string indications are used together, their
98 placement is controlled by the order in which the two items appear
101 @lilypond[verbatim,quote,relative=1]
109 @lilypondfile[verbatim,lilyquote,texidoc,doctitle]
110 {controlling-the-placement-of-chord-fingerings.ly}
112 @lilypondfile[verbatim,lilyquote,texidoc,doctitle]
113 {allowing-fingerings-to-be-printed-inside-the-staff.ly}
118 @ref{Fingering instructions}.
121 @rlsr{Fretted strings}.
124 @rinternals{StringNumber},
125 @rinternals{Fingering}.
128 @node Default tablatures
129 @subsubsection Default tablatures
130 @cindex Tablatures, basic
131 @cindex Tablatures, default
133 Tablature notation is used for notating music for plucked string
134 instruments. Pitches are not denoted with note heads, but by
135 numbers indicating on which string and fret a note must be played.
136 LilyPond offers limited support for tablature.
138 The string number associated with a note is given as a backslash
139 followed by a number. By default, string 1 is the highest,
140 and the tuning defaults to the standard guitar tuning (with 6 strings).
141 The notes are printed as tablature, by using @code{TabStaff} and
142 @code{TabVoice} contexts
144 @lilypond[quote,ragged-right,fragment,verbatim]
151 @funindex minimumFret
155 When no string is specified for a note, the note is assigned to
156 the lowest string that can generate the note with a fret number
157 greater than or equal to @code{minimumFret} is selected. The
158 default value for @code{minimumFret} is 0.
161 @lilypond[quote,ragged-right,verbatim]
163 \new Staff \relative c {
168 \new TabStaff \relative c {
170 \set TabStaff.minimumFret = #5
178 The direction of stems is controlled the same way in tablature as
179 in traditional notation. Beams can be made horizontal:
181 @lilypond[quote,ragged-right,verbatim]
187 \override Beam #'damping = #100000
194 Polyphony is created the same way in a @code{TabStaff} as in a
197 @lilypond[quote,ragged-right,verbatim]
198 upper = \relative c' {
202 r4. r8 e, fis g16 b g e e' b c b a g fis e
205 lower = \relative c {
208 r16 e d c b a g4 fis8 e fis g a b c
213 \new StaffGroup = "tab with traditional" <<
214 \new Staff = "guitar traditional" <<
216 \context Voice = "upper" \upper
217 \context Voice = "lower" \lower
219 \new TabStaff = "guitar tab" <<
220 \context TabVoice = "upper" \upper
221 \context TabVoice = "lower" \lower
234 @rlsr{Fretted strings}.
237 @rinternals{TabNoteHead},
238 @rinternals{TabStaff},
239 @rinternals{TabVoice},
244 Chords are not handled in a special way, and hence the automatic
245 string selector may easily select the same string for two notes in
248 In order to handle @code{\partcombine}, a @code{TabStaff} must use
249 specially-created voices:
251 @lilypond[quote,ragged-right,verbatim]
252 melodia = \partcombine { e4 g g g }{ e4 e e e }
255 \new TabVoice = "one" s1
256 \new TabVoice = "two" s1
257 \new TabVoice = "shared" s1
258 \new TabVoice = "solo" s1
265 @node Custom tablatures
266 @subsubsection Custom tablatures
267 @cindex Tablatures, custom
269 You can change the tuning of the strings. A string tuning is
270 given as a Scheme list with one integer number for each string,
271 the number being the pitch (measured in semitones relative to
272 middle C) of an open string. The numbers specified for
273 @code{stringTunings} are the numbers of semitones to subtract or
274 add, starting the specified pitch by default middle C, in string
275 order. LilyPond automatically calculates the number of strings by
276 looking at @code{stringTunings}.
278 In the next example, @code{stringTunings} is set for the pitches
281 @lilypond[quote,ragged-right,fragment,verbatim]
283 \set TabStaff.stringTunings = #'(-5 -10 -15 -20)
285 a,4 c' a e' e c' a e'
290 LilyPond comes with predefined string tunings for banjo, mandolin,
291 guitar and bass guitar.
294 \set TabStaff.stringTunings = #bass-tuning
297 The default string tuning is @code{guitar-tuning} (the standard
298 EADGBE tuning). Some other predefined tunings are
299 @code{guitar-open-g-tuning}, @code{mandolin-tuning} and
300 @code{banjo-open-g-tuning}.
305 @rlsr{Fretted strings}.
307 The file @file{scm/@/output@/-lib@/.scm} contains the predefined string
310 Internals Reference: @rinternals{Tab_note_heads_engraver}.
314 No guitar special effects have been implemented.
319 @subsubsection Fret diagrams
320 @cindex fret diagrams
321 @cindex chord diagrams
323 Fret diagrams can be added to music as a markup to the desired
324 note. The markup contains information about the desired fret
325 diagram. There are three different fret-diagram markup
326 interfaces: standard, terse, and verbose. The three interfaces
327 produce equivalent markups, but have varying amounts of
328 information in the markup string. Details about the markup
329 interfaces are found at @ref{Text markup commands}.
331 The following example shows the three fret-diagram markup
332 interfaces, along with examples of common tweaks. For example,
333 the size of the verbose fret diagram is reduced to 0.75, and the
334 finger indications are specified to appear below the diagram. The
335 terse diagram includes tweaks to specify placement of finger code
338 @lilypond[verbatim,ragged-right,quote]
341 d^\markup \fret-diagram #"6-x;5-x;4-o;3-2;2-3;1-2;"
343 fis^\markup \override #'(size . 0.75) {
344 \override #'(finger-code . below-string) {
345 \fret-diagram-verbose #'((place-fret 6 2 1) (barre 6 1 2)
354 c^\markup \override #'(dot-radius . 0.35) {
355 \override #'(finger-code . in-dot) {
356 \override #'(dot-color . white) {
357 \fret-diagram-terse #"x;3-1-(;5-2;5-3;5-4;3-1-);"
365 You can set a number of graphical properties according to your preference.
366 Details about the property interface to fret diagrams are found at
367 @rinternals{fret-diagram-interface}.
373 @rlsr{Fretted strings}.
375 @node Right-hand fingerings
376 @subsubsection Right-hand fingerings
378 Right-hand fingerings @var{p-i-m-a} must be entered within a
379 chord construct @code{<>} for them to be printed in the score,
380 even when applied to a single note.
382 @warning{There @strong{must} be a hyphen after the note and a space
383 before the closing @code{>}.}
385 @lilypond[quote,verbatim,relative=0]
388 <c-\rightHandFinger #1 >4
389 <e-\rightHandFinger #2 >
390 <g-\rightHandFinger #3 >
391 <c-\rightHandFinger #4 >
392 <c,-\rightHandFinger #1 e-\rightHandFinger #2 g-\rightHandFinger #3 c-\rightHandFinger #4 >1
396 For convenience, you can abbreviate @code{\rightHandFinger} to something
397 short, for example @code{RH},
400 #(define RH rightHandFinger)
403 @cindex fingerings, right hand, for guitar
404 @cindex right hand fingerings for guitar
408 You may exercise greater control over the placement of right-hand
409 fingerings by setting @code{strokeFingerOrientations},
411 @lilypond[quote,verbatim,ragged-right,fragment,relative=0]
412 #(define RH rightHandFinger)
415 \set strokeFingerOrientations = #'(up down)
416 <c-\RH #1 e-\RH #2 g-\RH #3 c-\RH #4 > 4
417 \set strokeFingerOrientations = #'(up right down)
418 <c-\RH #1 e-\RH #2 g-\RH #3 c-\RH #4 > 4
419 \set strokeFingerOrientations = #'(left)
420 <c-\RH #1 e-\RH #2 g-\RH #3 c-\RH #4 > 2
424 This example combines left-hand fingering, string indication, and
427 @lilypond[quote,ragged-right,fragment,verbatim,relative=0]
428 #(define RH rightHandFinger)
441 @rlsr{Fretted strings}.
444 @rinternals{StrokeFinger}.
450 @c TODO Make a snippet based on
451 @c http://www.nabble.com/Creating-a-nice-formatted-Chords-%2B-Lyrics-layout-for-guitar-players-to13829430.html
452 @c and include it somewhere -td
455 * Guitar tablatures::
456 * Indicating position and barring::
457 * Indicating harmonics and dampened notes::
460 @node Guitar tablatures
461 @subsubsection Guitar tablatures
466 @node Indicating position and barring
467 @subsubsection Indicating position and barring
469 This example demonstrates how to include guitar position and
472 @lilypond[quote,ragged-right,fragment,verbatim,relative=0]
476 \override TextSpanner #'bound-details #'left #'text = #"XII "
478 b16 e g e b g\stopTextSpan
482 @node Indicating harmonics and dampened notes
483 @subsubsection Indicating harmonics and dampened notes
485 Special note heads can be used to indicate dampened notes or
486 harmonics. Harmonics are normally further explained with a
489 @lilypond[quote,ragged-right,fragment,verbatim]
492 \override Staff.NoteHead #'style = #'cross
494 \override Staff.NoteHead #'style = #'harmonic-mixed
495 d^\markup { \italic { \fontsize #-2 { "harm. 12" }}} <g b>1
502 @rlsr{Fretted strings}.
505 @ref{Special note heads},
506 @ref{Note head styles}.
515 @node Banjo tablatures
516 @subsubsection Banjo tablatures
517 @cindex Banjo tablatures
519 LilyPond has basic support for the five-string banjo. When making tablatures
520 for five-string banjo, use the banjo tablature format function to get
521 correct fret numbers for the fifth string:
523 @lilypond[quote,ragged-right,fragment,verbatim]
525 \set TabStaff.tablatureFormat = #fret-number-tablature-format-banjo
526 \set TabStaff.stringTunings = #banjo-open-g-tuning
529 g8 d' g'\5 a b g e d' |
530 g4 d''8\5 b' a'\2 g'\5 e'\2 d' |
536 A number of common tunings for banjo are predefined in LilyPond:
537 @code{banjo-c-tuning} (gCGBD), @code{banjo-modal-tuning} (gDGCD),
538 @code{banjo-open-d-tuning} (aDF#AD) and @code{banjo-open-dm-tuning}
541 These tunings may be converted to four string banjo tunings using the
542 @code{four-string-banjo} function:
545 \set TabStaff.stringTunings = #(four-string-banjo banjo-c-tuning)
551 @rlsr{Fretted strings}.
553 The file @file{scm/@/output@/-lib@/.scm} contains predefined banjo tunings.