ABC Software
Here is a very comprehensive list of ABC software, with a chart of the capabilities of each package. There are versions for Windows, Mac, and Linux. Some are web based.
EasyABC is probably the most capable and easiest to use, and it comes in Windows and Mac versions. To get the most benefit from this guide, download and install it now!
EasyABC has a standard menu to open and save files (and more of course), a musical score window on the top right, an ABC code window on the bottom right and a window on the left with two tabs, one for the tune list and another tab for ABC errors. The tune list tab is very important for ABC files containing more than one tune.
Here is a very comprehensive list of ABC software, with a chart of the capabilities of each package. There are versions for Windows, Mac, and Linux. Some are web based.
EasyABC is probably the most capable and easiest to use, and it comes in Windows and Mac versions. To get the most benefit from this guide, download and install it now!
EasyABC has a standard menu to open and save files (and more of course), a musical score window on the top right, an ABC code window on the bottom right and a window on the left with two tabs, one for the tune list and another tab for ABC errors. The tune list tab is very important for ABC files containing more than one tune.
And here is some ABC code to copy and paste into the code window to go for a test drive!
X:1
T:Finnegan's Wake
M:4/4
L:1/8
Q:1/4=112
K:C
G2 | "C" E2 E2 E2 D2 | "Am" E2 A2 A2 B2 | "F" c2 B2 A2G2 | "G" E2 D2 D2 z2 |
"C" E2 E2 E2 D2| "Am" E2 A2 A2 B2 | "F" c2 B2 A2 G2| "G" A2 B2 "C:" c2 z c |
"C" c2 c2 c2 d2| "Am" c2 B2 A2 G2 | "F" c2 c2 c2 d2 | "G" c2 B2 A2 z G |
"C" c2 c2 c2 dd | "Am" c2 B2 A2 GG | "F" A2 AG A2 G2 | "G" A2 B2 "C" c3 z |
"C" E2 EE E2 D2 | "Am" E2 AA A2 B2 |"F" c3 B A2 G2 | "G" E D3 D4 |
"C" E3 E E2 D2 |"Am" E2 A2A2 B2 |"F" c3 B A2 G2 |"G" A2 B2 "C" c4 |]
Notice the player controls. Hit the Play button to see how this tune sounds.
Want sheet music for your sheets notebook? Easy, use File | Print. Want to hear how the tune is supposed to sound? Use the Play and Stop buttons on the player controls in the upper lefthand corner. What if a tune is in an inconvenient key, or not in the range of a single chambered ocarina? Use Edit | Transpose! You have to say how many semitones up or down to transpose, but a tune in D (two sharps) can be transposed down 2 semitones to C (no flats or sharps). A tune in F (1 flat) can be transposed up two semitones to G (1 sharp). You can transpose to make the lowest and highest notes fit within the range of a single chamber ocarina. This just takes some playing around with, and youc can always Undo what ever you just did. You can also export the ABC file to MIDI or to MusicXML, which as we will see, is a two-way street.
And on the Software page, a special tip of the hat to Wil Macauley for The Craic, an iPad / iPhone app to take your ABC files with you anywhere! This is really indispensible for those of us with iDevices who love music!
X:1
T:Finnegan's Wake
M:4/4
L:1/8
Q:1/4=112
K:C
G2 | "C" E2 E2 E2 D2 | "Am" E2 A2 A2 B2 | "F" c2 B2 A2G2 | "G" E2 D2 D2 z2 |
"C" E2 E2 E2 D2| "Am" E2 A2 A2 B2 | "F" c2 B2 A2 G2| "G" A2 B2 "C:" c2 z c |
"C" c2 c2 c2 d2| "Am" c2 B2 A2 G2 | "F" c2 c2 c2 d2 | "G" c2 B2 A2 z G |
"C" c2 c2 c2 dd | "Am" c2 B2 A2 GG | "F" A2 AG A2 G2 | "G" A2 B2 "C" c3 z |
"C" E2 EE E2 D2 | "Am" E2 AA A2 B2 |"F" c3 B A2 G2 | "G" E D3 D4 |
"C" E3 E E2 D2 |"Am" E2 A2A2 B2 |"F" c3 B A2 G2 |"G" A2 B2 "C" c4 |]
Notice the player controls. Hit the Play button to see how this tune sounds.
Want sheet music for your sheets notebook? Easy, use File | Print. Want to hear how the tune is supposed to sound? Use the Play and Stop buttons on the player controls in the upper lefthand corner. What if a tune is in an inconvenient key, or not in the range of a single chambered ocarina? Use Edit | Transpose! You have to say how many semitones up or down to transpose, but a tune in D (two sharps) can be transposed down 2 semitones to C (no flats or sharps). A tune in F (1 flat) can be transposed up two semitones to G (1 sharp). You can transpose to make the lowest and highest notes fit within the range of a single chamber ocarina. This just takes some playing around with, and youc can always Undo what ever you just did. You can also export the ABC file to MIDI or to MusicXML, which as we will see, is a two-way street.
And on the Software page, a special tip of the hat to Wil Macauley for The Craic, an iPad / iPhone app to take your ABC files with you anywhere! This is really indispensible for those of us with iDevices who love music!
