7.5.2 Tablatures basic

Tablature notation is used for notating music for plucked string instruments. Pitches are not denoted with note heads, but by numbers indicating on which string and fret a note must be played. LilyPond offers limited support for tablature.

The string number associated to a note is given as a backslash followed by a number, e.g., c4\3 for a C quarter on the third string. By default, string 1 is the highest one, and the tuning defaults to the standard guitar tuning (with 6 strings). The notes are printed as tablature, by using TabStaff and TabVoice contexts

     
     \new TabStaff {
       a,4\5 c'\2 a\3 e'\1
       e\4 c'\2 a\3 e'\1
     }

When no string is specified, the first string that does not give a fret number less than minimumFret is selected. The default value for minimumFret is 0

e16 fis gis a b4
\set TabStaff.minimumFret = #8
e16 fis gis a b4

Commonly tweaked properties

To print tablatures with stems down and horizontal beams, initialize the TabStaff with this code:

\stemDown
\override Beam #'damping = #100000

See also

Program reference: TabStaff, TabVoice.

Bugs

Chords are not handled in a special way, and hence the automatic string selector may easily select the same string to two notes in a chord.