Guitar tunings

[palka]

Hi, I'm new here. I'm trying Finale Songwriter.
Is it possible to change the tuning of the guitar, for the TAB(lature) ?

In Finale I know how to do it, but in this Songwriter?

Should it be impossible, could you please tell me which is the cheapest MM software that can do that? thank you so much :)

[Peter Thomsen]

What version of SongWriter?

What tuning do you need?

I could be wrong here, but I think that you can get a different TAB tuning via SongWriter's Document Setup Wizard.
To do so, edit the component file "instrument.txt" to include the TAB tuning you need.

An example:

To get DADGAD tuning, add the following to "instrument.txt":

[INS:Guitar TAB - DADGAD]
DisplayName = Guitar - DADGAD Tuning [TAB]
Name = Guitar
Abbr = Gtr.
useKeySigs = 0
Transposition = 0
StaffType = tab
Clef = tab1
FretInst = Guitar - DADGAD
ShowStems = 0
Patch = 25

[palka]

THANKS for the super fast reply Peter!

Version of Songwriter is the latest I think: I downloaded it a couple of hours ago :)

I will try your trick and let you know! again, thanks a lot

[palka]

What version of SongWriter?

What tuning do you need?

I could be wrong here, but I think that you can get a different TAB tuning via SongWriter's Document Setup Wizard.
To do so, edit the component file "instrument.txt" to include the TAB tuning you need.

An example:

To get DADGAD tuning, add the following to "instrument.txt":

[INS:Guitar TAB - DADGAD]
DisplayName = Guitar - DADGAD Tuning [TAB]
Name = Guitar
Abbr = Gtr.
useKeySigs = 0
Transposition = 0
StaffType = tab
Clef = tab1
FretInst = Guitar - DADGAD
ShowStems = 0
Patch = 25

I tried but id doesn't work.
Funny enough, the instrument was already there, in the Instruments.txt file. There's plenty of guitars (7 strings, open G tuning, D, double D, etc...).

First I thought I'd only need to activate them in the menus, so I added:

Guitar TAB - DADGAD = x

in the Plucked Strings section.
Now the instrument is in the menu, I can select it and everything works, but the tuning is still standard.

But anyway, what if I need to create my own custom tuning?

No way I spend 600$ just for one tiny feature. Apart from this, Finale SongWriter can handle everything I need :)

[Peter Thomsen]

...I tried but id doesn't work.
Funny enough, the instrument was already there, in the Instruments.txt file. There's plenty of guitars (7 strings, open G tuning, D, double D, etc...).

First I thought I'd only need to activate them in the menus, so I added:

Guitar TAB - DADGAD = x

in the Plucked Strings section.
Now the instrument is in the menu, I can select it and everything works, but the tuning is still standard...

1) I don't think the tuning can work, if you add Guitar TAB to the Plucked Strings Group.
Instead, add it to the Fretted Instruments Group.

At least in my copy of "instument.txt" all the TAB instruments are in the Fretted Instruments Group.

Like this:


[GRP:Frets]
Name = Fretted Instruments
abbr =
Mandolin = x
Mandolin TAB = x
Guitar = x
Guitar TAB = x
Guitar TAB with No Name = x
Guitar TAB With Stems = x
7 String Guitar TAB = x
Guitar TAB - D Tuning = x
Guitar TAB - DADGAD = x
Guitar TAB - Double D = x
Guitar TAB - Drop D = x
Guitar TAB - G Tuning = x



2) I don't think it's possible to add your own, non-standard, custom tuning, but I think that all the standard tunings listed above will work.