MuseScore and MusicXML for tabs and guitar-focused music?

thisven

Hi folks,

as a guitar player I'm familiar with tablatures (tabs) and happened to use TuxGuitar for saving my ideas.

I'd like to switch to MuseScore and using a more open standard format for musical notation, such as MusicXML. However, I'm having a hard time Reinventing the zeal without starting from scratch.

What are your experiences? Are there "secret" features in MuseScore that I need to know? Or is MuseScore and/or the MusicXML format just not a good choice for tablatures and guitar-focused music?

nils

What role does the sound output play? Do you need it at all, while editing, or do you even need a high quality one?

I personally don't use MuseScore, only Lilypond. https://lilypond.org/doc/v2.25/Documentation/notation/custom-tablatures
While certainly able to create tab outputs, and with some work also midi files, it's basically just that. Text input, PDF output and midi.

thisven

Sound output (while inserting notes and at all) is a handy feature while prototyping without an instrument at hand. I'd definetly opt for it.

LilyPond looks promising, since it features custom tunings. But does is support effects, such as bendings, hammer-on/pull-offs etc.?

nils

thisven

I posted the wrong link, it was already the 2nd page of the docs.

Harmonics, bendings and hammer-on is described as supported here:
https://lilypond.org/doc/v2.25/Documentation/notation/default-tablatures

thisven

nils I see. I guess I just need to check it out. Thanks for sharing!