donbeh - Posted - 06/29/2017:  09:42:09

I recently downloaded a tab of “Foggy Mountain Special” arranged by J. Gentile, Jr.  I understand the standard tab symbols but I have encountered some symbols in this arrangement that I have never seen before.  If anyone can explain these I would appreciate it very much. I have numbered them.

#1, by the fret number indicated on a string, say fret 10 on 2^nd string, an arrow that curves upward.

#2, above the upward curving arrow, there can be a fraction, say ¼, ½, ¾, and in one place the word “full”.

 #3, In a few places on the string there will be a number, which I would take to mean fret number but it is in parenthesis, i.e., (12) or (0).

#4, A fret number followed by an upward curved arrow followed by a downward curved arrow. 

#5, A fret number, say 5, followed by an “x”.

#6, A fret number, say 5, followed by a slant.

#7, This one may be difficult to understand my explanation, on string #3, fret positions 3, 2, 0 with a pulloff from 3 to 2.  Each of these fret positions has a stem, the three stems are connected at the bottom and below this is the number “3”.

I would appreciate any help with understanding this.  Is there a web site or banjo book that has an explanation of ALL banjo tab symbols?

trapdoor2 - Posted - 06/29/2017:  10:04:35

quote:

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Originally posted by donbeh

 

I recently downloaded a tab of “Foggy Mountain Special” arranged by J. Gentile, Jr.  I understand the standard tab symbols but I have encountered some symbols in this arrangement that I have never seen before.  If anyone can explain these I would appreciate it very much. I have numbered them.

 #1, by the fret number indicated on a string, say fret 10 on 2^nd string, an arrow that curves upward.

#2, above the upward curving arrow, there can be a fraction, say ¼, ½, ¾, and in one place the word “full”.

 #3, In a few places on the string there will be a number, which I would take to mean fret number but it is in parenthesis, i.e., (12) or (0).

#4, A fret number followed by an upward curved arrow followed by a downward curved arrow. 

#5, A fret number, say 5, followed by an “x”.

#6, A fret number, say 5, followed by a slant.

#7, This one may be difficult to understand my explanation, on string #3, fret positions 3, 2, 0 with a pulloff from 3 to 2.  Each of these fret positions has a stem, the three stems are connected at the bottom and below this is the number “3”.

 

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1. This indicates a bend or choke.


2. the fraction indicates how much to bend or choke...a little (1/4) or a lot (full)


3. parenthesis usually means optional


4. bend or choke to a higher pitch and then allow it to come back down while still sounding. Up and down choke.


5. sometimes this means to damp that string. pick it but don't let it ring. Depends on who is writing the tab.


6. slant means to slide. 5/ would be slide up to next note on that string, 5\ would be to slide down to the next note on that string. Sometimes these slides won't have a note to "slide to" so you just give it a little slide as you move to the next position or series.


7. triplets. this means that you play three notes in the space of two of the noted rhythmic value. 


8. Caveat: I haven't actually looked at the TAB you're working with...the above are generic answers from experience.

Edited by - trapdoor2 on 06/29/2017 10:08:18

Mooooo - Posted - 06/29/2017:  10:19:12

I agree with Trapdoor2 mostly. I think the parentheses may mean a grace note which is a note played quickly before (or after) a note without parentheses. But as usual, I could be wrong.

Tobus - Posted - 06/29/2017:  10:44:50

quote:

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Originally posted by Mooooo

 

I agree with Trapdoor2 mostly. I think the parentheses may mean a grace note which is a note played quickly before (or after) a note without parentheses. But as usual, I could be wrong.

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The parentheses usually mean the note is carried through from a previously plucked note.  I suppose "optional" would apply as Trapdoor described.  Josh Turknett describes them as "skip notes" in his tabs, and that's generally how others seem to use them.  They should stay ringing to imply that note again.  You can pluck them again, but it doesn't have the same effect as letting them ring from the first time they were shown.

Edited by - Tobus on 06/29/2017 10:45:12

Old Hickory - Posted - 06/29/2017:  11:34:51

The parentheses can mean optional. But if there's an arc from a preceding note to the note in parentheses, then that's a "tie" meaning hold or carryover as described above.  Sight unseen, I tend to go with optional.

The "X" is a longstanding way to indicate a rest, which really means treat the preceding note as a quarter note.  This comes from the rudimentary way of writing tab as eighth notes with each measure consisting of two groups of 4 banner-connected notes.  The count for a full measure is  1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &  with either a sounded note or an X on each stem.   More sophisticated tab writes quarter notes disconnected from the banners.  But these can be misinterpreted by people not familiar with notation.

Three stems connected with an arc and a "3" indicates a triplet. The 3 notes are executed in the space of 1 full beat.  If the tab is written as eighth notes and treated as 4/4 as I just described (4 beats per measure, quarter note gets 1 beat), then the triplet is completed in the space of a 1 beat quarter note: "1 &"      You would play a quick "1 & a"  in the space of "1 &"     

The fractions accompanying the bend (upward curving arrow) indicate the fraction of a whole step that you are to bend, or attempt to bend.  Remember that a whole step is the sound difference of 2 frets.  So a 1/4 bend is less than a 1 fret bend (half step).  A 1/2 bend is equal to a full fret.  A 3/4 bend is more than a fret but not quite 2.  "Full" means a whole step.

janolov - Posted - 06/29/2017:  11:47:48

I guess this is the tab you are talking about: hangoutstorage.com/banjohangou...62017.pdf

The meaning of parentheses depends on the context. Sometimes it is an optional note that can be played or not, and sometimes it is an indication that the previously plucked note shall sustain. For example the ending brush in measure 51 in the tab I linked to is a half note long (1/2) in measure 51 and shall be sustained during measure 51 (final measure) a whole note long (1/1). Also the parenthesis in measure 50 (fret 17 on fourth string) is a sustain of the previous note on the same fret and string in measure 49). There is also a parenthesis in measure 31 (11 fret on second string) with a slant and I interpret this as an optional note - you can slide down with the 2nd string fretted or you can can just unfret it and only play the 1st string,

And to your last question: there are no book or website that explain all symbols.There are no standards for writing tabs (as there is standards for writing music notation). When writing tabs there are several different software available (I prefer TablEdit but other people prefer Guitar Pro, Tabwin or some other). Each software has its own symbols.There are also people writing tabs by hand and some of them has developed there own "tab language".

Old Hickory - Posted - 06/29/2017:  12:59:18

quote:

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Originally posted by janolov

There is also a parenthesis in measure 31 (11 fret on second string) with a slant and I interpret this as an optional note - you can slide down with the 2nd string fretted or you can can just unfret it and only play the 1st string

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My interpretation of measure 31 is that you continue to hold the fretted note 2nd string at 11th fret as you pick the fretted note 1st string at 12th fret. Plus, as soon as you pick the 1st string at 12 you immediately slide both the 1st and 2nd string positions down a non-specific amount (no target frets are given for the slide) in time to pick fretted notes 2nd at 8 plus 1st at 9 at the beginning of the next measure.  I typically lift my fingers to kill the notes and refret the 8+9 notes.

Edited by - Old Hickory on 06/29/2017 12:59:54