I guess I should further explain that I'm trying to get this file into TEFVIEW on my Chromebook which has imported many other Tefview files successfully. Can someone suggest how I get this PDF file imported please?
thank you!

You import the PDF from within TEFview through the FILE menu. It's the process for importing an image.

Instructions here. On the website of the maker of TEFview. Who would have expected that?

Please read everything at the linked page, because importing a tab image is not as straightforward as importing a digital tab file. There are some things that TEFview won't recognize and that you'll need to do -- such as manually inputting the time signature and the instrument tuning.

quote: "I'm trying to get this file into TEFVIEW on my Chromebook which has imported many other Tefview files successfully."

PDF files are not Tefview (.TEF) files. Be prepared for inconsistent results.

Are you sure? I can't see the option to import in Tefview. The instructions are for TablEdit.

Thank you kindly.

you are correct. I tried to import in TEFVIEW and it cannot import a file with 'pdf' extension. Apparently, it must be imported in to Tabledit first and I don't know how to get that on a Chromebook.
Help???

I took a look at importing this PDF into TablEdit on my Windows PC.  The message I got said I needed to have a version of GhostScript, a PostScript workaround that I haven't since the early Postscript days in the 80s and early 90s.  I abandoned the effort.

David

I think I have gotten this to work:
1) Start up TefView.
2) Select Open in the File menu.
3) In the file explorer window that comes up, in the file type selector, choose Image Files.
3a) If this is the first time, the file explorer will ask you to find your copy of ghostscript.
3b) Select the .exe with the c as the last letter.
4) You will return to the first file selector, select the .pdf file you want.
5) You will get a new window with the PDF displayed.
6) Make adjustments for time signature (unlabeled 4s in near the top).
7) Adjust tempo (unlabeled 150).
8) Hit Import
9) OK the result text.
10) Check the resulting tefview against the .pdf to ensure it got it correct.
11) Hit the Play arrow to hear the midi.

NOTES:
I did this on Windows 11.

If you don't have a copy of ghostscript you will need to download one.
TefView does not let you save the .tef.
TablEditDemo does not let you save any .tef longer than 16 measures.
This worked for me with the Big Country .pdf in the OP.
It did NOT work with some of the more loosely formatted .pdf.

Thank you kindly.

thanks for the effort, but this doesn't seem to work on the Tefview version I have on my Chromebook. It is not a Windows version I don't think and doesn't have some of the file open options you mention.
Thanks again for the effort.

Someone with a full version of tablEdit should be able to make a .tef file.

Thank you kindly.

I downloaded Ghostscript and imported the PDF, but the resulting TEF file bears no resemblance to "Big Country."  I believe that corrections were needed, as described in Corwin's post, but I have no idea what is needed.  Send me a message through the Hangout, and I will send you the TEF file, but I don't think it will help you much.  You might do as well by listening to Bela's version in the key of E to get it solid in your head, and then try the tab.  The tab appears to be in G tuning, so the keys do not match.

David

David,

I've just loaded the Tabledit File and the PDF. The Banjo is tuned down to E. It's in the Tab Archive...Jack

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Originally posted by dbrooks

I downloaded Ghostscript and imported the PDF, but the resulting TEF file bears no resemblance to "Big Country."  I believe that corrections were needed, as described in Corwin's post, but I have no idea what is needed.  Send me a message through the Hangout, and I will send you the TEF file, but I don't think it will help you much.  You might do as well by listening to Bela's version in the key of E to get it solid in your head, and then try the tab.  The tab appears to be in G tuning, so the keys do not match.

David

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Good of you to do that, Jack.  Your tabs are always spot on.

Big Country / Bela Fleck Tab - Details and Ratings - Banjo Hangout

David

Great,
I just loaded the midi file in the Tab archive also....Jack

quote:

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Originally posted by Jack Baker

Great,
I just loaded the midi file in the Tab archive also....Jack

---

Thanks for the effort, but this doesn't seem to be tab or midi file for the Carson Sass tab in this link from my original post?   (https://www.hangoutstorage.com/banjohangout.org/storage/tabs/b/tab-big-country-par-22666-3141201082017.pdf

Am I missing something?  Mr. Baker's good work seems to be files for another version of Fleck's 'Big Country'.  (not the Carson Sass tab image in my link above).  I was hoping someone could create a tef file I could import into a chromebook version of TEFview.  Thanks!!!

quote:

---

Originally posted by dbrooks

Good of you to do that, Jack.  Your tabs are always spot on.

Big Country / Bela Fleck Tab - Details and Ratings - Banjo Hangout

David

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Thanks for the effort, but this doesn't seem to be tab or midi file for the Carson Sass tab in this link from my original post?   (https://www.hangoutstorage.com/banjohangout.org/storage/tabs/b/tab-big-country-par-22666-3141201082017.pdf

Am I missing something?  Mr. Baker's good work seems to be files for another version of Fleck's 'Big Country'.  (not the Carson Sass tab image in my link above).  I was hoping someone could create a tef file I could import into a chromebook version of TEFview.  Thanks!!!

I don't think anyone on BHO can help you as you have posted a file that isn't even similar to the Bela Fleck recording. Just go to youtube and listen to the recording that Bela played. If you still insist that my tab of Bela's version is inaccurate then good luck on finding the answer you seek...jack baker

quote:

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Originally posted by Jack Baker

I don't think anyone on BHO can help you as you have posted a file that isn't even similar to the Bela Fleck recording. Just go to youtube and listen to the recording that Bela played. If you still insist that my tab of Bela's version is inaccurate then good luck on finding the answer you seek...jack baker

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Mr. Baker you misunderstand ....I never insisted your tab of Bela's version is inaccurate, just that it is clearly not the version of Bela's Big Country from the Carson Sass tab PDF I am interested in (the Sass tab image is just a variation of ONE section of 'Big Country' that I'm interested in.)  

Ok Ok,
Enough already. You like your tab and you are happy with it.  I totally understand what is going on here. All is well....Jack   p.s. You will need the full version of Tabledit to open PDFs

Here's one way you can do it.

Purchase a copy of the Tabledit software and manually enter the tablature information from the PDF file into Tabledit. Then you can open the Tabledit file in TEFVIEW and listen to it.

Robert, our efforts to help have only been frustrating for you and us, I think.  I decided to look around a bit more.  Here are two videos of him playing "Big Country" - and playing it quite well.  The tab you posted clearly is a portion, maybe a fragment, of his arrangement.  Maybe the intro?  Maybe you can listen to slowed-down versions on YouTube (use the gear icon) to identify the portion that matches the tab.

Big Country - Indoor Version

Big Country

Carson is a member here, though his profile has no data.  You can try to contact him through a private message through the Hangout.

CBSplayer's Bio - Banjo Hangout

He also has an Instagram page that may be more active. Carson Sass (@cbsbanjo) • Instagram photos and videos

Try going to the source.

David

Hi David,
My version of Bela's Big Country was taken from this performance. Bela did play this song in several different ways. He sometimes rambles with a long intro/outro and then into the verse which is what I tabbed out....Jack

Big Country

The tab's listing in the Hangout Tab Library clearly says "Part B." So it's not the main melody or theme of Big Country. 

I imported Carson's PDF into TablEdit exactly as I said it could be done and as the linked instructions said it could be done.

Here's my conversion of his tab to .TEF.

The audio of it didn't make sense right away. Then I noticed the original tab itself is a bit inaccurate. The notes are probably all correct. But Carson got the measures wrong. I believe the third note in his tab -- 1st string at 5th fret -- is a downbeat. That is, first beat of a measure. The 2-4 slide leading into it would be pickup notes from the end of the preceding measure.

To see how his mis-measuring affects the overall tab, look ahead to Carson's measure 14. The open third string is the last note of a typical ending lick and so should also be a downbeat of a measure. By shifting all the notes so third note in the tab is a downbeat, all the rest of the notes fall where they should -- fixing all the open third string lick-ending notes.

Besides making that correction, I also edited his handling of the repeat. If my editing doesn't exactly match his playing, oh well. You can ask for your money back.

Here's Carson Sass playing his arrangement of Big Country. Part B starts at 1:28

Here is yet another version or performance of this tune. This performance is closer to what I originally tabbed out...Jack

Big Country

And a follow-up thought:

Not to take anything away from Carson's well-played rendition, I don't think I hear anything in his playing or see anything in his tab to recommend his approach to Part B over any other that's already available for free or purchase. I'm not interested enough in the piece to listen for differences.

quote:

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Originally posted by Old Hickory

The tab's listing in the Hangout Tab Library clearly says "Part B." So it's not the main melody or theme of Big Country. 

I imported Carson's PDF into TablEdit exactly as I said it could be done and as the linked instructions said it could be done.

Here's my conversion of his tab to .TEF.

The audio of it didn't make sense right away. Then I noticed the original tab itself is a bit inaccurate. The notes are probably all correct. But Carson got the measures wrong. I believe the third note in his tab -- 1st string at 5th fret -- is a downbeat. That is, first beat of a measure. The 2-4 slide leading into it would be pickup notes from the end of the preceding measure.

To see how his mis-measuring affects the overall tab, look ahead to Carson's measure 14. The open third string is the last note of a typical ending lick and so should also be a downbeat of a measure. By shifting all the notes so third note in the tab is a downbeat, all the rest of the notes fall where they should -- fixing all the open third string lick-ending notes.

Besides making that correction, I also edited his handling of the repeat. If my editing doesn't exactly match his playing, oh well. You can ask for your money back.

Here's Carson Sass playing his arrangement of Big Country. Part B starts at 1:28

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Your TEF file is perfect !  And it works in my Chromebook version of Tefview so thanks very much!  I was never intending or being critical of any other tabs of this just wanted a tef file of Carson Sass's part b section and you did it.  Thanks!

quote:

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Originally posted by Old Hickory

The tab's listing in the Hangout Tab Library clearly says "Part B." So it's not the main melody or theme of Big Country. 

Here's Carson Sass playing his arrangement of Big Country. Part B starts at 1:28

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Thank you kindly.

Nice playing, pretty landscape, but some get that man a dead cat, the wind is distracting.

Thank you kindly.