tab to music notation

Does anyone know of a software or program that transcribes tab to music notation. Or is that a too complicated process? I don't read tabs and read/play only from music notation and would love to be able to paste in tab and get music notation. Free/share ware by chance? Lozark

I use guitar pro 5. I just downloaded the new gp6, but have not had much chance to use it.
There is a free program called Tux Guitar that is pretty good as well.
The GP5/6 has a few features Tux does not and it is reasonably priced at $60.

PowerTab Editor generates standard notation along with tab and it's free, but I don't think you can just paste in the tab, and inputting it by hand would be a lot of work. You can also import midi files with it.

TablEdit (not free) does both as well. They do offer a free viewer.

yes, I have power tab and use it occasionally, and am looking at Tux Guitar, but it seems to be pretty much along the line of power tab. It is a lot of work to input tab number by number and then adjust everything as to note time and other inserts. I doubt there is such a thing as paste tab conversion. Probably too many variables to be addressed. Was just wondering if I have missed something that someone is using. Thanks!! Lozark I have used notation all my life and it just so much easier for me to translate notation to fretboard than tabs. BUT there are a lot of tab renditions of songs available that are difficult to find free notation for. Just lazy I guess

I just went on Dogpile and searched "tab converter" and got this link:

http://www.8notes.com/tab/

if your tabs are in printed form you'd probably still have to enter them, but entering tabs should be easier than converting them yourself. Once they're in you can get a MIDI file.

Also, have you heard of ABC format? It's something I ran across at "The Sessions" where sheet music notation is converted down to a text file. It was created way back when text files were measurably faster to send via e-mail.

Anyway, if your music is available in ABC you can find a converter at www.concertina.net

But really, my advice is to learn to use tabs yourself, make your brain the converter. If you do it regularly, it will become easy. I fought off transposing but eventually had to work with it enough so now it's easy, easier than messing around with programs.

lozarkman said:

I have used notation all my life and it just so much easier for me to translate notation to fretboard than tabs. BUT there are a lot of tab renditions of songs available that are difficult to find free notation for.

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I've read standard notation all my life as well, but I couldn't wrap my peabrain around the notes being different than guitar, so I learned tab. That said, I much prefer tabs that include a line of standard notation as well, or at least tabs that have stems indicating note values. I don't like plain text tabs, as you basically have to already be familiar with the song to be able to play it.

Thanks itsme for all the input. I am an older fellow (72) and have played piano for 65 years and have become so accustomed to notation that I have resisted learning tabs, and made myself learn fretboard notation and music notation is easy for me for songs I have or find with notation. So, I have resisted learning tab for that reason. BUT you are right. I have been playing Uke for 3 years and love my ukes, and don't play piano nearly as much anymore. SO, I will put some effort into tab and see what happens. Thanks!! Lozark

itsme said:

. That said, I much prefer tabs that include a line of standard notation as well, or at least tabs that have stems indicating note values. I don't like plain text tabs, as you basically have to already be familiar with the song to be able to play it.

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Agree. Notation provides so much more info, tabs only leave much to be desired. Sort of like paint by number without the paint.

clayton56 said:

But really, my advice is to learn to use tabs yourself, make your brain the converter.

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Agreed. This is actually the fastest and easiest way to do the "conversion." If you can already read standard notation, then tablature will be a lead pipe cinch. (It's the easier of the two to learn.)

JJ