Q: How do I communicate how to play something on the list ?
A: This is but one suggestion from the list -- from "Harp Tab" 16 Oct 93, 23 Sep 94 WY:
OK, I had a request to re-post the ASCII harp tab (one request - Twist my arm).
In this message, I'm proposing a method more like the traditional arrow-and-number method, which allows you to
- notate long melodies
- use or not use rhythmic notation
- add chord symbols, lyrics
- write "scores" that include chord charts and independent instrumental lines
- notate actual pitches instead of harp-specific hole & breath info
- indicate musical structure, with repeats, second endings, and codas.
You can keep it as simple as you like, with just hole & breath info, or get fancy with full-blown scores, or anything in between.
I haven't seen the other proposals made, so I don't know if this contains anything that people have already dismissed, but I think this system is flexible enough to be very versatile, while still conveying exact information whenever desired.
HARP SYMBOLS
===Hole and Breath
1B is Hole 1 Blow
2D is Hole 2 Draw
===Bend and Overblow
b is bend down 1 semitone (flat) bb is bend down 2 semitones bbb is bend down 3 semitones
x is overblow (the basic amount varies depending on the tuning in any given hole) #x is overblow, and bend up one semitone xx is overblow and bend up two semitones
===Special Effects
= is warble, or rapidly alternate two holes. as in 3D=4D
TIME SYMBOLS
Time Signature can be indicated as 4/4 3/4 etc.
Time values:
o is a whole note - 4 beats d is a half note - two beats / is a quarter note - 1 beat (you see this in chord charts) ' is an eighth note - half a beat " is a sixteenth note - a quarter of a beat * is a thirty-second note
RESTS occur whenever no hole/breath indication appears under a note value.
Any note can be increased by half its value with a dot:
d. = / / /
Two or more notes can be tied together:
/~/~/ = three quarters tied together = d.
And substitute values like triplets, can be notated:
--3-- / / / depicts three quarters in the space of two.
Structure can be indicated:
Barlines:
4/4 / / / / | / / / / | etc.
Repeats:
||: / / / / | / / / / :||
First and second ending:
(1) (2) ||: / / / / | / / / / :|| / / / / |]
Coda:
D.S. al @
Articulations: . Staccato: / _ tenuto / ^ Marcato /
Chords:
G7 C7 G7 D7 / / / / | / / / / | / / / / | / / / / ||
Lyrics:
' ' | ' ' ' '~' ' | / / / ' '~|~o Well, My baby left me, she left me high and dry
Actual pitches, independent of the harmonica. The same notes in different octaves can be indicated with a comma for lower (G,) or apostrophe for higher (G') where needed.
C7 F7 C7 ' ' | ' ' ' '~' ' | / / / ' '~|~o Well, My baby left me, she left me high and dry G G G F E C C G F Eb C C
Scores:
You can notate several parts together, like, vocal melody and independent harp part:
C7 F7 ' ' | / / ' '~ ' ' | / / / ' '~ | Well, My|Ba by left me, she |left me high and dry | G G| G F E C C | G F Eb C C | | | | | | | F harp | / ' ' ' ' ' ' | ' ' ' '~/ " " " " | | 3D 4B 4D 3D 2D bb2D |2B 3B bb3D b3D b4D 4D b4D b3D |
This took a fair amount of work, but it's exact.
WORD PROCESSOR CONSIDERATIONS
Obviously, save ASCII files for uploading.
Turn off word wrap, and associated features like wrap compression (this deletes extra spaces, which notation needs).
Set your margins wide enough, but not too wide for email parameters
Use Insert and Overstrike mode as needed: insert to add extra space in the middle of something already written, overstrike to "erase & correct."
Give it a try -- "Harp Tab" 16 Oct 93, 23 Sep 94 WY
