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Topic: Wanted: alpha testers for guitar tablature font (Read 4657 times) previous topic - next topic

Wanted: alpha testers for guitar tablature font

If you are already a knowledgable user of NWC, and are comfortable with user-specified fonts for placing symbols, and if you are familiar with grids for depicting guitar chord fingering:

I have created a font that may or may not be useful for placing fret diagrams (and/or written chord names) within NWC (or elsewhere). If you want to volunteer to test it, you can download it at:

http://www.icogitate.com/~ergosum/misc/fretquik-alphatest.zip

Caution: I am not a guitar player. All I did was emulate the kind of thing that I see in sheet music. Be sure to read the instructions (in the zip file) before using.

Re: Wanted: alpha testers for guitar tablature font

Reply #1 –
If you do decide to try it, make sure that you are using alpha version 0.2 or later. It will say so in the readme file.

Re: Wanted: alpha testers for guitar tablature font

Reply #3 –
You probably downloaded version 0.10 before I uploaded the new version. It's now version 0.50.

The font does contain ordinary letters in the ASCII (keyboard) positions. That's so you can mingle ordinary text in with the tablature.

To see the special tablature characters, use a character map. Many of the symbols are small, and may be close to invisible in a character map, unless you magnify them. But they show clearly in NWC and when printed. Trust me, the characters are there, and they do work as text in NWC. Big time. I have a feeling that this one is a winner.

Re: Wanted: alpha testers for guitar tablature font

Reply #4 –
Thanks to Don Javanni and some local advice, I have been able to revise the guitar font. It is now finished, and will be loaded onto my own web page later today. The NWC Scriptorium will have it, when they get around to it.

If you do fret diagrams, or want to write out chords, you really should have this font. It is easy to use.

The original alpha test link has now expired.

Re: Wanted: alpha testers for guitar tablature font

Reply #5 –
Yeah, that exact same link gave me the correct file this time.
Looks good.  Any input from actual guitar players (like Fred N.)?
Thanks again for the font.  I only wish I knew how to make them so I could be as helpful to others as you are.

Re: Wanted: alpha testers for guitar tablature font

Reply #6 –
Any input from actual guitar players [like Fred N.]?

Er.. sorry. I haven't even looked at it, since I tend to use the more classical method of guitar notation.

For guitar chord charts, there are quite a number of resources available, for instance the first hit in a Google search for "guitar chart symbols" yields this summary  (in ASCII format).

Re: Wanted: alpha testers for guitar tablature font

Reply #7 –
Wow! That is some summary!
My guitar class won't know what hit them next week.
(Wow - school starts next week...
guess I have to cut back on the forum now.)

Re: Wanted: alpha testers for guitar tablature font

Reply #8 –
If you click on the alpha-test link, you will be re-directed to the index of my web site, from which you can find the final font (and others).

I make these fonts for my own enjoyment. With the exception of "NWslurs" on the Scriptorium, none are specific to NWC.

Somewhere on the Internet there is a free tablature editor, if that's what you want.

Re: Wanted: alpha testers for guitar tablature font

Reply #9 –
How do I add the font to my NWC program?  I forgot how to do it.  Do you have to go to the "Fonts" on the Control Panel settings?

Re: Wanted: alpha testers for guitar tablature font

Reply #10 –
In my world, it would be great to have grids for instruments other than guitar.  How about a four string grid for banjo or ukulele?  It would also be great to have grids with more fret lines, in case the chord goes down further on the fretboard.  Thanks for your efforts!!!
 

Re: Wanted: alpha testers for guitar tablature font

Reply #11 –
Such a grid already exist in boxmarks font (or is it boxmark2?). Along with a "+1", which allows 4 strings (one char), 6 strings (another char), and combinations (banjo or bass 5 strings: 4+1; guitar 8 strings: 4+4 or 6+1+1, etc)
But it's not so advanced as the FretQwik font. Robert, maybe you could simply add these two 4string and +1 string chars? (but then, what about taiko and balalaika?)
And, of course, Thanks for that font :-)
HTH!

Re: Wanted: alpha testers for guitar tablature font

Reply #12 –
Marsu: Not being a guitar player, I have no idea what you are saying! All I did was imitate images that I have seen on sheet music.

If there are a few things that can be added to FretQwik, let me know by e-mail. You know my address. If possible attach an image.