- naming notes is done in standard American manner:
C D E F G A B C, with a rest being r.
- Each note consists of 4 parameters written without a space:
[length (optional)][natural note name/rest][accidental (optional)][octave number (optional)].
Accidentals are denoted as:
# - sharp,x - double sharp,b - flat,bb - double flat,= - natural;
if omitted, the accidental will be treated as adequate to the key (major keys as sharps, minor keys as flats). Lengths are denoted as:
0 - whole note,2 - half-note,4 - quarter-note etc.
with possible middle values for single-dotted notes, such as 8 for an eighth note, and 6 for a dotted eighth note (lower number = longer note).
- Tied notes can be created by placing
- adjacent to the first note, e.g. a3 g#3- | g#3
The default length (if omitted) is quarter-note. Octave number is 4 by default (if omitted). For example: 0D#4 means a whole note D-sharp above middle C, and Bbb1 means quarter-note double flat B in the bass register.
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- Multiple notes (in a chord for instance) can be typed in between square brackets, for example
2[C3 Eb3 G3] would be a C minor chord lasting for a half-note.
- Each voice of a piece is a new line of text.
- Bars are separated with
|. The meter is fluid and defined by the bar marks. If any voice is missing a full meter (when compared with the longest bar at that moment), it will be filled with rests at the end of that bar.
- A
{G}, {C} or {F} clef can be defined at the beginning of a score and after each bar symbol; you can also use {G^8} for an octave higher and {G_8} for a lower octave; the default is the G clef.
- The key is defined at the beginning of the score in round brackets, i.e.
(F#min) for F-sharp minor, or (Cbmaj) for C-flat major; the default is C major (Cmaj).
- You can use upper or lower case letters for everything.
- Multiple spaces (or tabs) do not affect the result.
- You can mute an entire voice without deleting it by placing
@ at the beginning.
- If you wish to make one voice dominant in terms of volume (when learning a choral part for instance) you can do that by placing
! at the beginning.
This website was made possible thanks to the abcjs library by Paul Rosen and Gregory Dyke.
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