JSON to Guitar Tab
This is a tool to generate guitar tablature using JSON notation.
Usage
[
{
"chords": ["D major"],
"pattern": "x---"
},
{
"chords": ["-57775", "577655"],
"pattern": "x--x--x-"
}
]
This tool expects an array representing each bar of the resulting tab.
Each bar should contain an array of chords
and a string representing a pattern
Chords
There are 2 ways that chords can be written.
- Chords can be written in English (eg
A minor
) and if it is recognised a shape will be randomly selected. The available extensions aremajor
,minor
,5
,7
,maj7
, andmin7
. Any note in the chromatic scale can be used as a root. Flats and sharps should be converted appropriately. - Chords can also be written as a 6 character string (
EADGBe
), where each character represents a string on the guitar. For example, anE major
chord could be written as022100
. Fret numbers are hexadecimal, so frets from 0-15 can be expressed using this notation. A dash-
should be used to denote strings that are not played as part of a chord and anx
should be used to denote a muted string. - This app was intended to represent chord progressions, rather than being a comprehensive tabbing tool. But single notes can be added by using dashes for the 5 other strings. Eg
--4---
or leaving any strings after the intended string blank and filling any before with dashes. Eg--4
.
Pattern
The pattern string allows different rhythms to represented. Currently 4/4
is the only time signature supported.
- The app assumes that every dash represents a 16th note.
- For complete control over each bar, a 16 character pattern should be passed. If less characters are passed, then the pattern will repeat to fill out the bar.
x
is used to represent a note being played in that position.-
is used to represent rests.- A four-to-the-floor pattern would be expressed as
x---x---x---x---
random
can be passed as apattern
to randomly generate a pattern
Demo
The linked demo allows you to experiment with the tabbing syntax in real time.