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Guitar TAB app with handwriting input
Does a decent one exist. I did find one but not sure the pen input extends to tab. Does Staffpad have this feature? If so can it be used for a pop song structure. Drums, bass, guitar etc. Or is it orchestral only? (edit, that's a nope on Staffpad).
Does anyone use Symphony Pro and have any idea how their TAB works with a pen. Last info is their current manual that says it will be implemented by 2018.
Comments
Staffpad does not have TAB notation. It does have Chord Slash notation for rhythm section parts that let the player create specific voicings.
Staffpad was written/tested for the Apple pencil only. It does make the real cost of the app go up. Still, it's on sale for $40 until 1/3. I saw the pencils on sale recently.
Thanks. I'd be willing to take the pencil/crayon risk but I'm not sure I'd dedicate myself to a non tab option.
Notion lets you enter tab but I don’t think you can use the pencil to write the numbers in. You can use the pencil to draw in the notes and have them appear in the tab staff, but I believe that pencil support was an IAP. Notion also lets you drag notes to other strings, which is missing in a lot of tab editors:
I forgot that you can also enter tab in using a fretboard in Notion:
@MisplacedDevelopment Yes you are correct. This is why I'm asking the question. I bought Notion, thinking it would do what I want but it doesn't. This time around I'll do more research. Symphony pro seems to hint at doing what I want but I'm waiting for a reply. I'm thinking there are not many options out there but hoping someone pops in with an unexpected player in the game.
Something from the forum:
https://forums.symphonypro.net/discussion/3152/guitar-tab
Thanks. Seems like a feature that is not talked about much. Makes me wonder if that means it is not very well done, or just something most don't need.
@MisplacedDevelopment Just wanted to add that the method of note positioning with a pen seems pointless. As soon as you try to move a note on the staff it changes strings on the TAB which makes it pretty pointless.
It's looking like a pretty elusive thing to find. I would have thought it pretty high in demand but I guess not compared to score software.
Honestly it’s much faster/ efficient to key in using a keyboard. I am not sure why I would want to use a pencil over a keyboard for TAB. Have you used JamMaestro?
Regular keyboard or midi? I don't play keys much better than a trained monkey. Maybe not even that well. I just deleted JM after trying it until I could take no more. I have had it for many years but never really used it.
Ah - regular typing keyboard.
Yes JamMaestro is tough to get into. Definitely have to learn your way through it. Most of the songs I have written over the years was using TabIt on desktop and still have not found something as accessible for iOS.
That helps. I guess it is safe then to assume there are no options out there. Still waiting to hear back from Symphony Pro but it looks like no change re: TAB in the last 4 years.
One thing that is very nice about JamMaestro is that you just touch the fret number onscreen instead of having to type or write it. Super quick. You’re making me want to dive back in and learn it better again…
It's not a bad method. I probably used it for a few riffs over the years but anything more than a bar is too much. I guess you either like it or not. I have Notion and the more I think about it I am probably better of sticking with that unless something comes along with handwriting input for tab. At present, with no reply from Symphony Pro or information out there it appears nothing even slightly better (for my needs) is available.
I had this same search for Apple Pencil tab apps a few years ago. I gave up and stuck with paper, which I “scan” into the iPad when it’s done.
I found I prefer paper, anyway. Not a good answer for the OP, but it’s a viable and easy alternative. Cheap too!
Same. I just find when I use paper I end up with ideas anywhere and everywhere. Any piece of paper will do. I suppose the scanning deals with that issue. Just thought there must be something like this available.
I use Notion with the virtual fretboard as input method. It’s pretty good for most things but has a couple of bugs and missing things. Anyone using Dorico by Steinberg? It looks promising and you get 2 tracks for free and another 2 after registration.
I use GoodNotes with a tablature template if am just jotting an idea down. When I first started with the iPad I collected all sorts of apps to try and handle the tab side of things but found myself going back to (digital) paper and pen. Those not mentioned so far include Stave’n’Tabs and TEFPad and also Rapid Tab but I have not spent too long with this one.
If there is no intention of using the tab as MIDI in a song then I would rather stick with a hand-editable PDF as that is less tied to a particular app. If the goal is to make it look pretty or have musical notation alongside for distribution to others then that’s where I see the value in the apps that have been mentioned.
Just created a tab sheet so will give that a go in Goodnotes.