Guide

Turn a text tab (e|--0--|) into a playable score

Found a guitar tab written as text on a forum or blog and wanted to hear it? Copy it, paste it, and ShedTab turns it into a score that plays.

What it reads

• Six-line tabs with string names (e|--0--|, B|--1--| …), or without them
• h (hammer-on), p (pull-off), / \ (slides), b (bends), ~ (vibrato), x (dead notes), ( ) (ties)
• |: :| repeats and counts like x4 after a line
• Section names like [Intro] or Verse:, PM--- and let ring--- lines, tuning lines like Tuning: Drop D

Good to know

• Rhythm is estimated: text tabs don't write note lengths, so timing comes from the spacing between notes. Fix anything off in the studio after downloading .gp.
• Chord and lyric lines are skipped: only the tab lines are read.
• Six-string guitar for now: bass (4 strings) and 7-string tabs aren't supported yet.

How to

1. Copy the tab: select the text tab on the web page and copy it.
2. Paste: on the ShedTab home page press Paste a text tab and paste it.
3. Open: press Open as score, then Start practicing, and it plays right away.
4. Save: sign in to keep it in your library and carry on from another device.

Questions

• It says no tab lines were found The six lines need to be stacked together. Remove any empty lines between them.
• What about a text tab I got as a PDF? If the PDF has real text, just upload the PDF itself.

Try it now

More guides

• Play a PDF guitar tab and convert it to a Guitar Pro file
• Convert MIDI and MusicXML files to guitar tab
• Turn a recording (MP3, WAV) into a guitar tab draft
• An online guitar tuner that follows your score's tuning
• How to open Guitar Pro files (.gp, .gp5) without Guitar Pro
• Speed up a fast passage by practicing slowly