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Using
ABC Programs and Conversion Websites
Just as you don't have to
write music in order to read it, you don't have to
understand ABCs in order to use them. If you can 'cut and
paste' and surf the web, you are already equipped for basic
conversions
To translate an exiting
ABC file into standard notation and midi playback, bookmark
this great site - Paul Swartz's Convert-o-Matic.
Simply paste or import all of the abc text (one tune or many
tunes ... starting with an X:1 header etc) into the online
form. This will process one tune at a time, the first tune
in the file. Output can be a screen image, high res PDF or
MIDI -- all free services.
To write and edit most
programs support many tunes per file. You don't need a
powerful computer to import 100 tunes with the click of a
mouse. I've been using Barfly on older Macs for years so I
haven't kept up to date with updates and functionality -
however one of my customers, Bruce Maxwell of San Francisco
recent sent me the following up-to-date
information:
Newly updated programs
EasyABC and abcExplorer both use basically the same
rendering engine as the one at www.concertina.net. They
both allow choice of playback MIDI 'instrument' and a choice
of chordal accompaniment or not (if chords are included in
the ABC code). ABCexplorer even has an option to add
drones!
EasyABC
- EasyABC version 1.3.3
an open
source ABC editor for Windows, OSX including Lion) and
Linux.
- Import MusicXML and
MIDI files
- Export to MIDI, SVG,
PDF (single tune or whole tune book).
- Select notes by
clicking on them and add music symbols by using drop-down
menus in the toolbar.
- Record songs from midi
directly in the program.
- The musical score is
automatically updated as you type in ABC
codes.
- Transpose and
halve/double note length functionality (using
abc2abc)
- Automatic alignment of
bars on different lines
- Available in French,
Danish, Swedish and English
- Functions to sort
tunes and renumber
abcExplorer
allows the user to create, edit, play, print, convert and
organize musical files in ABC format (text format) under
Windows.
Barfly
for playback, interactive editing, robust feature set.
The documentation gives you everything required to
understand reading writing and trouble shooting ABCs.
Definitely the platform for anyone writing ABCs. Now
available for all Mac systems excluding Lion.
Abc
Navigator
is a freeware program for Windows 95, 98, NT 4.0,
2000 & XP. It handles music notation files in ABC
format.
Abc2win
shines in its ability to format output (you can adjust
spacing, visible headers. size of notation etc.
Unfortunately it hasn't been updated in a long time.
Playback is clunky (though it doesn't require a sound
card.). Editing is awkward but functional. Windows only.
- not updated since 2005
AbcMus
- complements ABC2Win, adding better playback and file
management utilites
last update
3/23/12
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