Forum - Banjo Ben Clark

Does TablEdit allow creating D tuning tef file?

I’m only seeing options for Banjo C, and open G tuning. Does anyone know if there’s a way to create a new file for D tuning (Reuben tuning)? A workaround, an update… anything?

I think @Mark_Rocka and @Archie will be able to help

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I figured part of it out. I can change the strings themselves and the key. I’m still trying to figure out how to add this as a selection for a new tab though. There is a button for Add Module but it doesn’t seem to be working. I’ll do a few measures and see if it sounds right.

Hi @Maggie

In TablEdit there are only two Pre-sets for the banjo. Open C and Open G Tuning.

To set up the software for Open D tuning, Click on the Banjo Module TAB at top right hand side of your screen.

This opens a dialogue box. Click on TUNING, Adjust the settings to f# D F# A D then click OK. The f# is your 5th String. This is what is commonly known as Reuben Tuning.

There are other ways to play in D.

Standard G Tuning with the 5th string tuned to a.
Alan Munde often plays tunes in the key of D in Open G tuning.
Another common way to play in the Key of D is to put a capo on at the second fret tune the 5th string to a and play out of the C shaped position. I do believe there are other ways but I have not come across them.

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I’m not sure what you’re trying to accomplish when you say “add this as a selection to a new tab.” Tuning is set per file. So, you create a new tab file, then go set the tuning you want and it should stay that way throughout the entire file.

Are you trying to switch tuning in the middle of the song (like Keith tuners)?

Hi @Mark_Rocka I think @Maggie might be trying her hand at Tabbing out a tune.

The Add Module is to add other instruments. Guitar, Mandolin etc.

Ah. When you create a new file and you select banjo, there are actually three options available: Open G, C, Tenor. I want to create my own selection (module, whatever) that says D tuning, so that I don’t have to go in and change the strings and stuff. So, I want to add the “D tuning” selection in the list to create a new tablature, with the strings and the key already set up.

Hope that makes sense

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Hey Archie. I figured out how to change the strings and stuff and I already did the tune. But yeah, it’s that Add Module button that I can’t get to work and you just confirmed you couldn’t get it working either. Let me know if you figure it out and I’ll do the same. Considering I just spent the last five hours doing the tune though, setting up the strings and the key was nothing.

My Reuben tab (pdf) was four pages long and in an effort to bring it all together so I don’t have to stop and scroll the pdf file, I wanted to make a .tef file to play along with, playing all parts without stopping and also so I can change it up a bit if I want like changing the order of the parts or grabbing parts from different arrangements.

OK. I understand what you’re trying to accomplish now. I just checked it out and couldn’t figure out a way to do it either. I just sent an email over to Matthieu (the developer) to see if he has any suggestions. I’ll let you know when he replies.

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Hi @Maggie I’m confused. I didn’t say I couldn’t get the Add Module button to work.

When you click on Add Module it creates a new module of the Instrument TAB a kinda clone. You then have to go in to the new Module and configure it for the Instrument you want to create.

Sounds like a great plan to me @Maggie. Believe me I spent as much time figuring stuff out. In the long run it’s not time wasted.

Check out these Tutorial https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=tabledit+tutorial

So now that you have figured how to setup TablEdit in Open D.

How are you getting on Tabbing out the tune ?.

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Right. And I can’t get that to work. I want to add a banjo with D tuning. It sort of allows me to create it and name it and everything, but when I click Apply or OK, I then go to the list and it’s not there.

As to you saying it didn’t work, I think I probably saw your earlier comment, which quoted me, saying it didn’t work, and it was in my head that you said it didn’t work, at the time I wrote that reply. :thinking: Silly me.

I finished it, til I decide to change it. I was going to use Earl’s original version in his 5-String Banjo book from way back, but I realized he didn’t use some of the licks that many play today, licks I really like, so I gathered stuff from multiple sources.

I started from scratch and manually put the notes in, then started copying and pasting reused measures and then eventually copied and pasted whole parts in the order I wanted. I’ve since learned about the reading list and how to do repeats so I’ll probably fix that up at some point.

I did find a version of Reuben in the samples included with Tabledit that more closely matches Earl’s original, but I like mine better, plus I’ve already learned it, so…

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Alright Alright Alright. Sorry guys. :bulb: Duh, the add module button adds tracks over on the right for other instruments, to the existing tab, I didn’t get that.

When you create a new tablature, you know how you click File, then New, and check a box, then drop down the instrument list and pick one? I wanted Banjo D to be one of those options that I could select and then my new tab pops up with the right key and the strings already tuned to D. No wonder y’all were confused.

It’s too easy to just tune the strings in the new file to waste any more time on it. I’d rather let this one die a quick merciful death. :angel: A wake perhaps? :sparkler::balloon::pizza::beers: But hey, it was fun talking with y’all. Oh my happy place, I want to go to there :sailboat::desert_island::sunglasses:

Hi @Maggie Ok I think I follow, you want to create a Open D tuning and save it as a default setting to the Pre-set list. To the best of my knowledge this is not possible. You can however create a blank tab with Open D tuning and save it to your HD. So next time you want to tab something out in Open D. Just Open the blank tab and save with a new filename. The alternate is to write to Matthieu and ask him if he could add D tuning to the Pre-set list

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Excellent, glad to know your figuring it out.

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No No, It’s good that you asked the question, @Maggie. That’s how I learned how to use it. In fact I am still learning some of the bells and whistles.

Checkout the TabEdit Forum over on the BHO
https://www.banjohangout.org/topic/319174/

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OK, we got our answer. It’s found in this link:
http://www.tabledit.com/help/english/tuning.shtml

“TablEdit can manage up to eight user-defined tunings. The slots for these custom tunings are marked with an asterisk (*) and are located at the bottom of the list of pre-defined tunings. To add a custom tuning to the list, just modify the current tuning to the desired values and click on the custom slot you want it in while keeping [Ctrl] held down. The resulting dialog also allows you to specify a name for your tuning.”

I just tried it out and it worked like a charm.

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Hi @Mark_Rocka Ok I got it partially config. It’s not showing a short 5th string and you have to go into Module to change the instrument name.