string and fret representation for guitar pieces in XML <SOLVED>

[Mohamadreza]

Hi list
We are developing an application wich converts music XML files into readable text for blind musicians, so they can benefit from XML books. We have to scan the books and OCR them, and then export the notation from the OCR application as XML so the data becomes accessible with our application to them.
Currently we are facing two big question.
1. What is the standard way of representing string and fret numbers for guitar which is supported by regular music creation softwares? Can you guide me to any reference?
2. How can we create XML documents wich contain string numbers and fret numbers for guitar? When we OCR a guitar piece and export to XML, the string numbers disappear and only the notes remain in the document. How can we manually add the string numbers in an XML supported application so that the XML document contain string numbers?

I'd really appreciate your help.

[Mogens Lundholm]

Interesting question.
There are definitions <string> and <fret> defined in the DTD in the section "Note elements".
Not much text describing it - but I inserted the definitions like this
(<notations>....</notations>):

<note default-x="75.18" default-y="-50.00">
<pitch>
<step>C</step>
<octave>3</octave>
</pitch>
<duration>1</duration>
<voice>1</voice>
<type>quarter</type>
<stem>up</stem>
<notations>
<technical>
<string>2</string>
<fret>3</fret>
</technical>
</notations>
</note>
This appears like the attached file: see attached file.
But - are the original note sheets with notes or tablature?
Kind regards
Mogens

[Michael Good]

The tablature section of the MusicXML tutorial might help. Finale and many other notation editors can export tab with frets and strings. Searching for "tab" on the MusicXML software page brings up about 30 options.

Sorry that the downloads aren't working on the site at the moment, including some of the examples linked to the tutorial. We're aware of the problem and hope to have that fixed soon.

[Mohamadreza]

Thank you for your answer. Unfortunately I have not used finale. Could you give me a quick description on how to create a simple guitar piece with string and fret indication wich can be exported completely into XML please? I am not going to do this myself, but I need a quick help to guide a finale user to create it.

The tablature section of the MusicXML tutorial might help. Finale and many other notation editors can export tab with frets and strings. Searching for "tab" on the MusicXML software page brings up about 30 options.

Sorry that the downloads aren't working on the site at the moment, including some of the examples linked to the tutorial. We're aware of the problem and hope to have that fixed soon.

[Michael Good]

Just create a piece with a tab instrument, and enter notes onto the tab staff. For instance, go to the Setup Wizard, select Create New Ensemble, then choose Tablature, Guitar [TAB], and press Add on the 2nd screen of the wizard. Click through the rest of the Setup Wizard and you'll have a tab staff where you can enter notes just as you can elsewhere in Finale.

[Michael Good]

The downloads are now working again on the MusicXML site, so you can download our Jonatha Brooke tablature example from the Contributed Examples on the MusicXML Example Set page.

[Mohamadreza]

Hi Michael
thank you once again for your clear info
We're facing an inconsistency between the notes on the staff and the tablature in the sample piece (BrookeWest) you've provided. See, we have the notes A and B as the first notes in the first measure in the tablature, but the staff shows C and D in the same position. I am comparing the staff with the tablature in the PDF document.
Am I missing something?\

The downloads are now working again on the MusicXML site, so you can download our Jonatha Brooke tablature example from the Contributed Examples on the MusicXML Example Set page.

[Mogens Lundholm]

To me it seems OK. The two first notes in the tablature is A-string fret 0 and 2. The Capo is specified on 4th fret makes the real fret be 4 and 6. This makes the notes C# and D#. This correspond to the MusicXML file:
"<step>C</step><alter>1</alter><octave>3</octave>" and
"<step>D</step><alter>1</alter><octave>3</octave>"
Kind regards
Mogens