Lute Tablature Transcriber (DOS)
Download Lute Tablature Transcriber
What is the Lute Tablature Transcriber?
The Lute Tablature Transcriber is a companion program for The Note Processor,
a DOS‑based music notation system. It does not produce printable notation directly.
Instead, after entering and configuring the tablature, the program generates a text file
in DARMS code, which can then be imported into The Note Processor or any other
notation program that supports DARMS.
(DARMS stands for Digital Alternate Representation of Musical Scores.)
How does it work?
Tablature is entered using a custom keyboard layout designed for fast input. Each tablature
cipher is assigned to one of up to six polyphonic voices, each displayed in its own color.
During transcription, each voice is rhythmically independent, with correct note values,
rests, and other musical details.
You can manually adjust voice assignments to shape the transcription, or let the program
determine them automatically. You also choose how the final transcription should appear:
one or two staves, one voice per staff, clef selection, tablature above or below the staff,
or tablature alone. The program performs musical analysis to determine accidentals, though
these can also be set manually.
Nearly every aspect of the transcription is configurable.
Some Features
- Complete tablature editing commands: cut/paste, insert file, undo, search, goto, comments, bookmarks, and more
- Tablature signs: ties, slurs, left‑hand ornaments, right‑hand fingerings, barees, and others
- Automatic on‑screen conversion between French, Italian, and four types of German tablature
- Transpose tablature up or down by any interval
- Convert tablature between different lute tunings (e.g., renaissance lute, theorbo, d‑minor tuning)
- Merge two tablature files into one
- Remove selected voices (useful for creating duet parts)
- Double or halve rhythmic values globally