BeierTab – Lute tablature editing software

BeierTab version 3.0
June 2025

Download

To download BeierTab, copy this link into your browser:
http://musico.it/wp-content/uploads/downloads/BeierTabSetup.exe

Note: If your browser warns you that the file is unknown, download it anyway – it’s perfectly safe! Windows Defender may also block the installation file from running. This happens with low-volume independent software releases and doesn’t mean the file is unsafe to run. Choose to run it anyway.

What is BeierTab?

A computer program for MS Windows in which to edit and print lute tablature. It also transcribes lute tablature into staff-notation (in MusicXML format which can be used with music notation programs such as Finale and Sibelius).

FEATURES:

Tablature Style

Fonts and layout based on historical sources. Convert instantaneously between different styles:

  • French Tablature – Renaissance: Besard 1603, Dowland 1610
  • French Tablature – Baroque: Gautier 1669, Breitkopf 1750
  • Italian Tablature: Gardano 1550, Piccinini 1623
  • Spanish Tablature: Luys Milan 1535
  • German Tablature: Newsidler 1536
  • German Tablature: Judenkünig 1523
  • German Tablature: Gerle 1532
  • German Tablature: Jobin 1572
  • Baroque Guitar: Murcia

Tablature signs

  • All kinds of left hand ornament signs.
  • Upward and downward slurs, vertical and diagonal lines.
  • Right hand arpeggio squiggles and separée signs.
  • Right and left hand fingering signs and numbers.
  • Rest signs, dynamics, fermatae, coda and repeat signs.
  • Add text with choice of font, size and color.
  • End of piece arabesques.
  • Grace notes

Manipulation

  • Transpose tablature up or down.
  • Convert tablature from one instrument tuning to another.
  • Transform rhythm signs by doubling or halving their value.
  • Format rhythm signs to appear at bar lines or at a particular rhythmic interval.
  • Instantly add vertical lines connecting chords to diapasons throughout the tablature.
  • Instantly add right hand index fingering dots throughout the tablature at the appropriate places.
  • Convert tablature from one instrument tuning to another.

Multiple Staves

  • Add, delete and arrange the position of multiple staves per system, creating scores for lute duets, trios, etc.
  • Merge two or more staves of a system into one. You can perform the contrary operation of splitting tablature into two staves by selecting individual voices (see MIDI below).
  • Select the style of bracket (curved, square or none) to use with multiple staves.
  • Make parts – each staff in a separate file.

Page Layout

  • Portrait and landscape orientation.
  • Paper sizes include US Letter and Legal, A3, A4, A5, B4, B5, B6.
  • Control spacing, margins, indents, etc.
  • Adjust the size of the tablature and how it fits on the page.
  • Captions and page numbering options.

MIDI

  • Assign independent voices to tablature characters, for polyphonic rendition.
  • You can select voices and delete them, or copy them to a new staff.
  • Listen to the tablature file, control tempo and volume.

Import and Export

  • Import Wayne Cripps “Tab” lute tablature files.
  • Export tablature as graphic files in various formats.
  • Export tablature and transcription to MEI file format.
  • Print files.

Note

If you need to convert old BeierTab (pre version 2.19), save them first with version 2.19 before opening them in version 3.0. To download version 2.19, use this link:
http://musico.it/wp-content/uploads/downloads/BeierTab219Setup.exe