tabs

# Extended Harmonica Tablature (Rhythm and Articulations, etc.)

## Standard tab notation.

| Syntax      | Meaning |
|-------------|---------|
| `4` or `+4` | **Blow**: When a hole number stands by itself, or is preceded by a *plus*, the hole is tobe exhaled (blow). |
| `-4`        | **Draw**: When a hole number is preceded by a *minus* the hole is to be inhaled (draw). |
| `-3'`       | Half step *draw* bend |
| `10''`      | Whole step *blow* bend |
| `-3'''`     | 1 1/5 step (*minor third*) *draw* bend |
| `6,`        | Over blow/draw |


## Based on more or less standard practices.

| Syntax       | Meaning             |
|--------------|---------------------|
| `(4 5 6)`    | chord               |
| `+(4 5)`     | partial chord       |
| `(X X X 4)`  | left tongue block   |
| `+(1 X X X)` | right tongue block  |
| `-(4 X X 7)` | octave tongue block |
| `-(X 5 6 X)` | u tongue block      |
| `(4 % % 7)`  | tongue flutter      |


## Extended Rhythmic (needed for playback).

| Syntax         | Meaning                         |
|----------------|---------------------------------|
| ` `            | whitespace (spaces, tabs, newlines) is non significant  |
| `rQ 1L`        | characters are case insensitive |
| `R`            | rest                            |
| `m`            | maxima   32 beats               |
| `l`            | long     16 beats               |
| `d`            | double   8 beats                |
| `w`            | whole    4 beats                |
| `h`            | half     2 beats                |
| `q`            | quarter  1 beat                 |
| `e`            | eighth   1/2 beat               |
| `s`            | 16th     1/4 beat               |
| `t`            | 32nd     1/8 beat               |
| `~`            | note beam, slur, tie            |
| `.`            | add half the last value         |
| `..`           | and so on like in scores        |
| `...`          |                                 |
| `[ 4q 4q 4q ]` |  tuplet                         |


### Optional metadata.

| Syntax    | Meaning                       |
|-----------|-------------------------------|
| `{4/4}`   | time signature                |
| `bpm: 60` | tempo optional                |
| `\|`      | bar measure/ phrase separator |
| `\|:`     | start repeat secction         |
| `:\|`     | end of score                  |


## Expressiveness (completely optional, not needed for playback).

| Syntax                | Meaning                                                              | Description |
|-----------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------|---|
| `-?4`                 | dipped note, ie. starts in `-4'` and goes quickly to `4`            ||
| `-4?`                 | **cut**: The opposite of a Dip—note starts at the natural (unbent) pitch and quickly bends downward (around a half step). The articulations Dow, Gow or Cow work well.
| `4!`                  | tril, vibrato, tremolo                                               ||
| `4*`                  | staccatto                                                            ||
| `4**`                 | spicatto                                                             ||
| `4@`                  | fermata                                                              ||
| `R@`                  | caesura                                                              ||
| `4h = 5   5w = 4`     | mordent (back and forth the notes for duration) can also be inverted ||
| `4 4 4 4, 5m`         | breath indicator                                                     ||
| `2 / 4 / 6`           | tie, slur, glissando, portamento or slide (going up). The **slur** indicates to slide/glide smoothly from the pitch of one note to the pitch of another note. This symbol is also used for the **tie** which connects to notes of the **same pitch** and directs you to combine the duration of the two notes.                 ||
| `6 \ 4 \ 2`           | tie, slur, glissando, portamento or slide (going down)               ||
| `> 4 > 5h > -2q >`    | decrease volume                                                      ||
| `< 2e~2 < (4q 5 6) <` | increase volume                                                      ||
| `4_`                  | Tenuto                                                               ||
| `4^`                  | accent                                                               ||
| `4^^`                 | marcato                                                              ||
| `ppp: 4q 5 6`         | pianississimo                                                        ||
| `pp:`                 | pianissimo                                                           ||
| `p:`                  | piano                                                                ||
| `mp:`                 | mezzo piano                                                          ||
| `mf:`                 | mezzo forte                                                          ||
| `f:`                  | forte                                                                ||
| `ff:`                 | fortissimo                                                           ||
| `fff:`                | fortississimo                                                        ||
| `sfz:`                | sforzando                                                            ||
| `coda:`               | Segno                                                                ||
| `dc:`                 | Da capo                                                              ||
| `segno:`              | Coda                                                                 ||
| `ds:`                 | Dal segno                                                            ||