128 lines
6.0 KiB
Markdown
128 lines
6.0 KiB
Markdown
# Woodwind Tab Generator for MuseScore 4
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A MuseScore Studio V4.X plugin for highly flexible fingering tab creation for woodwinds, using the familiar tin whistle tab style.
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## Contents
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- [Overview](#overview)
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- [Installation](#installation)
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- [Usage](#usage)
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- [Adding Your Own Woodwinds](#adding-your-own-woodwinds)
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- [Troubleshooting](#troubleshooting)
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---
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## Overview
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This plugin offers several predefined whistles as well as custom alternative woodwinds (e.g. Ocarina). The following are fully user-customizable:
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- Font size, family, and justification
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- Spacing and vertical offset from the staff
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- Layout of the finger holes
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The plugin also remembers settings, responds to dark and light mode themes, supports undo and redo, and provides a live preview of note fingering with the selected settings.
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---
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<p align="center">
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<img src="imgs/Example_Tab_F.png" alt="GUI, dark mode" width="600">
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</p>
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This plugin was inspired by the [tin-whistle-tablature project](https://github.com/jgadsden/tin-whistle-tablature/tree/main), which has the notable advantage of reducing diagram size for short notes. This project also offers several additional advantages:
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- **Completely customizable fingering diagrams** with support for an unlimited number of holes — especially useful for makers of unique designs such as the [Chromophone](https://www.natco.co/khromophone/specs.php), or uncommon whistles and woodwinds.
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- **Font installation is optional** — required custom font glyphs are sideloaded automatically when the extension loads.
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- **Diagrams are constructed one hole at a time** — the inserted diagram is plain text and can be edited as such.
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- **Customizable look with intelligent overwriting** — font, size, justification, offset, line spacing, and transposition are all supported. Modifying tabs cleanly replaces existing ones if present.
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- **Add your own whistles!** Strange cross-fingerings? Custom preferences? A 9-hole G whistle? No problem.
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---
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## Installation
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> **Note:** This plugin was tested on MuseScore 4. API compatibility with other versions has not been evaluated.
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1. Download `Woodwind_Tab_Generator.zip` from the releases page.
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2. Extract the zip file to a folder.
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3. Follow the [MuseScore plugin installation instructions](https://musescore.org/en/handbook/4/plugins#installation), starting from step 5 — drop the `Woodwind_Tab_Generator` folder (containing the `.qml` file, icon, and font) into the MuseScore plugin directory.
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4. Run the plugin from the plugin menu to open the configuration window.
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---
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## Usage
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Opening the plugin presents the configuration window:
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<div style="display: flex; gap: 16px;">
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<figure>
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<img src="imgs/GUI_LowD_Light.png" alt="GUI, light mode" width="400">
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<figcaption><em>Light mode</em></figcaption>
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</figure>
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<figure>
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<img src="imgs/GUI_Ocarina_Dark.png" alt="GUI, dark mode" width="400">
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<figcaption><em>Dark mode</em></figcaption>
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</figure>
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</div>
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From here you can select a woodwind definition, customize settings or the format string, and apply to generate the tab.
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**Examples:**
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>
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*Low D Whistle*
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>
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*Alto C Ocarina*
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---
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## Adding Your Own Woodwinds
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1. Open `woodwind_tab_generator.qml` and navigate to the section:
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```text
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//---------------------------------------------------------
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// FINGERING DICTIONARY
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// Last bit = plus sign indicator
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//---------------------------------------------------------
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```
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2. Add your own fingering definition in the same format as the existing examples, using the following fields:
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> **Note:** Notes are currently defined by their sounding pitch, not their written notation (relevant for transposing instruments).
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| Field | Description |
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|---|---|
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| `name` | The name of the woodwind as shown in the GUI. |
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| `fingeringDict` | A dictionary of notes and fingering patterns. Uses note names (sharps required) and numerical fingering representations. Left→right, starting from hole one (represented as `$1..`), with the last digit indicating the number of times to overblow (accessed with the `$+` variable). |
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| `formatString` | The string used to lay out the holes on the tab. Use `\n` for a new line. |
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**Tip for complex layouts (e.g. Ocarina):** Use a temporary template in the format string field, open the plugin, and adjust the layout using the preview as a guide. Then copy the format string (including whitespace) into a text editor and replace literal newlines (`\n`) with `\\n` — you may need to enable regex replace in your editor. See the Ocarina definition for an example of a more complex layout.
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*Example instrument entry*
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If you'd prefer, you can also open an issue with a clear description of your instrument and fingering patterns and I can add it for you.
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---
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## Troubleshooting
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>#### My tab symbols are smaller after saving and reloading the project
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This plugin loads its own font to ensure that all three symbols render at a constant size. However, since the font isn't loaded until the plugin starts, MuseScore may fall back to a default font on reload.
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To fix this, either:
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- Re-insert the tab using the plugin, or
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- Install `WhistleSymbols.ttf` (found in the `woodwind_tab_generator` plugin folder) system-wide:
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- **Windows:** Right-click → *Install for all users*
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- **Linux:** Open with your system's font manager and install
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>#### I am getting ☒ symbols underneath my notes
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This means the note couldn't be found in your instrument definition — i.e. it cannot be played on your instrument.
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Try transposing the music. If you are using an instrument like a whistle where the notation is written an octave lower than it sounds, check the **Transposed** box in the plugin settings.
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---
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## Feedback
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Did you find this plugin useful? Found a bug, or have a feature request? Feel free to [open an issue](../../issues) or leave a star :)
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