Audio to guitar tab
A recording to guitar tab
Choose a guitar recording and ScoreStarling writes it out on a staff with TAB underneath: hear it beside the original, move a note to another string, set the tuning and capo, and print it.
Drop a guitar recording or a video here
MP3, WAV, M4A, FLAC, OGG, AIFF or a video, up to 100 MB. The first five minutes are written out, with TAB under the staff. You choose what is playing before anything starts.
No file handy?
Ode to JoyA 16-second guitar take and its score, with TAB as ScoreStarling draws it
Guitar · Standard 1 2 3 4 e|-0---0---1---3---|-3---1---0-------|-------------0---|-0---------------| B|-----------------|-------------3---|-1---1---3-------|-------3-3-------| G|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------| D|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------| A|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------| E|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
What goes in and what comes out
You bring
- A recording of a guitar, bass or ukulele: MP3, WAV, M4A, FLAC, OGG or AIFF
- A video file, whose sound is used; for a link, use YouTube to guitar tab
- Or a whole band, where guitar and bass get a staff each
You get
- The notes on a staff with TAB under it, or TAB alone
- Your tuning and capo, and the strings you choose
- A PDF and the TAB as text to paste, free
- MusicXML with the TAB staff once the score is unlocked
How it works
- Choose your recording above. The workspace opens with it and with Staff and TAB chosen, after sign-in if needed.
- Say what is playing: one instrument for a guitar on its own, a band for a whole song. Nothing starts until you press Create score.
- The score opens with TAB under the staff. Play it beside the recording and fix what you hear.
- In Score settings, under Guitar TAB, set the tuning, the capo and how strings are chosen.
- Download the PDF, or TAB as text under More formats.
How the strings and frets are chosen
By default each note goes to the highest string that plays it, which is its lowest fret, and a note in a chord whose string is taken moves to the next free one. That is MuseScore’s own rule. When a line climbs the neck, Fewest hand shifts plans the whole part instead.
Lowest frets
Fewest hand shifts
- Select any note to move it to another string at the same pitch, or type a fret.
- A held note keeps its string while other notes are played over it.
- A note no string can play as written (below the lowest string, above the top fret, or more notes than strings) turns red and is listed when you review the score.
How guitar TAB chooses strings and frets explains both rules and two traps that move every fret.
Tunings and capo
Choose the tuning you play in, or let an AI assistant connected to ScoreStarling set any other you name. A capo goes up to the 12th fret; the frets then count from it, and “Capo 2” is printed over the first bar.
- StandardE A D G B E
- Drop DD A D G B E
- Half step downE♭ A♭ D♭ G♭ B♭ E♭
- Whole step downD G C F A D
- Drop CC G C F A D
- DADGADD A D G A D
- Open GD G D G B D
- Open DD A D F♯ A D
- Open EE B E G♯ B E
- 7-stringB E A D G B E
- BassE A D G, drop D, 5 and 6 strings
- UkuleleG C E A, baritone D G B E
Recordings that work best
- The guitar in front: a guitar on its own, or a band where it stands out.
- Clean tone. Heavy distortion and effects blur the notes.
- The tempo, if you know it. ScoreStarling detects it, but typing the beats per minute is more reliable.
Good to know
- TAB shows where the notes are; it can’t know your fingering. Check the strings it chose and change any you play elsewhere.
- One instrument starts in 4/4, which you can change; solo piano and band scores take the meter found in the playing.
- Bends, slides, hammer-ons, palm muting and strumming patterns are not written, and the tuning and capo stay the same for the whole piece.
Questions and answers
Is turning a recording into guitar tab free?
Yes for one instrument or voice and for solo piano: the score, its TAB, the PDF and the TAB as text are free, and a free score’s PDF carries a small footer line. A band, with guitar and bass each on their own staff, uses 40 credits a minute after you agree to the price. MusicXML with the TAB staff needs the score unlocked: 15 credits, once. See pricing.
Which tunings and capos can I use?
Standard, Drop D, half and whole step down, Drop C, DADGAD, open G, D and E, and 7-string guitar; 4-, 5- and 6-string bass and bass in drop D; ukulele and baritone ukulele. A capo goes up to the 12th fret, and the frets count from it. An AI assistant connected to ScoreStarling can set any other tuning you name.
Can I play a note on a different string?
Yes. Select it and pick another string: the pitch stays and the fret changes. Type a fret instead and the note becomes the pitch that fret plays. Or let the whole part keep your hand in one position with Fewest hand shifts.
Does it write bends, slides or hammer-ons?
No. The TAB has the notes, strings and frets, with the rhythm on the staff above or under the TAB numbers. Techniques, strumming patterns and rhythm slashes are not written.
Can I open it in Guitar Pro or MuseScore?
Download MusicXML: it carries the staff and the TAB staff with every string and fret, and MuseScore 4.7 opens it with all of them in place (MuseScore leaves out a capo). There is no Guitar Pro file of our own.