Practice

TabForge

Write tab the fast way: pick guitar, bass, or ukulele, type fret numbers into the grid (each column is an eighth note), and press Play to hear it. Copy the standard ASCII tab, download it as text, export a PNG, or paste tab in and keep editing. Everything is saved in this browser — nothing to sign up for. New to reading tab? Start with how to read tabs.

Write your tab

Convert between formats

Tab-writing tips

  • Columns are time. Each grid column is an eighth note at your chosen tempo; leave columns empty for rests, and stack numbers in one column for a chord.
  • Standard format out. The export is plain ASCII tab — the same format every forum, chord site, and text file uses — so it pastes anywhere. The PNG is handy for sharing to chats and socials.
  • Import works too. Paste tab into the text box and hit Import — TabForge reads its own format exactly and does its best with tab from elsewhere (line count must match the instrument).
  • Machine-friendly JSON. There is no industry-standard JSON or YAML tab format (MusicXML is the notation interchange standard; Guitar Pro files are proprietary), so TabForge documents its own: {"format":"stringwarrior-tab","version":1,"instrument":"guitar","bpm":90,"columns":[{"e":3},{},{"B":1,"E":0}]} — one object per eighth-note column, keys are string names (top line first), values are frets 0–24, {} is a rest. Export JSON / Import JSON round-trip it exactly, so you can generate tabs from scripts or other tools.
  • MusicXML for notation apps. Export MusicXML / Import MusicXML use the standard interchange format that MuseScore, Guitar Pro, Finale, and Sibelius read and write, so your tab opens as real notation elsewhere — and tab exported from those apps comes back in. Each grid column becomes one eighth note; the tuning travels with the file, so guitar, bass, and ukulele import to the right instrument.
  • Convert without editing. The Convert between formats panel takes any of the three formats and hands back any other — drop a file in, pick a format, download. It detects the format automatically, so it doubles as an ASCII↔JSON↔MusicXML converter even for tabs you didn’t make here.
  • Find the notes first. Sketch ideas with the solo builder on a fretboard view, work out the underlying chords with the chord finder, or check scale maps for what fits the key.