Click on the different parts of the tune below to learn more about writing music in ABC Notation.
X:1
T: Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star
M: 4/4
L: 1/4
K: C
C C G G | A A G2
| F F E E | D D C2 |
||:
G G F F | E E
D2
:||
C C G G | A A G2
| F F E E | D D C2
|]
Reference Number.
This field denotes the start of the tune and is required.
Title.
The title of the tune. You can put multiple T fields to add subtitles.
Meter/Time Signature.
The meter or time signature of the tune. Examples: 4/4, 3/4, 6/8, etc. You can even create complex
meters like so: (2+3+2)/8.
Default Note Length
The default duration for notes represented by a single letter (ex: C).
1/4quarter note
1/8eighth note
etc
Key Signature
The key signature of the tune. C = C major. Bbm = B flat minor.
C#Phr = C sharp phrygian. etc.
CC major
BbmB flat minor
F#MixF sharp mixolydian
Other modes are also possible:
DorDorian
PhrPhrygian
LydLydian
LocLocrian
Notes
Notes are entered by typing the letter of the note.
Durations. Note length is determined by a number entered after the note. If the L: field is
L:1/8, entering C2 will give you a quarter note; entering C/
will give you a 16th note.
C/16th note
C8th note
C2quarter note
C3dotted quarter note
C4half note
C6dotted half note
C8whole note
Accidentals. You can put an accidental on a note by putting ^, _, or
= before the note.
^CC sharp
_CC flat
=CC natural
Bar Lines
Normal bar lines are represented by | (see below for other bar lines).
|thin single bar line
||thin double bar line
|]thin-thick double bar line (final bar
line)
[|thick-thin double bar line
Repeats
||:start repeat
:||end repeat
example:||: CCC | DDD | EEE :||
|1 DDD :||2 CCC] |1st and 2nd ending
This is a list of common and useful things to know in ABC Notation.
Information Fields
These go at the start of the tune, before you write the notes.
X:
Reference Number
number
T:
Title
add multiple T fields to add subtitles
C:
Composer
add multiple C fields to add additional lines
M:
Meter/Time Signature
4/4, 6/8, etc. Also 2+3+2/8, etc.
L:
Unit Note Length
1/4, 1/8, etc.
Q:
Tempo
1/4=120 (quarter note = 120); or "Allegro" 1/4=120 ; or
1/4=120 "Allegro" ; or "Allegro"
K:
Key Signature
C (c major), Cm (c minor), etc. Modes are also possible:
Dor (dorian)
Phr (phrygian)
Lyd (lydian)
Mix (mixolydian)
Loc (locrian)
V:
Voice
Violin clef=treble, etc
Staff To Stand adds the V: field automatically for each instrument.
Most information fields can be used inline, in the middle of the tune, in order to change their value.
For example, you may want to change the unit note length (L field) from 1/4 to 1/8 if you'are about to
write a passage with lots of 8th notes.
Put the field in brackets to add it inline. [M:4/4]
E2 E E F G | [L:1/8] AG FE DD |
Notes (the tune body)
Pitch
Traditionally, the following represents the notes in the C4 octave, in ABC Notation:
C D E F G A B.
Staff To Stand adds an octave modifier to the V: field that makes those notes the middle
octave for each instrument. The next higher octave is written in lowercase letters. For each octave
above that add an apostrphy after the letter: c'. For each octave below the C4 octave add a
comma: C,
C,,D,,E,,F,,G,,A,,B,,
C,D,E,F,G,A,B,
CDEFGAB
cdefgab
c'd'e'f'g'a'b'
c''d''e''f''g''a''b''
Accidentals
Accidentals are added before the note, like so:
Sharp^^C
Flat__C
Natural==C
Chords
Chords can be written by enclosing multiple notes in brackets, like so: [CDE]
Rhythm
Note durations are defined after the note and are written as multiples of the default (unit) note
length (the L: field). Assuming an L field of L:1/8 , a quarter note is written as C2 because 2 8th
notes make a quarter note.
Smaller note durations are written as divisions, rather than multiplications, of the default (unit)
note length. Assuming an L field of L:1/8 , a 16th note is written as C/2
because 2 16th notes go into an 8th note.
The following table assumes an L field of L:1/8.
C8
C6
C4
C3
C2
C3/2
C>C
C
CC
C C
C/2 or C/
Triplets are written by preceding the notes with (3. For example:
(3 cde is a triplet with the notes cde.
Other tuplets can be written by replacing the 3 with the number of the tuplet.
Rests
Rests are written the same way as notes, but with a z in place of the note name.
Multimeasure rests are written with a capital Z followed by the number of measures. For
example, Z4 is 4 measures of rest.
Invisible rests are written with x and X. They are useful for spacing
measures. For example, when you only have 1 or 2 measures on a line and don't want them stretched out to
take up the whole line.
Bar Lines and Repeats
|thin single bar line
||thin double bar line
|]thin-thick double bar line (final bar
line)
[|thick-thin double bar line
Repeats
||:start repeat
:||end repeat
example:||: CCC | DDD | EEE :||
|1 DDD :||2 CCC] |1st and 2nd ending
Ties and Slurs
Ties can be written with a dash - between the notes you want to tie. c-c
Slurs are written by enclosing the notes you want to slur in parenthasis. (cde)
Slurs and ties can be nested and overlapped like so: ((c-cde(f)gab-)b)
Articulations, Dynamics, etc
These symbols are written before the note (and before the accidental if there is one) and enclosed in
exclamation marks: !p!. Here's an image with most symbols.
See here for the full list.
Some shorthand symbols are available:
.Staccato
MMordent
OCoda
SSegno
TTrill
uUp-Bow
vDown-Bow
Annotaions
Text can be added above, below, or next to notes by adding the text in quotes before the note:
"this text will go above the note and push the next note over"C
"^..."text above note
"_..."text below note
