---
title: Banjo Tablatures
tags:
  - topic/hobbies/music/banjo
  - type/encyclopedia-entry
---
# Banjo Tablatures

## Sources

### Banj'r

[Banj'r](https://banjr.com/tablatures.htm)

> ![Don Borchelt|250x250](https://banjr.com/images/at%20lake%20genero.jpg)
>
> Don Borchelt, owner of Banj'r

### Banjoben

[Banjoben's Personal Tab Collection ONLINE: 99 Essential Bluegrass Banjo Solos](http://www.banjoben.com/banjobentabs.htm)

### Other

[Banjo Hangout](https://www.banjohangout.org)

[Banjo Tablatures and Bluegrass Information](http://bluegrassbanjo.org)

## Engraving

Don engraves his tabs with [TablEdit](http://www.tabledit.com/).
The PDF output is cramped and terribly inconsistent.

I'd like to rewrite as many of Don's
and any other tabs I can find in [[lilypond|LilyPond]].

This has a few complications:

1. Tablature must be translated first to SPN (i.e. C#<sub>4</sub>)
    then to lilypond notation (i.e. `cis'`)

    Also keep in mind that banjo is transposed up/down? one octave,
    so that C<sub>0</sub> SPN = C<sub>1</sub> banjo

    The [BanjoTab](https://github.com/jeremy9959/BanjoTab)
    preprocessor can help with this,
    however it wouldn't be a bad idea to do it manually
    for the sake of familiarity.

2. [LilyPond Banjo Notation](https://lilypond.org/doc/v2.23/Documentation/notation/banjo)
    is not ideal.

[Common Notation for Fretted Strings](https://lilypond.org/doc/v2.24/Documentation/notation/common-notation-for-fretted-strings)

[[lilypond]]

### Slides

Strum holding the first position,
then slide down the fretboard to the second.
Indicated with a diagonal line between notes.

```lily
\new TabStaff {
  \relative c' {
    d4 \glissando e\2
  }
}
```

### Hammer-On and Pull-Off

Hammer-on -- Strum holding the first position,
then quickly press down on the second.

Pull-off -- Strum holding both positions,
then quickly release the first, letting the second ring.

```lily
\new TabStaff {
  \relative c' {
    d4( e\2)
    a( g)
  }
}
```

It is _possible_ to add "H" and "Po." markers,
but the syntax is ugly.
They are not ubiquitous or especially helpful anyway.

### String Bending

Involves pushing/pulling the string
perpendicular to the fretboard to change the pitch/timbre.

```lily
mus = {
  d4\5\^ e\5\^ d2\5
  c'4\3\^ d'\3\bendHold \^ d'\3\^ c'\3
  \grace c'4\3\preBendHold \^ d'\3\bendHold \^ d'\3\^ c'2\3
  \grace c'4\3 \preBend \^ d'1\3
}

\score {
  \new StaffGroup
  <<
    \new Staff { \clef "G_8" \mus }
    \new TabVoice \mus
  >>
  \layout {
    \context {
      \Voice
      \omit StringNumber
    }
    \context {
      \TabVoice
      \consists Bend_spanner_engraver
    }
  }
}
```