I’m trying to learn the ABCexplorer writing for tunes. I’m also trying to learn tunes by ear to eventually become non-dependent on the dots, however, I would like to know how to write ABCs at an advanced level for archival purposes. Being a neo-Luddite hasn’t helped. And since beginning with the tin whistle even more technology has been introduced in my life.
Recently I participated in a whistle workshop with John Hoban from Castlebar, Co. Mayo. John gave us (the few participants) a few tunes. I have attached the links for the audio and ABCs transcription. I have permission to post the audio and tune ABCs.
I’m not looking for criticism about the playing, although I should expect that while posting on an internet forum. Its not me playing its John Hoban and he’s playing for beginning whistlers and others. The initial audio transcription was done by another participant (not me) so I could enter the tune into ABCexplorer. That’s my role the dreaded computer.
Sorry if I am asking the obvious but have you googled abc notation? This site seems to explain it http://abcnotation.com/blog/2010/01/31/how-to-understand-abc-the-basics/ I suppose the best way to understand it is to study up on it then paste your composition into an online convertor and see what it sounds like as a midi. You could also post it on the Session dot org and if its wrong there’s a busy body called Ceolaghan on there who will rip it apart and make you feel like a child again. That’s how I learned never to post anything I write in abc on the session. (I’d love to meet him in person)
I use a lot of the standard abc notation and then add characters or numbers and squiggles to determine whether its a cut, roll, half roll etc. It wont make sense to the purists but who cares as long as I can understand it.
The trick about writing airs is knowing which melodies carry the melody and what is the ornamentation. As it is, you have written everything you heard in full which makes the notation very confusing to the casual reader.
I suppose you need to separate the actual tune from the ornamentation and write the melody notes, fill the bars and put the small notes in between using {}. The version itself, in the recording, strikes me as a bit different from the one(s) I am familiar with. You may want to listen to one or two other versions to get a feel for the basic melody. Micho Russell had a nice simple version of it for example (yes, I’ll have a dig around).
A quick scribble of Micho’s first line, without ornamentation would look somewhat like this:
Yes, I’ve read the website and that’s how I got to this point. I realize everything is on that website that I need to know. Its just slow learning reading thru it all.
I’ve never posted anything on The Session, been there and aware of the hawks and gurus. They’re everywhere.
That’s what I do, mark up my sheet with my own system until I learn the tune. Once tune is learned the dots don’t matter. But, I do want to learn it all, ABC notation, for archival purposes beyond my mere playing.
What is the symbol for cutting a note in ABCs? The very first e2f2e2 is an either/or play as is, or cut the e. How do I mark that? And then it happens again in the second line. The bars, measures, and meter are still confusing. Am I missing some thing from the audio?
