Seven String Guitar?
So I've tried to write for a seven string guitar, and when I added another string, the guitar tab didn't add another line. Normally, in tablature notation, if there are more than six strings, there are more than six lines (makes sense, the number of strings = number of lines). I have two ideas for this:
1). Make it so that the tablature lines can have any number of lines, and it's specified by the user by adding or subtracting strings.
2). Just add new versions of the tab staffs for 7 string guitars. Also, if possible, for 8, 9, and even 10 string guitars (yes, they exist, and yes, they are VERY common. I've actually seen them irl before)
Also, these guitars aren't just used for metal, too, so anyone can compose with them. Listen to Rob Scallon, who has turned a 10 string into a beautiful ballad-like instrument.
Comments
Do: right-click on the Tab -> Staff Properties -> 7 lines -> Ok
![staff.jpg]( "staff.jpg")
EDIT:
"(makes sense, the number of strings = number of lines)."
Well, too obvious, a false good idea. It is really not necessarily "logical" to add one line per string added. In baroque lute music, for example, although the instrument has 13 strings, or rather, courses (13 rows of strings ), the number of lines is always 6 (with a special notation for the extra basses). With the hypothesis of 13 strings/13 lines, it would become difficult/confusing to locate at reading the good string/line :)
See also (for standard notation here): https://musescore.org/fr/node/150491#comment-614351
Even though the TAB is a linked staff, you still need to right click it and then go into Staff Properties and adjust the number of strings. I tried it with 12 strings (since that's the most I've heard of) and it allowed for that many at least.
In reply to Even though the TAB is a by mike320
As cadiz1 already wrote - not every instrument has a tab line for each string. See for example the tablatures for lute, theorbo or baryton.
In reply to As cadiz1 already wrote - not by rmattes
Isn't that only for the open strings then?
In reply to Isn't that only for the open by Jojo-Schmitz
No, not in general. This would be always the case for Baryton, mostly true for Theorbo but
both Renaissance and Barqoue Lutes have fretted strings below the sixth string.
Generally, there's just no simple mapping between the number of tablature lines and the number of strings (see also french 16th century lute music where the instrument hast at least six strings but the tablature only has five lines).
In reply to No, not in general. This by rmattes
There are actually 7 (and more) String Electric Guitars
In reply to There are actually 7 (and… by s1114182721
They even make 7 string Electric Basses which have a Low B, a High C, & even a High F.
In reply to No, not in general. This by rmattes
Just because it was done that way 300 years ago doesn't mean we have to do it that way forever going forward.
FWIW, I have a 7-string classical guitar, two 8-string classcal guitars, and a 7-string Russian classical guitar that I play and write for regularly.
In reply to Just because it was done… by Dr H
That's why MuseScore allows for this