Guitar tablature import from XML goes wrong
Hello! I have a MusicXML file that includes a guitar tab. When opening it in MuseScore 3.0.5, all the tablature numbers are displayed on the top string. However, the playback sounds okay. Resetting the instrument and tablature style does not help. Looking into the XML file with a text editor tells me that the correct string data is there. How to make MuseScore display it?
Comments
You would need to attach your musicxml file.
Here's an example.
In reply to Here's an example. by Kristo
This file was exported from Sibelius. Did you use the Dolet plugin to export it? The XML code looks strange at first glance.
In reply to This file was exported from… by mike320
No Dolet:
In reply to This file was exported from… by mike320
Dolet helped, thanks for reminding!
In reply to Dolet helped, thanks for… by Kristo
By the way - is that normal that the Dolet exports a 3 min guitar tab for more than 10 minutes? Answer: depends on the computer. Same file can take from 4 sec to 10 min.
In reply to Here's an example. by Kristo
Wrt file TEST.xml, the string data may be present but it is encoded incorrectly: e.g. at line 123 it uses tuning-step C#/Db, instead of tuning-step C and tuning-alter 1.
Note that fixing this is not sufficient to make the file import correctly. The string data is not read correctly (it is missing from the instrument definition in the MuseScore file produced), nor does MuseScore allow editing of the string data. This smells like an incorrectly imported staff type.
In reply to Wrt file TEST.xml, the… by Leon Vinken
Cause found, created #288271: [MusicXML import] missing string data importing tablature staff containing spurious empty staff-details elements
In reply to Cause found, created #288271… by Leon Vinken
Fix added to pull request #4900
In reply to Fix added to pull request … by Leon Vinken
That's great, thank you!
In reply to That's great, thank you! by Kristo
Pull request merged, fix is in 3.1 beta.
In reply to Pull request merged, fix is… by Leon Vinken
To prevent confusion: the fix is in beta 2 (May 2, 2019), not in the first beta.
Unfortunately, the story is not over yet. Here's some additional information to who might have similar issues:
Our current workaround is Dolet + MuseScore 2.3 > MuseScore 3.
In reply to Unfortunately, the story is… by Kristo
we would need to see the file to understand this.
In reply to Unfortunately, the story is… by Kristo
Using 3.1-beta on WIndows 10, the display is fine.
please help us with the screenshots explaining the issue. We will check and help you out.
In reply to please help us with the… by Ruth84767
Or rather, as has been asked already, the actual files. Screenshots rarely help, whereas the actual files allow us to reproduce and inspect what is going on.
In reply to Or rather, as has been asked… by jeetee
Here you go.
In reply to Here you go. by Kristo
Seems perfectly fine in MuseScore 3.0.5 on Windows 10
EDIT: Could it be that you have a text font file locally installed that could interfere? After all, the tab numbers are drawn using a font; and missing glyphs are often shown as question marks…
In reply to Here you go. by Kristo
Kristo could test out the font issue theory by right clicking the tablature staff, choosing Staff/Part properties, click Advanced staff Properties then change the font to see if that helps.
In reply to Or rather, as has been asked… by jeetee
Here is also the PDF of how the tab originally looks in Sibelius. Note that the 55 and 77 in the first bar will be converted to open position on the guitar (if the numbers show up at all).
In reply to Here is also the PDF of how… by Kristo
The fingerings are not saved to the xml file, so each program will use its own rendition of the notes.
In reply to The fingerings are not saved… by mike320
The 55 in the first bar encoding includes string 4 / fret 5 respectively string 3 / fret 5 (lines 1283, 1284, 1300 and 1301 in file TEST (1).xml. This means they are imported incorrectly. Don't know the cause yet.
In reply to The 55 in the first bar… by Leon Vinken
I take back my comment about the fingering not being properly saved. I see you have started issue #288271: [MusicXML import] missing string data importing tablature staff containing spurious empty staff-details elements. Thanks Leon, I hope this is fixed soon.
Dear Friends
This is an important issue to fix.
Without fixing it will be impossible to import tabs form other software like guitar pro, finale or sibielius.
In reply to Dear Friends This is an… by herrlein
Which "this" are you referring to?
All bugs mentioned and detected in this thread have already been fixed in the current version (3.4.2).
If you have a score that doesn't work, then please attach it so it can be investigated. Note that MuseScore can directly import some Guitar Pro file versions as well.
In reply to Which "this" are you… by jeetee
Unfortunately, not seems to be fixed yet. Tablature goes in wrong places in the guitar matrix.
In reply to Unfortunately, not seems to… by herrlein
https://musescore.org/en/node/115241
Please, check also my last comment in this topic, sugesting a solution for tab input via MIDI guitar. Channel to Strings mapping. This works very well in Finale for years ! All the best !
In reply to https://musescore.org/en… by herrlein
https://musescore.org/sites/musescore.org/files/2020-05/GTR_MIDI_CHART…
GUITAR AS A MATRIX
Here is a MIDI Chart I did some years ago,
It can help to figure out the problem involved in this Tab-String-Filter by channell.
For example, MIDI note #76 appears in all strings (in a 24-fret guitar, for example).
There is a color code:
1) BLUE NOTES: Appear just in one location in the TAB.
2) BLACK NOTES: Appear in two locations in the TAB.
3) GREEN NOTES: Appear in 3 locations in the TAB.
4) 2) BLACK NOTES (BIG FONT): Appear in 4 locations in the TAB.
5) 2) PINK NOTES: Appear in 5 locations in the TAB.
6) RED NOTE: Appear in 6 locations (in the case of 24-fret guitars) or 5 times (in the case of 20, 21 or 22-fret guitars).
Hope it helps to find a solution.
Best !
Julio Herrlein
In reply to Unfortunately, not seems to… by herrlein
First off, let's try to keep topics on topic and not cross post your other ideas from other topics in here as well as it is unrelated.
I can confirm that there is something not working as expected. I noticed the string data after import being off by one octave. After correcting that in the staff properties, I could move those notes back to their strings.
I also think this is the reason why your positions aren't honored, with that wrong stringdata (bug!) those positions simply don't match with the notes themselves. At least MuseScore honors the actual note, and thus adjusts position information to match its new string data.
The cause of your bug is different though, as your file doesn't include multiple
<staff-details>
elements.So please post that score + PDF as a new issue into the issue tracker: https://musescore.org/en/project/issues/musescore
In reply to First off, let's try to keep… by jeetee
Yes, Musescore honors the right notes. No problem. The question is preserve the the right string. Maybe a possibility would be a channel to string filter, for inputting the notes with a MIDI guitar. I don´t know if you play guitar, but the chart help the understanding of the matrix nature of the guitar. Thank you.
In reply to Yes, Musescore honors the… by herrlein
MIDI input from a guitar has nothing to do with correctly importing a MusicXML file. So please, again, leave that discussion to the already existing thread on it.
In reply to MIDI input from a guitar has… by jeetee
Yes, I know. Why are you so defensive ? I´m not underestimating Musescore. I love this software and just want it to be better. Best, Love from Brasil. Stay safe.
In reply to Yes, I know. Why are you so… by herrlein
This agressive attitude can impede people to contribute. Best.
In reply to This agressive attitude can… by herrlein
I'm sorry if my response seemed aggressive to you, that was not my intention.
Although I indeed was slightly irritated at the moment of posting that after having investigated and confirmed your import issue and pointed out to please not include the discussion about MIDI input into this thread, as it already had its place to be discussed your answer seemed to somehow imply that your proposal for MIDI input somehow magically would fix the musicxml import as well.
That assumption of mine was likely wrong, so for that I apologize; but it could be just as well that you as a user has no background or insight into the technicalities that come into play between MusicXML import and/or MIDI note input. Therefor I stressed the separation of those two items in my answer.
So I again apologize for the perceived tone of my answer. I very much appreciate you taking the time to share your example of this bug and hope that once it is entered into the issue tracker a developer will pick it up swiftly.
In reply to Yes, I know. Why are you so… by herrlein
We're just trying to keep focus and maintain topicality. Else it is way to easy to get lost in a discussion.
I can't see anything aggressive if you're asked to please leave that discussion to the already existing thread on it