Tablatures

Introduction

A diatonic accordion is made of three parts: bellows are located in the central part. They produce the air movement when the instrument is pushed (bellows compression) or pulled (bellows extension).

The performer's right hand moves over a set of buttons. These buttons are numbered according to their location in row and column. Each button, when pushed, can generate two notes: one when the bellows are compressed, the other when the bellows are stretched.

The performer's left hand can use another set of buttons. Some of them play a chord (several notes), others only a single note called "bass". Here again, the bellows movement changes the pitch of played note(s).

Each kind of accordion can have a different number of buttons, and a different tuning (played notes for each button).

Right hand (plays the melody)

Tablature display can follow either of two standards: column system or push/pull system.
The number written on the tablature is always the row number of the button to use. The first one is the topmost row of the instrument.

 
. column system:
Each tablature line matches a button column.
If the button number is underlined, it means the button is played "pulled". If not underlined, it means the instrument is pushed.

. push/pull system:
The instrument is pulled when the button number is written on the upper line of the tablature. It is pushed when the number is written on the bottom line.

Button columns are indicated by as many apostrophe marks as the column number:

    - no apostrophe mark for first column,
    - one  apostrophe mark for second column,
    - two apostrophe marks for third column (if any).

Left hand (accompaniment)

Notation for this hand is the same whatever the notation system is (push/pull or by column).

It is displayed as a list of chords or bass notes. Chords are displayed lowercase and basses in capitals.

Adding notes

Select a button line (you can use keyboard shortcuts 1-9, *, /...) or click the tablature with the Shift key depressed to make the possible rows appear in a popup menu.

Move the mouse cursor over the tablature.

If you are in column system, cursor location indicates the note column. You can use the keyboard to specify push or pull.
If you are in push/pull system, cursor location indicates push or pull. You can use the keyboard to specify the column number.

By default, no keyboard shortcuts are set. Select "Configuration>Edit keyboard" to link useful commands to your keyboard keys.

You can delete or move a note the same way you do it on a regular staff

Tablature calculation mode settings

 
When entering an accordion tablature manually (priority to tablature), you are responsible for checking the push/pull coherence between right and left hand.

Selecting an instrument

Harmony is shipped with some predefined accordion kinds. You can choose them from the list, or you can define a completely different instrument or tuning by clicking "Other".

For the left hand, you must enter for each button the list of note pitches which will be played when the instrument is pushed or pulled.
The chord root note must be entered first in the list. Other notes are written after this one, separated by commas or slashes.
Octave number is important, and must be entered for each note in the form: C3 or A4
You must also enter the bass note or chord name to be displayed in the chord line. Usually, it is the regular name of the chord (uppercase) or of the bass note (lowercase).

For the right hand, for each button, you must enter the note pitch when the instrument is pushed or pulled.
Octave number is important, and must be entered for each note in the form: C3 or A4
Name of each column will be displayed in the tablature margin in "column mode".
 
 

Questions/Answers

 

Question: How to specify the right hand fingering?

Use the "Mark tools 3" palette or double-click on the note to edit it.
 

Question: How to force Basses/Chords for the left hand?

Edit the chord display mode of the staff, and deselect automatic computing. You can then click the chord line to change bass and chord names.
 

Question: How to remove Bass/Chord display for the left hand?

Edit the chord display mode of the staff, and deselect chord display.
 

Question: How to open the chord display window for a staff?

Two solutions:

•  Staff contextual menu (little black triangle in staff margin), "Chord display" option
• Tablature settings window, "Edit left hand" option.