Guitar Pro 8 - How To Use?

[Len R]

I bought Guitar Pro 8 to create music with tab for chord melody arrangements, like Dirk does for many of his lessons (for example, his lesson of Georgia on My Mind). However I cannot figure out how to do that, and although there are many tutorials out there, none that I have found teach how to use the software for this purpose. I don't find the user manual very helpful either. Can anyone recommend a video or other tutorial that teaches me step by step how to create chord melody tabs in Guitar Pro 8?
Many thanks,
Len

[gps]

Hi Len.
I just tried to do the first bar of Georgia and it was fine. I think if you get a grasp of inputting notes and chords from any tutorials you will be able to do this. I don't know of a specific chord melody tutorial but Levi Clay on You Tube has some general Guitar Pro tutorials. Dirk has chosen a Jazz Font which you will find in Options on the bottom left had corner of style sheet dialogue. Also you have options to show chords in the score and adjust other items with the style sheet settings. You can create your own chords in the chord library for the tune.

[Len R]

Thanks for the reply. Still hoping for a chord melody focused tutorial.

Len

[Ukena]

Hey Len – you can do the same thing with MuseScore, which is the program I use.

I suspect it's the same time-consuming routine – one has to input the notes. If you input the notes on the treble staff, it will show up on the TAB staff. I guess the main difference is that there's a chord library in Guitar Pro.

But it's time-consuming, with no shortcut that I can see.

On the other hand, there are now websites that will create tablature from a recording. I tried some out, but the only one that I could get to work is Guitar2Tabs - Turn Guitar Music into Tabs | Klangio

I was surprised at the result. I fed it this file:

And it transcribed the first 20 seconds for free (after 30 days, the transcription disappears, apparently): Guitar2Tabs - Turn Guitar Music into Tabs | Klangio

[Len R]

Thanks Paul. The folks on this forum recommended Guitar Pro over MuseScore so that's what I bought. I guess I'll figure it out eventually...

[gps]

Hi Len
What are you able to do already with Guitar Pro? Are you just getting started or can you, for instance, input single note lines? Happy to give some pointers on chord melodies if you would find this helpful.

[Len R]

Thanks gps, I am just getting started. My problem is that the program seems to have ten thousand features, and I only need five or ten. The tutorials I have found spend so much time on features I don't need and will never use. I just want to create accurate transcriptions with music, tab and chord diagrams of my chord melody arrangements. Any help greatly appreciated!

[gps]

Yes its got lots of features. Its a great program. Its late here but can get back to you on this and break it down.

[gps]

Hi Len
Here is a step by step break down for inputting the notes for copying the first bar of Georgia On My Mind. Hope it makes some sense.

• Open Guitar Pro
• Choose New File
• In add Track Dialogue click Create
• Click the key signature symbol in the left zone
• Choose F from drop down

Note Input (use the arrow keys to move the cursor. Use + and – to change the length of the note)
(Use numbers to add the fret number on the tablature)

• The default note length when you start is a quarter note
• Press + and this will change the note to an 8^th note
• In Georgia there are two notes played together on the first beat
• Move your cursor to the 4^th string on the tablature and press 10 for the tenth fret
• Add a note above on the second string in the same way
• Move the cursor to the right add the next note in the same way

• On the next beat the notes are triplet 8ths
• Press forward slash for the shortcut for this or choose a triplet in the left panel
• Add the notes as you did before

• For the next beat cancel the triplet by pressing forward slash
• Press minus to make the note a quarter note and add the note

• On the next beat the notes are triplet 8^ths add them in the same way as before

Let me know how you get on

[Len R]

THANK YOU! I think that's all I need to get started. Very kind of you to take the time to do this, I really appreciate it. Will let you know!

Regards,

Len

[Len R]

Hi and Happy New Year! I have finally started to learn GP8. Steep learning curve but I think it will be worth the effort. I have created my first line of music, it looks correct, but on playback sounds wrong. It is a chord melody of White Christmas in ballad style, but plays back with awful sounding syncopation. How do you adjust the time feel/swing feel of the transcription? Next question, the score automatically included a header with "Standard Tuning," quarter note = 120, and two eight notes = triplet feel. How do I delete all that? Thanks very much.

Len

[gps]

Hi Len
To hide the Standard Tuning label
go to the right zone (Inspector) and in the Song Tab -
chose "open" next to Stylesheet - Page and score format - Tuning - Display Tuning - select Off

Quarter note = 120 is your beats per minute so for a ballad reduce that to a slower tempo. Click on the tempo marking in the tool bar at the top, near the metronome symbol and adjust the tempo in the dialogue box. You can hide the tempo marking by setting Hide Automation to On in the same dialogue box.

If you have the triplet feel direction showing then that will effect playback. I tend to just use the one you have there. It will playback written straight eighths with a swing feel. There are other swing options if you click on the triplet feel icon in the toolbar. I don't know of a way to delete that header.

The items you mentioned can also be changed by double clicking them in the score.

Hope that helps

[Len R]

Thanks very much GPS, much appreciated. I've put in a lot of time with GP8 over the past few days and am starting to get the hang of it, although I'm still a rank beginner. One thing I learned today is that to properly notate a chord melody so that it plays back the way it is supposed to sound on the guitar you have to write in multiple voices, at least two. I'm not ready for that rabbit hole yet.