# ABC Notation ## Basics ``` |: barline [a-g], [A-G]: notes z: rest _: flat ^: sharp numbers that follow notes: duration ``` ## Example ``` X:4347 T:Für Elise T:Bagatelle No.25 in A, WoO.59 C:Ludwig van Beethoven V:1 Program 1 0 %Piano V:2 Program 1 0 bass %Piano M:3/8 L:1/16 Q:3/8=40 K:Am V:1 e^d|e^deB=dc|A2 z CEA|B2 z E^GB|c2 z Ee^d| V:2 z2|z6|A,,E,A, z z2|E,,E,^G, z z2|A,,E,A, z z2| ``` ```abc X:4347 T:Für Elise T:Bagatelle No.25 in A, WoO.59 C:Ludwig van Beethoven V:1 Program 1 0 %Piano V:2 Program 1 0 bass %Piano M:3/8 L:1/16 Q:3/8=40 K:Am V:1 e^d|e^deB=dc|A2 z CEA|B2 z E^GB|c2 z Ee^d| V:2 z2|z6|A,,E,A, z z2|E,,E,^G, z z2|A,,E,A, z z2| ``` ``` V:1 [F4d4][Ec][DB]|[C4^F4A4][C2A2][C2A2][E2c2][D2B2]|[C6A6]|[E6G6_B6^c6]|[F4A4d4][^ce][df]| V:2 [D,,A,,][D,,A,,][D,,A,,][D,,A,,][D,,A,,][D,,A,,]|[^D,,A,,][D,,A,,][D,,A,,][D,,A,,][D,,A,,][D,,A,,]|[E,,A,,][E,,A,,][E,,A,,][E,,A,,][E,,^G,,][E,,G,,]|[A,,,A,,]A,,A,,A,,A,,A,,|A,,A,,A,,A,,A,,A,,|A,,A,,A,,A,,A,,A,,| ``` ```abc V:1 Program 1 0 %Piano V:2 Program 1 0 bass %Piano M:3/8 V:1 [F4d4][Ec][DB]|[C4^F4A4][C2A2][C2A2][E2c2][D2B2]|[C6A6]|[E6G6_B6^c6]|[F4A4d4][^ce][df]| V:2 [D,,A,,][D,,A,,][D,,A,,][D,,A,,][D,,A,,][D,,A,,]|[^D,,A,,][D,,A,,][D,,A,,][D,,A,,][D,,A,,][D,,A,,]|[E,,A,,][E,,A,,][E,,A,,][E,,A,,][E,,^G,,][E,,G,,]|[A,,,A,,]A,,A,,A,,A,,A,,|A,,A,,A,,A,,A,,A,,|A,,A,,A,,A,,A,,A,,| ``` ## Pros & Cons - Pros - Simple to read for one line (or few lines) of melody - Needs little space to store essential information of a sheet music - Everything is in ASCII - Cons - Polyphony can look very complicated - Not much formatting customization