12.3.1 Banjo tablatures

LilyPond has basic support for the five-string banjo. When making tablatures for five-string banjo, use the banjo tablature format function to get correct fret numbers for the fifth string:

music = {
  g8 d' g'\5 a b g e d' |
  g4 d''8\5 b' a'\2 g'\5 e'\2 d' |
  g4
}

<<
  \new Staff \with { \omit StringNumber }
  { \clef "treble_8"  \music }
  \new TabStaff \with {
    tablatureFormat = #fret-number-tablature-format-banjo
    stringTunings = #banjo-open-g-tuning
  }
  { \music }
>>

A number of common tunings for the five-string banjo are predefined: banjo-open-g-tuning (gDGBD), banjo-c-tuning (gCGBD), banjo-modal-tuning (gDGCD), banjo-open-d-tuning (aDF#AD), banjo-open-dm-tuning (aDFAD), banjo-double-c-tuning (gCGCD) and banjo-double-d-tuning (aDGDE).

These may be converted to four-string tunings using the four-string-banjo function:

\set TabStaff.stringTunings = #(four-string-banjo banjo-c-tuning)

See also

Installed Files: ly/string-tunings-init.ly.

Snippets: Fretted strings.