TuxGuitar Tutorial 1.

0
By Wayne Gabree

Download TuxGuitar from http://tuxguitar.herac.com.ar/download.html

Direct Links For Installation

Windows:
http://sourceforge.net/projects/tuxguitar/files/TuxGuitar/tuxguitar-1.2-windows-x86-jet.exe
Mac:
http://sourceforge.net/projects/tuxguitar/files/TuxGuitar/tuxguitar-1.2-macosx10.5-cocoa-64.dmg
Linux:
http://sourceforge.net/projects/tuxguitar/files/TuxGuitar/tuxguitar-1.2-linux-x86-jet.run
You can also run a Java “Live” version (doesn’t install the app, but uses Java to run it over the
net):

http://community.tuxguitar.com.ar/tuxguitar-live/

Run the installation or Java and then launch the application.

It automatically opens in a new document with one track set up for Steel String Guitar. That’s
perfect to start (and will be fine for most light tabing purposes).

You can customize the track, but we’ll save that for another tutorial ;-)

Here’s where is it will start to become easier. Click on the “Show Fretboard” button:
You screen should now look like this:
Notice the fretboard that has appeared at the bottom of the window. When you click the
fretboard, the corresponding notes and tab appear in the score. If you click on the 6th string at the
5th fret, you’re window should now look like this:

Clicking on the 6th string 5th fret again will remove that note:
By default, there is only one measure and the note value that is entered is a quarter note. To add
more measures, select “Add measure” from the “Measure” menu (Measure -> Add measure):
You’ll then get a dialog box asking how many measures and where to place them:

Since we already have one, let add 11 to make 12 measures (or bars), and leave it at the default
of adding it at the end:

Click OK, and your window should now look like this:
The default entry note value is a quarter note. To change to another value, click note value you
want on the tool bar:

Let change to eighth notes. First, use the “transport” button, “First” to go the first measure (you
can also just click on the first measure:
Then, click on the eighth note on the tool bar:

You’re window should now look like this:

Now notice the square in the tab staff:

That shows what beat you are on and what beat the note enter will be on. In the case it’s the first
eighth beat. If you wanted to start on the third eighth beat, you can either click on the tab staff
just below that beat, or you can use your right and left arrow keys on your keyboard to move the
square (in this case, twice to move to the third eighth beat (or one click on the tab staff under the
rest place holder for the third eighth beat):

Now, you can enter notes either by clicking the desired notes on the fretboard or by entering
them by typing the fret number (which will show up in the box). For example, we hit the
number 5 or click on the sixth string at the fifth fret, we get this:
You can delete the note by either clicking on the box and type the backspace key or by simply
clicking the sixth string at the fifth fret a second time:
If you want to enter a chord, there is a special “Insert chord” tool button:

Clicking this brings up this dialog box:

As you can see, you can select the Letter name of the chord and the type of chord, then you can
select which one you want (most commonly used chord are right at your finger tips). Select A
from the first column, 7 from the second and then selecting the second chord voicing displayed
at the bottom half of the dialog looks like this (and you’ll hear the chord played):
Click OK, and you’ll see this:
That wasn’t too hard! Move to the next eighth beat (right key or click the tab staff under the rest:

Now, repeat the add chord – hit the “Insert chord” tool button, select A, 7, the second voicing
and hit ok:

Now you should have this:

Move to the seventh eight note:

And enter another A7 chord just like before. Finally, move over one more eighth and enter a
final A7. You’re window should look like this:
There doesn’t appear to be a way to copy notes, but you can copy entire measures. Select
Measure -> Copy Measure:

You will then see the following dialog:

You can copy one measure or a range of measures. Leave it the way it is (by default it selects
the measure that the enter box is in) and click OK.

Now click on the tab staff anywhere in the second measure – you should now see that the enter
box is in the second measure:

Now, select Measure -> Paste Measure:

You should get the following dialog:

Type in the number 11 and click ok to paste starting where you are. You should now have 12
full measure of the A7:
If you want to change the two eighth rests into quarter note rest, move the enter box under the
first beat of the two eighths:
The click on the quarter note:

Your window should now look like this:

Notice that the two eighths have been replaced with a quarter.

The last thing I’ll show you in this tutorial is how to change the tempo. Click the Tempo tool
button:

And you’ll get this dialog:

Enter the desired tempo. Notice that you have choices about where it applies. Click ok to accept
the default (whole song).

Now, to play back the song, press the “First” transport tool button:
Then press “Play”. Enjoy!