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one-file python tool for handling musical notation in abc-format

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abctool

abctool is a one-file python tool for working with music notation in the abc format.

Features

  • tranposition (both my own implementation and using abc2abc)
  • read from standard input or file
  • output to standard output, PostScript, PDF or MIDI
  • view (using abcm2ps and gv)
  • translation of chord names to danish/german ("B" becomes "H")
  • removal of chords and fingerings
  • supports ~/.abctoolrc

Instalation

Since abctool is a python script, it doesn't need to be installed. How ever, it depends on a number of things to be present on the system to perform it's various tasks:

  • Python
  • abcm2ps (to generate postscript files)
  • gv (to view postscript files, and to generate pdf files )
  • abc2midi (to convert to midi or listen to a file)
  • timidity (to listen to a file)
  • texexec (to use the --songbook feature), in debian it's part of the tetex-extra package
  • abc2abc (to transpose using -T, not recommended)

Examples

To view the list of options:

$ abctool

To edit an abc file (on my system it opens the source in emacs and shows the postscript in gv)

$ abctool -e test.abc

To transpose the file "test.abc" a minor third up, convert it to postscript and view the result in gv:

$ abctool -t 3 test.abc

To do the same using abc2abc:

$ abctool -T 3 test.abc

To remove fingerings from the file "test.abc", translate chords to danish and send the result to standard out:

$ abctool -f -d -s test.abc

To remove all chords from the file "test.abc", convert it to postscript in landscape format and view the result in gv:

$ abctool -c -o "-l" test.abc

To make a songbook of all .abc-files in the current directory:

$ cat *.abc | abctool -r -

To generate PostScript, PDF and midi output from the file "test.abc" with "m7b5" substituted with "ø" and "dim7" with "°":

$ abctool -j --ps --pdf test.abc

To listen to the file "test.abc":

$ abctool -p test.abc

To generate a pdf file (songbook.pdf) containing all songs recursively in current directory in concert key, Bb and Eb, bypassing ~/.abctoolrc:

$ abctool --songbook -R --norc

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one-file python tool for handling musical notation in abc-format

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