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How to Convert a Music Sheet to a Mandolin Tab

Hey there ! Learning the Mando, wanted to start easy with tabs, but couldn't find any for the song I wanted, so I created it using music sheets. And now that I know how to do it automatically, you might learn how to do it as well.

I decline all responsibility if you end up using tools for downloading content your don't own. The purpose of this guide is to help you import and convert a music sheet that you currently have, even thought I discuss briefly how to get some.

Well, so I got a Mandolin and decided that Maiden Voyage OST from Sea Of Thieves was a good starter. Found a reddit post with some tabs, but I found it lacked some notes. My opinion is worth nothing anyway, but I ended up on this score on MuseScore.

But hey, MuseScore is paid now for downloading scores, and it is using a Baryton, not a mando ! Well, no worries, I got everything worked out.

First, download MuseScore without Muse Hub. Install it. Edit : You need to download version 3.2.3 in a .msi file on Windows. That is, if you need Android to work properly, as of 2023-09-07, only scores created on 3.2.3 are readable on Android. More informations here.

Then, it isn't the scope of this guide, but you will need to gather a music sheet of the song you want to learn. This can be found on the internet, on MuseScore or you might need to use libre-score. Either way, you end up with a midi or pdf file and you'll use it on MuseScore app that you previously installed.

Either import the PDF or open the midi file. This is done using the File menu, top left.

Then, delete the instruments that you don't need in the instrument tab on the left panel.

Add an instrument, a mandolin. You might need to search for it as it is not found under a category. You can also enter the instrument panel using i shortcut.

Now click on the triangle on the left of the Mandolin, that'll open the staves. Right click the default one and select Create Linked Stave. Then use the gear box of the newly created stave, and use Tab 4 str full.

You now should have a line with the music sheet you imported using the instrument it had, a music sheet for the mandolin and one for the mandolin tabs.

How to copy them to your mandolin stave ? You'll click on the beginning of your former instrument stave, then use CTRL+SHIFT+END to select all the notes of that instrument, adn copy them using CTRL+V. Then you can paste it on your mandolin music sheet by clicking on the first case and using CTRL+V.

It will automatically convert to a mandolin tab. But the notes might not have the right key/pitch. If you still have all the mandolin notes selected, simply use the UP or DOWN key to adjust to the wanted key. Honestly, I don't know what would be standard for a Mandolin, feel free to help me out and I'll make a correction. I used my ear and found the good one.

You can finally save your sheet and use it on MuseScore. Tadaaa !

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