Information > Tablature
The notation on this page is written for a CF melodeon,
but can be used for any tuning. Of course the basses will change (see the table at the bottom of this page).
This means that tablatures made for CF tuning can also be used for GC tuning and vice versa. The basses have to be adapted of course.
Below is a tablature from a Breton dance called "Hanter Dro", one of the melodies on this site (see Tab CF).
How is the tablature structured?
The numbers on the top row of the tablature should be played pushing (D or P) and those on the bottom row pulling (T). The numbers of the buttons on the inner row are indicated with an accent (6'). On the Roland FR18, the buttons of the middle row are indicated with an accent (6') and those of the inner row with a double accent (6'')
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The bas notes are written with capital letters and the chord basses with lower case letters.
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Sometimes, instead of a chord, only a bass note is played. You can see this from the capital letter under the tablature, but this is also indicated above the notation by a slash followed by the ground bass. For example /G.
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The above piece also contains (guitar) chords, which are not actually played on most melodeons, but can be simulated. In this piece, a Gm chord is played by playing a G bass note with a bb (b-flat) chord on the accordion and an Am7 chord by playing an A bass with a c chord. If the bass and chord bass are played simultaneously, the chord bass is below or next to the bass in the tablature (see Bass chords).
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Some tunes have a (possible) playing scheme, for example: Play ABC ABC A
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If a tune ends with the A section, the repeat is usually omitted.
The length of the notes cannot be read from the tablature. For this, you need the notation or the mp3 file.
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The table below shows how the bass notes and chords can be played when a melodeon is used in a different tuning.