# Creating a tablature stave

## Overview

Music for fretted, stringed instruments is commonly notated using **tablature** (often abbreviated as **tab**); this gives a visual representation of the strings and fret numbers. Tablature is frequently found in combination with traditional staff notation.

<figure><img src="https://3437726813-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FhlQyZtOnJ5I68XsXPBVv%2Fuploads%2Fgit-blob-80d10785f4497cddcf3ceb27139e0921ac0a78d9%2Fstaff_tab_combination.png?alt=media" alt="Normal staff and tablature combination"><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

## Types of tablature staves

A variety of tablature templates for common instruments are supplied. If this isn't quite what you're looking for, you can easily change the template (see Changing tablature staff type), and/or customize the staff (see Tablature: customization).

## Adding a tablature staff to your score

There are three possibilities:

* Create tablature as part of a new score.
* Add tablature to an existing score.
* Change an existing staff from standard to tablature.

### Add tablature using the New Score dialog

To create tablature as part of a new score:

1. Open the New Score dialog.
2. Select the required tablature from either the **Choose Instruments** or **Create from template** tabs.
3. Complete the rest of the New Score dialog.

### Add tablature using the Instruments dialog

To create a tablature staff in an existing score:

1. In the **Layout** panel, click on the `Add` button; or press the shortcut key, `I`. This brings up the **Add or remove instruments** dialog.
2. Click on the **Strings – Plucked** family and choose the desired tablature from the **Instruments** column.
3. Press `OK`.

### Change an existing staff from standard to tablature

1. Make sure that the standard staff contains a plucked string instrument;
2. Use one of the methods described under Changing tablature staff type.

## Creating paired standard and tablature staves

Music for the guitar (and other plucked-string instruments) is often notated using paired standard *and* tablature staves. In MuseScore, the staves can be either *linked* or *unlinked*.

* **Linked**: Any change you make to the notation in one staff automatically updates the other.
* **Unlinked**: Each staff is edited independently. To update the other staff, copy and paste the relevant music notation.

*Note* : In both cases, the staff/tablature pair shares the *same* instrument.

### Create paired standard/tab staves using the New Score Wizard

There are two ways to do this when creating a new score (A or B):

**A.** For *linked* staves only:

1. Open the New Score Wizard.
2. In the "Create from template" tab, click on the "Solo" category and choose the "Guitar + Tablature" .
3. Complete the rest of the New Score wizard.
4. Change the instrument type, if required, in Staff / Part properties.
5. Change the tablature type, if required (see Changing tablature staff type).

**B**. For linked *or* unlinked staves:

1. Open the New Score Wizard.
2. In the "Choose instruments" tab, click on the "Strings – Plucked" family, and select a staff option from the "Instruments" column.
3. Complete the rest of the wizard.
4. Add the desired staff using the Instruments panel.

### Create paired standard/tab staves using the Instruments dialog

Use this method when you want to add to an existing score:

1. Open the **Add or remove instruments** dialog: press `I`; or, alternatively, the `Add` button in the **Instruments** sidebar
2. Click on the **Strings – Plucked** family and choose the desired staff from the **Instruments** column.
3. Press `OK`.
4. Add the desired tablature from the **Layout** panel.

**Note**: If you already have one staff of a standard/tab pair in your score, you can simply add the missing staff from the **Instruments** panel. See Adding and configuring staves.