Can anyone suggest a notation tool on the Windows platform that help meet my needs?
I'm taking a break from writing songs and want to focus on improving my bass playing skills and see that studying and learning the material of bands and songs I enjoy is a good and fun way to accomplish this.
At a very minimum I need software that can produce tab (which I'm getting better and better at) underneath sheet music. See screenshot of a song by Ace below. I don't have any interest or skill in writing scores for orchestras and the like; this is about bass guitar and maybe keyboard at some point.
I'm getting tired of copying and pasting bass tabs from UltimateGuitar and want a better approach. I'm hoping there are tools out there that have a large library of quality ready-made bass tab/sheet music for popular songs across rock, folk, R&B etc.
A nice-to-have would be the ability to loop and scroll the tab across the screen as a learning aid. Another nice-to-have is access to the actual music (MP3 or WAV). So far, I have avoided MIDI (too much on my plate right now).
Ease of use is important and compatibility with Studio One a plus. Another plus is the ability to take a song that is 9 pages long (and thus won't fit nicely on my music stand) and to extract the intro, verse, chorus, etc so that it will fit in 2 or 3 pages. And AI-driven is not necessarily important at this time.
Everything else equal, I'd prefer to avoid an expensive subscription service; a popular (large user base) software tool installed on my hardrive is preferred if possible.
Most likely there are other features that would be useful that I'm unaware of at this time and ones I could grow into.
Here are a few possibilities that I've found, but it's quite dizzying for a novice like me to sort thru. GuitarPro AudioScore Ultimate Notion Progression Sibelius Finale MuseScore
Any suggestions from those with this kind of experience would be much appreciated.
https://soundcloud.com/user-646279677 BiaB 2026 Windows For me there’s no better place in the band than to have one leg in the harmony world and the other in the percussive. Thank you Paul Tutmarc and Leo Fender.
Dan’s recommendation makes sense to me. Given the importance of tab for you, it would be good to use a product developed for guitar and bass. I’ve used many of those programs (including being a beta tester with some others not on your list and now as a tester with Notion) but do not work with tab.
BIAB 2026 Win Audiophile. Software: Fender Studio One 8, Swam horns, Acoustica-7, Notion 6, Song Master Pro, Win 11 Home. Hardware: Intel i9, 32 Gb; Presonus Quantom HD8 & Faderport 8, Royer 121, Adam Sub8 & Neumann 120 monitors.
I knew I came to the right place for sound advice. Three guys with plenty street credentials; Dan, Matt and Rick. Thanks guys.
https://soundcloud.com/user-646279677 BiaB 2026 Windows For me there’s no better place in the band than to have one leg in the harmony world and the other in the percussive. Thank you Paul Tutmarc and Leo Fender.
BIAB. CbB. Mixbus 32C 8 HP Envy. Intel core i7. 16GB RAM W10. Focusrite Scarlett 18i 20. Various instruments played with varying degrees of proficiency.
Windows 10 (64bit) M-Audio Fast Track Pro, Band in a Box 2025, Cubase 14, Cakewalk and far too many VST plugins that I probably don't need or will ever use
Not sure what you mean by "song music window is small". The GUI can be full screen.
Here are three points.
1) Guitar-Pro has been around for decades. Goes back to my early days with BIAB. They have grown and expanded over the years. Which is one reason there is a huge library of song files. And I mean huge! You may have to google "GP songs". In the old days these were all avialable for download. However, times have changed. I don't know how this is being managed today.
2) Currently Version 8 is available. This added Audio tracks for the first time. See attached video which illustrates the "GUI" along with how to operate with the audio track.
3) And in case you think this software is not a fully mature notation tool, this should change you mind
And finally, Yes, that is David who has been my guitar teacher for the past 10 years.
You must be talking about mySongBook, which is something else. Guitar Pro is a music notation/ guitar tab app. You write music in it. You can also find tabs all over the place in Guitar Pro format.
mySongBook is a subscription that gives you access to "official" tabs in Guitar Pro format.
Byron Dickens
BIAB. CbB. Mixbus 32C 8 HP Envy. Intel core i7. 16GB RAM W10. Focusrite Scarlett 18i 20. Various instruments played with varying degrees of proficiency.
Guitar Pro is simply the best notation software for stringed musical instruments out there. The sheet music is pro quality and ready to be published. It's also pretty intuitive. I've been using it for years.
I know the earlier versions played well with BIAB. I haven't upgraded since ver. 5 but I do plan on getting current at some point.
Thanks a lot Dan and Byron, that has cleared up things for me. Thanks for video links Dan, will have a look at those.
So basically Guitar Pro is a notation programme with an inbuilt option to subscribe to my song book which does cost extra, though many files on internet that can be opened in Guitar Pro.
Windows 10 (64bit) M-Audio Fast Track Pro, Band in a Box 2025, Cubase 14, Cakewalk and far too many VST plugins that I probably don't need or will ever use
1) ... there is a huge library of song files. And I mean huge! You may have to google "GP songs". In the old days these were all avialable for download. However, times have changed. I don't know how this is being managed today.
I have Guitar Pro V6 from 2010.
So I downloaded the current V8. Sure enough they give you a peak at their library of songs which you apparenly have to sign-up in order to fully access them. In V8 looks like you only get a taste of the first page of each song. In order to fully play and fully edit you need to signup for MySongBook (Currently $15 for the year). Literally, 1000's of songs with full transcriptions. Back in 2010 this was all free! Or maybe I just thought they were free since you could download from multiple sites. I learned how to play Europa by Santana from this app!
Current pricing for mySongBook is 5€/20€/30€ for one month/six months/one year as a subscription, giving you access to all scores available. No automatic renewal. Also, no printing. I prefer to use their Credits system. One score costs one credit, which gives me forever access to that score, and the ability to print it. Credit pricing is 2€/8€/20€ for 1/5/20 scores. I buy 20 credits at a time. When I find a score I like in the mySongBook window, double-clicking on it gives me the option to "buy" it with 1 credit.
Through the fog of many years, I think it was v2 of Guitar Pro that I started with. The current version, v8, is flat out awesome. You used to have to buy the high-quality playback instruments separate from the Guitar Pro license, but they're included now.
I suspect the $ prices are the same as € prices. Someone please correct me if that is incorrect. Merci d'avance.
Last edited by TheMaartian; 08/08/2303:54 AM.
ThinkPad i9 32GB RAM 7TB SSD; Win11 Pro; RME Fireface UCX II; BiaB 2026 Ultra Studio Pro 8; Tonalic Studio 1; Reaper v7; Bitwig Studio 6; Melodyne Studio 5 Gig Performer 5; NI S61 MK3; Focal Shape 65; Beyerdynamic DT 880 & 770
I bit the bullet and bought this and was first overwhelmed by the size of this program. But Dan helped orient me and I learned something crucial that the tutorial videos would probably never go into.
There is a whole eco-system of Guitar Pro musicians that produce notated music that is GP compatible, much of which is free. One site is gtptabs.com
This program aligns very nicely with my workflow and learning goals and is not too dissimilar to my only other data point in this realm, which is the UltimateGuitar website.
https://soundcloud.com/user-646279677 BiaB 2026 Windows For me there’s no better place in the band than to have one leg in the harmony world and the other in the percussive. Thank you Paul Tutmarc and Leo Fender.
Beware of tabs you find on the Internet. They range in quality from dead-on note-for-note accurate to pretty close to "what the hell was this guy even listening to when he transcribed this."
Of course, the same thing goes for the books too.
Byron Dickens
BIAB. CbB. Mixbus 32C 8 HP Envy. Intel core i7. 16GB RAM W10. Focusrite Scarlett 18i 20. Various instruments played with varying degrees of proficiency.
Question about the paid printing. Do they allow you to download the score? If so, can’t you download it as a PDF?
I'm only a day old with this software but what I've seen so far is that these Guitar Pro compatible files are not in native PDF format. They are in a format that allows the GP program itself to fully understand them with all manner of richness such as traditional musical symbols, not just tab. The program can also do other things beyond allowing you to edit it such as displaying which instrument you want displayed in the notation. I see already that I'll be growing into this program for years to come.
Once the file is in GP you can then export it in GPX, GP5, MIDI, ASCII, MusicXML, PDF, SVG, PNG and Audio formats.
Here is one of many songs I plan to learn that I downloaded (free) from gtptabs.com and then exported in PDF. I have full edit control within GP of this score. Of course, I can't vouch for the quality of the transcription yet, but this I do know. I could never transcribe this myself.
If you compare this to the image in my original post you see that this is exactly what I was looking/hoping for.
Now at the risk of "asking for the moon", what I think their next step should be is to allow you to drag an audio file into the program, perhaps include the chord progression for it, press a button and bam! A quality score is produced in sheet and/or tab format
Last edited by Bass Thumper; 08/08/2309:11 AM.
https://soundcloud.com/user-646279677 BiaB 2026 Windows For me there’s no better place in the band than to have one leg in the harmony world and the other in the percussive. Thank you Paul Tutmarc and Leo Fender.
Now at the risk of "asking for the moon", what I think their next step should be is to allow you to drag an audio file into the program, perhaps include the chord progression for it, press a button and bam! A quality score is produced in sheet and/or tab format
Several programs are closing in on this but none that I know of are there yet. Melodyne and Transcribe have some needed elements, as does the Chord AI app.
——-
If Guitar Pro can read the format of those songs and then export them as PDF, why would anyone pay to print a file from the Internet? I must be missing something.
BIAB 2026 Win Audiophile. Software: Fender Studio One 8, Swam horns, Acoustica-7, Notion 6, Song Master Pro, Win 11 Home. Hardware: Intel i9, 32 Gb; Presonus Quantom HD8 & Faderport 8, Royer 121, Adam Sub8 & Neumann 120 monitors.
If Guitar Pro can read the format of those songs and then export them as PDF, why would anyone pay to print a file from the Internet? I must be missing something.
I think one reason is that native GP files can contain audio that is synced to the score. But from what I've seen so far, this audio is not high quality (in some cases think $99 Casio keyboard) and may not contain vocals. In the past and moving to the future I use a high quality audio track either from the artists album or a YouTube cover of the song I like. And I believe these "3rd party" audio files can also be synced with the score. [A great example of a cover I like better than the original is Sail On Sailor by the Beach Boys but covered by Foxes and Fossils.]
Another reason may be the quality of the "GP sanctioned scores" could be higher quality than what you can get for free.
A 3rd reason may be that a free version of the score you realy want is simply not available but a non-free score is.
https://soundcloud.com/user-646279677 BiaB 2026 Windows For me there’s no better place in the band than to have one leg in the harmony world and the other in the percussive. Thank you Paul Tutmarc and Leo Fender.
Band-in-a-Box® 2025 for Mac® users: Build 904 now available!
If you're already using Band-in-a-Box® 2025 for Mac®, make sure to grab the latest update! Build 904 is now available for download and includes the newest additions and enhancements from our team.
PowerTracks 2026 is here—bringing powerful new enhancements designed to make your production workflow faster, smoother, and more intuitive than ever.
The enhanced Mixer now shows Track Type and Instrument icons for instant track recognition, while a new grid option simplifies editing views. Non-floating windows adopt a modern title bar style, replacing the legacy blue bar.
The Master Volume is now applied at the end of the audio chain for consistent levels and full-signal master effects.
Tablature now includes a “Save bends when saving XML” option for improved compatibility with PG Music tools. Plus, you can instantly match all track heights with a simple Ctrl-release after resizing, and Add2 chords from MGU/SGU files are now fully supported... and more!
Get started today—first-time packages start at just $49.
Already using PowerTracks Pro Audio? Upgrade for as little as $29 and enjoy the latest improvements!
Band-in-a-Box 2026 for Windows Special Offers End Tomorrow (January 15th, 2026) at 11:59 PM PST!
Time really is running out! Save up to 50% on Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows® upgrades and receive a FREE Bonus PAK—only when you order by 11:59 PM PST on Thursday, January 15, 2026!
We've added many major new features and new content in a redesigned Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows®!
Version 2026 introduces a modernized GUI redesign across the program, with updated toolbars, refreshed windows, smoother workflows, and a new Dark Mode option. There’s also a new side toolbar for quicker access to commonly used windows, and the new Multi-View feature lets you arrange multiple windows as layered panels without overlap, making it easier to customize your workspace.
Another exciting new addition is the new AI-Notes feature, which can transcribe polyphonic audio into MIDI. You can view the results in notation or play them back as MIDI, and choose whether to process an entire track or focus on specific parts like drums, bass, guitars/piano, or vocals. There's over 100 new features in Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows®.
There's an amazing collection of new content too, including 202 RealTracks, new RealStyles, MIDI SuperTracks, Instrumental Studies, “Songs with Vocals” Artist Performance Sets, Playable RealTracks Set 5, two RealDrums Stems sets, XPro Styles PAK 10, Xtra Styles PAK 21, and much more!
Upgrade your Band-in-a-Box for Windows to save up to 50% on most Band-in-a-Box® 2026 upgrade packages!
Plus, when you order your Band-in-a-Box® 2026 upgrade during our special, you'll receive a Free Bonus PAK of exciting new add-ons.
If you need any help deciding which package is the best option for you, just let us know. We are here to help!
Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows® Special Offers Extended Until January 15, 2026!
Good news! You still have time to upgrade to the latest version of Band-in-a-Box® for Windows® and save. Our Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows® special now runs through January 15, 2025!
We've packed Band-in-a-Box® 2026 with major new features, enhancements, and an incredible lineup of new content! The program now sports a sleek, modern GUI redesign across the entire interface, including updated toolbars, refreshed windows, smoother workflows, a new dark mode option, and more. The brand-new side toolbar provides quicker access to key windows, while the new Multi-View feature lets you arrange multiple windows as layered panels without overlap, creating a flexible, clutter-free workspace. We have an amazing new “AI-Notes” feature. This transcribes polyphonic audio into MIDI so you can view it in notation or play it back as MIDI. You can process an entire track (all pitched instruments and drums) or focus on individual parts like drums, bass, guitars/piano, or vocals. There's an amazing collection of new content too, including 202 RealTracks, new RealStyles, MIDI SuperTracks, Instrumental Studies, “Songs with Vocals” Artist Performance Sets, Playable RealTracks Set 5, two RealDrums Stems sets, XPro Styles PAK 10, Xtra Styles PAK 21, and much more!
There are over 100 new features in Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows®.
When you order purchase Band-in-a-Box® 2026 before 11:59 PM PST on January 15th, you'll also receive a Free Bonus PAK packed with exciting new add-ons.
Upgrade to Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows® today! Check out the Band-in-a-Box® packages page for all the purchase options available.
One of our representatives will be happy to help you over the phone. Our hours of operation are from
6:00AM to 6:00PM PST (GMT -8) Monday thru Friday, and 8:00AM to 4:00PM PST Saturday. We are closed Sunday. You can also send us your questions via email.
One of our representatives will be happy to help you on our Live Chat or by email. Our hours of operation are from
6:00AM to 6:00PM PST (GMT -8) Monday thru Friday; 8:00AM to 4:00PM PST (GMT -8) Saturday; Closed Sunday.
I learned how to play Europa by Santana from this app!
Dansk
Deutsch - Windows
Español
Français - Windows
Italiano - Windows
Nederlands
Polski
Português
Svenskt
русский
Japanese
Simplified Chinese
Traditional Chinese
Korean