Plain Text Notation: For guitar, bass, ukulele, banjo... Easy to Write, Easy to Read

Plain Text Notation

Plain Text Notation will have you, a budding musician or seasoned professional, writing your musical ideas quickly and easily with nothing more than the tools you have at hand. No more need for special tablature pads. No need for difficult software. PTN is easy to write, easy to read and captures all the nuances of your playing.

Learn how to build up your PTN (pronounced pattern) by starting with notes and chords, then adding timing, and finishing off with embellishments such as hammer ons, pull offs, palm muting, slides up and down, bends up and down, vibrato, harmonics and tapping. Each embellishment is accompanied by a short musical example so you know how to use it for your own music.

Replacement for Tablature

Plain text notation has been used in place of tablature and standard notation for guitars, both electric and acoustic, bass guitars, ukuleles, and banjos. The system can be used for any string instrument and breaks down the barriers to writing music.

Ready when you are

Just as having your instrument handy will mean you will play more, understanding the simple plain text notation system means that you will write musical ideas down more often. Having to find tablature paper or standard score paper, or having to fire up an application on your computer or tablet is a chore that stops many players for writing their ideas down. Plain text notation does not need any of that. It can be written with pen or pencil on any paper lined or unlined. If you cannot find a pen or paper but you have a smartphone with you then a simple text editor will do. You can even write your ptns using voice to text on smartphones! Try that with any other system.