FermiTab 1.0

What is it?
-----------

The FermiTab tabulator program is a program to convert an ASCII file containing
music notated in tablature (tabulature) using certain conventions (very close
to those of Mario d'Alesio Tab Notator) to a MIDI file. That file can 
subsequently be played using a sequencer or a midi player.

Oh, by the way, it's a beta release (1.0).

What is it usefull for?
-----------------------

I can see at least 5 different (classes of) applications:
- There's this piece of music notated in tablature that you've seen in the
  news and you want to see how it sounds. You usually have to modify very 
	little of the original file (if it was precise enough) to do that.
- Play along with chord changes or a rythm section: just program the chord 
  change / a simple drum sequence / a simple bass line and improvise.
- Practise a lick: program the lick, loop it in the sequencer, start at slow
  tempo and speed up slowly.
- Compose a song: you can, with a certain amount of work, obtain a very crude
  demo of a song that you can show to your friends before rehearshing.
- Convert tablature to standard notation using this program plus a commercial
  notation program, or this 'mid2tex' program that's supposed to hang around
  somewhere.

What can it do?
---------------

- As many instruments as you want, notated in tablature, with tunings fully
  configurable (bass, guitar, with open tunigs, violin, ...).  
- Also support percussions, notated in a similar way.  
[- Dynamics: you can play from pianissimo to fortissimo (and everything is
  configurable).] not implemented.
- Note durations configurable.  
- Different time signatures (fully configurable).  
- Chords (fully configurable).  
- Comes with a 'default' configuration file so that everybody can start with
  the same conventions.  
- [Codas] and repeat. [Well I never wrote the coda stuff in fact.]

System suggested:
-----------------

The FermiTab notator was developped on a PC-386 machine under linux, with an
ultrasound card and the linux sound driver. But since it doesn't produce sound
itself, the card is not needed. Of course if you want to hear the product of
your files, that's another story... The system may or may not work under
MS-D*S, I didn't try to make it MS-C or Turbo-C (or whatever C) compliant (it's
not even ANSI-C). But if you dare, you can always try. You can also try it on
others machines supporting MIDI. If it works, keep me informed and send me
patches.

License:
--------

You can use this program (at your own peril), modify it for your own purpose,
even distribute your work but I prefer to be informed. If you modify it, 
do not alter the copyright notice. If you use it and like it, send me an
E-mail (if you have internet access). if you don't like it or want to 
suggest improvement, write me also.

Availability:
-------------

Check it on WWW, at the location 
http://www.eleves.ens.fr:8080/home/fermigie/tabulator.en.html

Author:
-------

Stefane Fermigier, enseignant-chercheur en mathe'matiques a` l'universite'
Paris 7.

fermigie@dmi.ens.fr, stefane.fermigier@ens.fr

WWW page : http://www.eleves.ens.fr:8080/home/fermigie/index.html

Send me your comments on the program.