# Power tab vs. guitar pro vs. others



## cvinos (Jun 19, 2007)

I am wondering which program is the best to tab, and also which one is best to write real notes for compositions for one or a few instruments.

I'd appreciate any opinions on which on is the best or just what are the advantages of this or that.


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## telecaster90 (Jun 19, 2007)

I'm a fan of Tabit, but that's just me. It's easier to use for me becuase you don't have to put in note values.


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## Metal Ken (Jun 19, 2007)

i like to write down guitar parts in powertab, since you can see both staffs at once. I like to program drums in GP5, and bass as well. i'd never use GP5 for anything other than programming drums/bass.
Powertab's printouts look way more 'professional' for what its worth.


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## Drew (Jun 19, 2007)

Powertab, hands down. I can't see how Tabit can play back accurately without note durations, and unlike GP, Powertab is freeware. 

I did all the lessons I wrote for this site in Powertab as well - sure that's not a fuck of a lot, but as you can see, it's a useful tool.


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## DDDorian (Jun 19, 2007)

They both have their pros and cons. Powertab is missing the option to add fret-hand fingerings, but it does things that Guitar Pro doesn't, like allow you to add independant bass notes (say, a quarter-note melody note over a half-note bass) that in Guitar Pro has to be approximated with ties (although you can import Powertab files with independant basslines like this and they translate perfecty, what gives?). Powertab also has a few more dynamic options, like fade ins/outs, and the musical directions are a bit less cluttered for mine.

In Powertab you can be as messy or as proper with the scores as you want, but Guitar Pro forces your measures to add up exactly, which is beneficial in that you'll always end up with a better finished product, but if you're jotting down ideas and can't figure out, say, an odd time signature, then you'll have one hell of a time putting it into Guitar Pro. As far as I know, Powertab's tuplet option can allow you to force tuplet brackets of any number, whereas Guitar Pro's tuplets come from a drop-down list, which is kinda annoying as if a tuplet group you want isn't there then it can be hard to get around.

One of the pros of Guitar Pro is that you can import text-based tabs and provided they're not too badly done it can convert them into Guitar Pro format for you, and usually does a pretty decent job. It can also import Powertab files, although so many Powertab files are messily put together that you often have to put in a lot of work to get them to play back properly.

Of course, the biggest difference is that Powertab is free, whereas Guitar Pro isn't. These days Guitar Pro comes with a "Realistic Sound Engine" which basically plays back your scores with samples rather than MIDI; these vary from instrument to instrument and go from generally workable to abysmal. Guitar Pro also caters more to tabbing drums than Powertab, which is only really for guitar and bass.

In the end, even if you choose Guitar Pro, get Powertab as well, it's free and doesn't take up much space. Maybe even get it first and then decide whether you really need to shell out for another tablature program.


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## TomAwesome (Jun 19, 2007)

Guitar Pro is probably better in most respects. My other guitarist uses GP5 to write stuff and send it over to me (which is good, because he can be really bad with timing and making sure measures have the right number of beats, which GP forces you to get right). Power Tab works fine for me, though, so I haven't bothered to really learn GP5.


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## Bcoble0927 (Jun 20, 2007)

I say Powertab, just because you can organize stuff better and you can look at both staffs. I hate trying to learn stuff on guitar pro. The only think I like on Guitar Pro is the drums, put I don't use it that much.


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## yevetz (Jun 20, 2007)

I use Guitar Pro. BTW there new wersion (5.0) with "Real Sound Engine". 

Very good


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## Sebastian (Jun 20, 2007)

for ... tabs of songs i'm learning.. i use good old tabs .. like in a "notepad" .,...
as for writing... composing... I just dont do that


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## Seedawakener (Jun 20, 2007)

I always use Guitar pro. Mostly it is for writing down songs, and I never have any problem. But if I do have a problem I often find a way to solve it. The drums are so easy to write in GP5.  I'd get it! I downloaded it though...


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## Metal Ken (Jun 20, 2007)

PowerTab does show you how much your measures are off by. it doesnt turn them red but if you look in the lower right corner, it actually tells you how much over/under your measure is unlike GP which just turns it red.


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## Pauly (Jun 20, 2007)

I am a PowerTab man, but just because it's free.


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## Drew (Jun 20, 2007)

DDDorian said:


> They both have their pros and cons. Powertab is missing the option to add fret-hand fingerings...



It's not a hard-coded option, but you can add fingering indications as text over the staff. It's not as elegant, but it works. 




Metal Ken said:


> PowerTab does show you how much your measures are off by. it doesnt turn them red but if you look in the lower right corner, it actually tells you how much over/under your measure is unlike GP which just turns it red.



There's also the "Score Checker" feature, which verifies all your bars are correct. I've never noticed the lower righthand corner thing - I'll have to look into that.


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## gajatko (Apr 10, 2008)

PowerTab sucks because it cannot hide a tabulature. Everything I expect from guitar software is to playback, edit, display and print notes correctly and comfortable. 

Guitar Pro is (almost) perfect for me. As somebody mentioned, it lacks multiple-voice music support, but it doesn't hurt very much as long as two voices are supported anyway.


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## Randy (Apr 11, 2008)

The tabs I print from Power Tab look better, than the ones from Guitar Pro, IMO.


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## Drew (Apr 11, 2008)

gajatko said:


> PowerTab sucks because it cannot hide a tabulature.



Kind of a random bump, dude.  

Let me get this right, though - you don't like this particular tablature software because it doesn't let you hide the tablature...? Um, it's a tablature program, not a notation one, that's the whole point.


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## RobotBodiesBFF (May 13, 2008)

I use GP5. I have been for awhile. It gives me pretty much all i need for basic songwriting


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## DaveCarter (May 13, 2008)

Guitar Pro all the way. Ive been in several bands that will literally write entire songs using that program. You can email the files in seconds, so you can keep altering parts by sending files back and forward over MSN chat etc, then email it out to the whole band. Everyone learns their parts on their own then you can just turn up to the rehearsal and nail it in one!!...in theory 

The drums are a big plus since you get a much better sense of a riff's feel when you can experiment with different drum grooves underneath it. PLus you can have many more instrument lines than you can in guitar pro, aswell as beter articulation/dynamics controls.


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## Unknown Doodl3.2 (May 13, 2008)

Guitar pro does allow you to view all staves at the same time...

that said, Powertab FTW!


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## Trespass (May 14, 2008)

Powertab's library is SOOOO much more accurate, and it doesn't have that shitty RSE engine. I just turn that RSE engine off (when on GP) and use midi, it sucks so bad.


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## Se7enMeister (May 14, 2008)

powertabs = free =


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## Unknown Doodl3.2 (May 14, 2008)

Trespass said:


> Powertab's library is SOOOO much more accurate, and it doesn't have that shitty RSE engine. I just turn that RSE engine off (when on GP) and use midi, it sucks so bad.



actually, I findi t useful full acoustic guitar parts when you're writing something and you want to hear how all the parts sound together.


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## neon_black88 (May 15, 2008)

Guitar pro FTW! It will better your song writing, theres no reason not to make songs in guitar pro with all instruments because you can! Learn to write drum parts, its fun. I can write drum tracks better than some drummers I know now, and I also have a VERY clear idea of what I want the drummer to be doing for my songs.

Guitar Pro 4 to be precise is the best for me, because the note values are right where the tab is, RIGHT under the fret numbers, so I can read the rhythms and the notes at the same time, which makes sight reading SOOO easy, and learning songs way easier too. From using guitar pro I've learnt to pretty much recognise any time signature, and read any rhythm in real music. I can read a guitar pro and play it without listening to it. I wouldnt have these skills if it wasn't for this program.

I like powertab too, its free so thats a big bonus. I find it way harder to sight read the rhythms though, because theyre not right on the fret numbers. I just love being able to read something and know what it is without pushing play. Powertab isnt as good for me in that regard.


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## AK DRAGON (May 23, 2009)

Yea, so shoot me for bringing this tread back to life.
It saves space and people complaining about opening up a new one

I have used Guitar Pro - I find the functions lacking (especially note placement and bass line missing)
Power Tab lacks doesn't have the features I am looking for
Finale way too complicated and it's TAB documentation is non existant

Any other programs people have seen or have come across that may be better??


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## phantom911 (May 23, 2009)

I use tux-guitar now for most of my tabbing just because it's freeware that plays both powertab and guitarpro files


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## COBHC (May 23, 2009)

phantom911 said:


> I use tux-guitar now for most of my tabbing just because it's freeware that plays both powertab and guitarpro files



Im suprised it took someone this long to mention tux lol. Ive used all 3 but stick mostly to guitar pro because it was the first program I started tabbing with.


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## scottro202 (Jun 12, 2009)

Se7enMeister said:


> powertabs = free =


 
this sums up most of my feelings on this matter

then again, I'd say GP5, if it was free, which it isn't


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