Examples

Four pieces arranged for guitar from public scores. Open one to hear it, follow the tab as it plays, then switch to Compose to see how it's written, or change it and make it your own.

For Elise

Ludwig van Beethoven

The complete piano piece, not just the famous opening. Both hands of the piano score are combined for one guitar, and simplified where a guitar can't follow them. Written in 3/4 with every note value doubled (the original is in 3/8).

  • Standard tuning
  • 3/4
  • 100 BPM
  • Chord labels and an arpeggiated accompaniment

Arranged from the Mutopia Project's public-domain edition, typeset by Stelios Samelis.

Open in TabCraft

Canon in D

Johann Pachelbel

The first violin's melody over Pachelbel's repeating ground bass, in Drop D tuning so the low D bass rings on the open sixth string. A good example of a melody and a bass line sharing one guitar.

  • Drop D tuning
  • 4/4
  • 110 BPM
  • Chord labels

Arranged from the Mutopia Project edition of Canon per 3 Violini e Basso, typeset by Michael Fischer v. Mollard, licensed CC BY 4.0.

Open in TabCraft

Spanish Romance

Anonymous

The classical guitar favourite (also known as Romance de Amor), in its flowing 9/8 triplets: a melody on the top string over arpeggios, written for the guitar to begin with.

  • Standard tuning
  • 9/8
  • 120 BPM
  • Chord labels

Arranged from the Mutopia Project edition typeset by Jeff Covey, licensed CC BY-SA 2.5; this arrangement is shared under the same license.

Open in TabCraft

Greensleeves

Traditional

The English folk tune as a single melody, with each bar's chord written in by hand, so TabCraft's accompaniment plays the harmony the song is known for. Short and slow enough to learn from the tab.

  • Standard tuning
  • 3/4
  • 120 BPM
  • Chord labels and an arpeggiated accompaniment

Arranged from the Mutopia Project's public-domain edition for accordion, typeset by Ralf Axel Gehlert.

Open in TabCraft

All four come from the Mutopia Project, a library of free sheet music. Opening an example replaces what's on your staff, so save your own work first (Library, then Save current).