Purpose

This library makes it easy to incorporate sheet music into your websites. It is primarily aimed at javascript developers. The amount of javascript required for simple uses is very small, though, so one doesn't need to be an expert.

Uses

  • Draw arbitrary sheet music.

  • Instantly modify the music.

  • Do animation effects with the drawn music.

  • Style the music using CSS.

  • Create synthesized audio for the music.

  • Search for ABC formatted strings on a webpage (for instance in post or comments on a blog) and turn them into sheet music.

  • Allow the user to modify the music instantly by typing an ABC string.

NOT

  • It does not provide a visual editor (although it could be used as a basis if you want to write one.)

Open Source Apps that require no programming

  • If you just want to render your abc but aren't trying to make an entire website, there are a number of openly accessible apps that you can use.

  • For working with tunes in the browser, see the Editoropen in new window.

  • If you are using VSCode, there is an extension that you install. Get to the extension panel with shift-cmd-X, then search for "abcjs". Once you install that you can see the notation rendered as you type in a file. To use it, open your tune file (ending in .abc) and type shift-cmd-P to get the command pallet. Search for "abcjs" to open the preview pane.

Browser/device support

  • The visual part of this library is supported from IE9 and newer, Safari 5.1 and newer, and all modern browsers.

  • This synth audio part of this library does not work on IE, but works on any system that supports AudioContext.resume and Promises. That is, any browser newer than Firefox 40, Safari 9.1, Edge 13, and Chrome 43.

Supported by BrowserStack

If you aren't using the same browser and machine that I use, you can thank BrowserStackopen in new window for their support of this open-source project.

BrowserStack

License

The MIT License (MIT)open in new window

Last Updated:
Contributors: Paul Rosen