ABC Tremolo Harmonica Player

Overview

Load, type, or paste ABC tunes and play them with synchronized standard notation and a simulated two-row tremolo harmonica. The active pair of reeds is highlighted while the symbol below it shows whether to blow or draw.

It supports many common standard tremolo harmonica models and tunings, as well as the option to define a custom tremolo harmonica.

Tremolo Settings

Tremolo model selects one of the supported fixed model layouts. Each model uses a fixed note mapping rather than transposing a generic tuning.

Suzuki SU-13M: 13-Hole is available in C and Am.

Tombo 3116: 16-Hole (Low G) uses the Low G 16-hole layout and is available in C.

Tombo 2116: 16-Hole (Low A) uses the Low A 16-hole layout and is available in C.

Tombo 1521: 21-Hole provides all 12 major keys, all 12 harmonic minor keys, and all 12 natural minor keys. Natural minor tunings are labeled with Nm (for example, CNm).

Tombo 3121: 21-Hole is available in C, C#, Cm, G, G#, Gm, A, A#, and Am.

Tombo 3124: 24-Hole is available in C, C#, A, and A#.

Key shows only the mappings available for the selected model.

Octave shift shifts the tablature mapping by whole octaves from -3 through +3 without changing the written ABC notes.

Playback transpose shifts the playback pitch from -12 through +12 semitones without changing the written ABC notes or the displayed harmonica holes and blow/draw indications.

This can make it possible and simple to play tunes on a tremolo harmonica in a key different from the tune.

If the ABC contains a %%MIDI transpose directive, the Playback transpose setting takes precedence during playback; the original ABC is not changed.

Tuning, key, octave shift, and playback transpose are remembered in this browser and included in share links.

Tremolo Diagram

The diagram represents the two rows of a tremolo harmonica. Each playable note uses a vertically aligned pair of reeds; both holes in the pair are highlighted together. Green indicates blow and magenta indicates draw.

Display chooses Arrows or Text. Arrows show breath direction. Text shows the position number, with a leading – for draw. Tremolo layouts in this player use only blow and draw; bends, overblows, and chromatic-slide techniques are not supported.

Show note displays the current note on a staff beside the note name and is remembered in this browser.

ABC Editing and Notation

Editing the ABC rebuilds the notation and tremolo harmonica solution. Clicking a rendered note selects the complete ABC note token and updates the tremolo display to that note. Use the editor text-size menu to change the ABC editor text size.

The Full-Page View buttons expand the ABC editor, notation, or tremolo display. Press Escape to leave a full-page view; the tremolo view also provides an Exit Full-Page button.

Playback

Playback follows the notation cursor and tremolo display, highlighting the current position as the tune plays. The controls below the notation provide play/pause, restart, looping, seeking, and playback speed.

Mute Melody silences the melody while leaving accompaniment or metronome available. Metronome adds a click during playback. Count in? adds a five-second on-screen countdown.

Click Tempo to set playback speed from 10% to 200% of the tune's normal tempo.

Saving and Sharing

Save writes the current ABC collection to a file.

Share Tune creates a share link for the displayed tune and copies it to the system clipboard to paste into other locations; Share All Tunes includes all loaded tunes.

The link includes the selected tremolo model, key, octave shift, and playback transpose.

Settings received from a share link are temporary and do not replace your saved preferences.

Shift-click a Share button to open the selected ABC in the ABC Transcription Tools ABC Editor. Alt-click to open it in the ABC Transcription Tools Player. Share buttons are disabled when the resulting link would exceed 8100 characters.

When opening a share link, click Click to Enable Playback before using the normal playback controls if your browser requires a user gesture to initialize audio.

ABC Files and Tune Selection

Open an .abc or .txt file, or paste ABC directly into the editor. Multi-tune files are supported; use the Tune menu to select the tune to display and play.

Layout Compatibility

Other Suzuki and Easttop 21- and 24-hole tremolo harmonica models should be compatible with the equivalent-key Tombo layouts in this player when they use the same note arrangement.

Custom Tremolo Harmonica

The Custom Tremolo option lets you create and save a 12-, 13-, 16-, 20-, 21-, 23-, or 24-hole tremolo layout. Choose Configure Custom Tremolo... in the Tremolo model menu to edit it.

The custom editor uses a five-octave, 60-note map.

The custom tuning initially matches the Tombo 1521 21-hole in C.

Each entry may be a hole number for blow (for example 4), a hole number preceded by - for draw (for example -4), or x for an unavailable note. Other harmonica technique indications as used in the diatonic harmonica player, for example bends and overblows, are invalid.

Initialize from Preset can start from any built-in model and any key available for that model, within the custom editor's five-octave range, or choose Reset All to x from the Model menu to reset every entry to x. When that option is selected, Key is set to None. The key choices change with the selected source model.

Load Tuning File accepts compatible custom harmonica settings from this player, the standard ABC Harmonica Player, or ABC Transcription Tools when all assigned notes use only blow and draw.

If the file has no usable tremolo hole count, the player infers the smallest suitable choice from 12, 13, 16, 20, 21, 23, or 24 holes; you may change it before saving.

The name, hole count, tablature entries, and every hole reference are validated when you save the custom tuning to the player or save a tuning file.

Save stores the custom tuning in this browser and makes it the active Custom Tremolo. Save Tuning File exports the tuning to a .txt file without changing the tuning saved in the browser. Changes made in the custom editor are not applied to the player or stored in this browser unless you click Save.

When a share link uses a custom tremolo, the complete custom definition is included temporarily in the link. Opening the link does not replace the recipient's saved custom tuning unless they explicitly open the editor and click Save.

Using Playback Transpose

Playback Transpose can be useful in many situations where you want the playback pitch to match the tremolo harmonica you actually have while keeping the displayed blow/draw positions appropriate for the tune. The following example uses a C tremolo harmonica because it is a straightforward way to see how the feature works.

It's especially useful if the only tremolo harmonica you have is in C, but you want to play along with tunes in other common keys.

Unlike a diatonic, you can't bend your way to missing notes on a tremolo, so choosing the appropriate instrument layout is particularly important.

For a tune in D major:

Select the equivalent D tremolo in the player.
Set Playback Transpose to -2.
Then play the displayed blow and draw positions on your C tremolo.

The playback is shifted to match your C instrument, while the hole display continues to show the appropriate relative positions for the tune.

Here's another example.

For an E Dorian tune, use the instrument that matches the major key of its key signature, which is D.

Select the equivalent D tremolo.
Set Playback Transpose to -2.
Then follow the displayed positions on your C tremolo.

This lets the player choose a layout containing all the notes required by the tune, while Playback Transpose lets you actually play along using your C instrument.

A simple rule for some common Irish tune keys is:

D major / E Dorian → D tremolo → Playback Transpose -2
G major / A Dorian / D Mixolydian → G tremolo → Playback Transpose -7 (or +5)

So if the only tremolo you own is in C, you can still use the player with a much wider range of tunes without running into notes that aren't available on your instrument.

ABC Harmonica Player

For diatonic and chromatic harmonicas, try the ABC Harmonica Player. It supports common diatonic and chromatic harmonica tunings as well as custom tunings.

Trademarks

Tombo, Suzuki, Easttop, and the referenced model names are trademarks of their respective owners. This independent tool is not affiliated with or endorsed by Tombo Musical Instrument Co., Ltd., Suzuki Musical Instrument Mfg. Co., Ltd., or Jiangsu East Musical Instrument Co., Ltd (Easttop). Brand and model names are used solely to identify supported or compatible harmonica layouts.

About

This tool was created by Michael Eskin

If you find it useful, please consider a contribution via

Michael Eskin's Tip Jars