---
name: "songwrite"
section: "1"
platform: "linux"
package: "songwrite"
version: "0.14-11"
release: "Debian 10 (Buster)"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/songwrite"
---

# songwrite(1)

A tablature editor

## NAME

Songwrite - A tablature editor

## SYNTAX

songwrite \[\<*filename...*\>\]\
 songwrite *--help*\
 songwrite *--version*\
 songwrite *--play* \[\<*filename...*\>\]\
 songwrite *--playloop* \[\<*filename...*\>\]\
 songwrite *--songbook* \<*songbook\_title*\> \<*song\_filenames...*\>\
 songwrite *--convert* \<*format*\> \[--output \<*output\_filename*\>\] \<*filename*\>

## DESCRIPTION

Songwrite is a tablature (guitar partition) editor, with playing and printing ability. Songwrite is coded in Python and uses Tk (Tkinter); it relies on Timidity to play midi and on GNU Lilypond for printing.

## OPTIONS

- **--help**

  Output help information and exit.

- **--version**

  Output version information and exit.

- **--play \<***filename***\>**

  Play \<*filename*\> and exit.

- **--playloop \<***filename***\>**

  Play \<*filename*\> in loop (stop it with C-c or kill).

- **--songbook \<***songbook\_filename***\> \<***songbook\_title***\> \<***song\_filenames...***\>**

  Create a postcript songbook with the given title and songs.

- **--convert** \<*format*\> \[--output \<*output\_filename*\>\] \<*filename*\>

  Opens no window, and converts Songwrite file \<*filename*\> into \<*format*\>. \<*format*\> is one of: lilypond, latex, ps, asciitab, midi. \<*output\_filename*\> is deduced from \<*filename*\> and \<*format*\> if not given. Several **--convert** can be given. Use **--output** *-* for STDOUT (not available for ps).

## FILES

*~/.songwrite*

## AUTHORS

Jiba (Lamy Jean-Baptiste) \<jiba@tuxfamily.org\>