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View Full Version : How to create fretboards using a different tuning or instrument



Justin
10-04-2012, 01:02 PM
I've had a few questions about how to change the instrument - can't believe I've not put that in the documentation, will have to sort that out, but in the meantime...

So, in the Instrument Library you may have noticed a yellow star by the standard 6-string guitar - this indicates it's the default instrument used when new pages/fretboards are created:


http://www.neckdiagrams.com/forums-imgs/changing-instrument-or-tuning/tuning-1-yellow-star-default.png

To set the five string bass as default either just right-click it and choose "Set as default", or click the gold star on the toolbar, or use the menu option under the Edit menu:


http://www.neckdiagrams.com/forums-imgs/changing-instrument-or-tuning/tuning-2-set-as-default-options.jpg

You'll then find when you create a page or a new fretboard that it'll then be a five string bass!

If you have an existing fretboard on a page that you want to change tuning/instrument, you can do that using the Inspector, with the fretboard selected go to the "Instr" tab:


http://www.neckdiagrams.com/forums-imgs/changing-instrument-or-tuning/tuning-5-inspector-instr-tab.png

... and use the navigation buttons to click on "Library" and change to the instrument/tuning you want and double click it:


http://www.neckdiagrams.com/forums-imgs/changing-instrument-or-tuning/tuning-6-inspector-new-tuning.png

Hope that helps!

Neer
02-05-2013, 12:30 AM
Justin, is there any way to create a new instrument? I would like to create several steel guitar fretboards.

Justin
02-05-2013, 12:19 PM
Hi, yes you can - did you see my reply to your other post (http://www.neckdiagrams.com/forums/showthread.php/688-Is-it-possible-to-customize-number-of-strings).

When you select the 'New Tuning' option, either from the context menu shown in the pic above or via the File > New Tuning menu (available in the 'Instrument Library' or 'Edit Diagrams' views) then you'll get this window popup:


http://www.neckdiagrams.com/forums-imgs/new-tuning-wizard-1.png

As you can see you can create a completely new category if you want, e.g. Steel! Although at the moment you can't set your own picture for the custom category, but that'll be something that gets added in future - it's just an aesthetic thing that doesn't affect the ability to define/group your own instruments/tunings.

Neer
02-05-2013, 12:56 PM
Justin, yes I did see your response, thanks.

I bought the Pro version last night and had no trouble jumping in. I managed to create my new instruments and everything is moving along nicely. This is a very cool program and will serve me well in publishing my next book.

Mike

Justin
02-06-2013, 11:56 AM
Hi Mike,

Glad to hear that, welcome on board! And please post to the forums about your book when it's ready :)