On 27 Mar 2007, at 04:02, Paul Rosen wrote:

> 1) It is easy to email.
> 2) For simple tunes (that is, everything I need) it is simple.
> 3) It is the easiest system that can be written on a bar napkin (try
> figuring out if the dot that ripped the napkin was on a line or a
> space!)
> 4) I seem to have an unusual way of writing down tunes that doesn't fit
> with any WYSIWYG editor: if I have music paper, I scribble all the dots
> for the pitches. Then I go back and put in the bar lines. Then I go
> back
> and put in the rhythms. All the traditional notation systems I've seen
> make you put in the rhythm of a note when you enter it.

Yes! I do that too, at least when I'm transcribing a tune out of my
head.

Another reason to like abc is that it's quick to enter compared with a
point-and-click editor, at least if you can touch-type.

abc is really a product of the Internet. Because it's text you can
email tunes to anyone, or post them to text-only usenet groups and
mailing lists, and anyone can read it. If you need software it's all
free or cheap shareware.

Phil Taylor