TuxGuitar

What TuxGuitar is

TuxGuitar is a free editor and player for multi-track guitar tablatures, with tab and standard notation modes and MIDI support. It can open Guitar Pro, Power Tab Editor, TablEdit, and MIDI files, and playback is supported. The software is available for Android, Linux, macOS, and Windows. TuxGuitar 2.0.0 and later use a file format older TuxGuitar versions cannot read, though tablatures can be exported in the older format. The project’s source code is on GitHub and it is released under the GNU Lesser General Public License. Users can ask questions in GitHub Discussions, report errors or request features in GitHub Issues, and email small issues such as typos or translations. The packages offered on the website are not officially signed; installation instructions call for temporarily disabling the operating system’s digital signature verification. The project requests that vulnerability reports be sent privately through GitHub or email.

Who it suits

TuxGuitar suits guitarists who want to edit or play multi-track tablatures across Android, Linux, macOS, or Windows. Its support for several tablature formats may also suit users moving files between compatible editors.

Limits

Versions 2.0.0 and later use a format that earlier TuxGuitar versions cannot read. Tablatures can be exported in the older format.

Getting started

1. Visit https://www.tuxguitar.app/.
2. Choose the package for Windows, macOS, Linux, or Android.
3. Follow the installation instructions for the selected package.
4. Open a tablature or MIDI file, or work with tab and standard notation.

Verdict

TuxGuitar combines tablature editing, playback, and support for several file formats in a free package. Note the newer-format compatibility limit and the installation guidance about signature verification before downloading.