Guitar Tablature Export/Import in Cubase 13&15 for new Score Editor

Klaus-Peter_Arnold · November 20, 2025, 11:28pm

Some days ago I updated to Cubase15. Besides all new functions and improvements I am still looking for one procedure to transfer existing guitar tablature data from Cubase 13 (old Score Editor) to Cubase 15 (current Score Editor).

Guitar and bass players know, how time consuming it is to create optimal tablature sets as we need our specific scale patterns.

Therefore I created MusicXML files under Cubase13 using Score covering notation an tablature data.

Under Cubase15 import via MusicXML is now supported, but you do not get automatically a new score.

You get 2 new midi tracks - I assume, one representing the notation staff and one representing the tablature staff.

In the next step you can activate tablature, but the Score editor does not show the old tablature information, it starts from scratch.

Checking the XML export files out of Cubase13 and Cubase15, I found that

1. Cubase13 has only manually changed tablature information explicitly covered within the related xml abstracts, which makes it probably difficult to re-import this (incomplete) information

2. Cubase15 shows after export complete tablature information within the related xml abstracts. So this would be an improvement, but we need also a correct import routine.

Does anybody know how to create an xml file with complete tablature information in Cubase 13 ? Any other ideas for tablature migration in Cubase15 ?

PaulWalmsley · November 21, 2025, 9:20am

We don’t have a mechanism currently to import the guitar tab data from C13. Do you have some sample Cubase projects you can send me in a DM?

Klaus-Peter_Arnold · November 21, 2025, 10:26am

Hi Paul,

I will send you project/xml files for C13 and C15 via email. The project files include only a few notes, but this makes it easy to read and compare the exported xml files.

Klaus-Peter_Arnold · November 21, 2025, 12:53pm

Hi Paul,

as you requested I have attached some Cubase project files including related MusicXML export files for each project and pdf files to visualize the Score output for each project :

C13 - some notes in E minor as new projects

-Tab automatically generated as Cubase standard setting in C13

-Tab manually adjusted achieving a scale pattern scheme for E minor

C15 - same notes as in C13 as new projects

-Tab automatically generated as Cubase standard setting in C15 for fretted instrument ( E- Guitar )

-Tab manually adjusted achieving a scale pattern scheme for E minor in C15 for fretted instrument ( E- Guitar )

C15 - as MusicXML Import from C13 as given abover

Here you can see that 2 tracks/staff systems have been imported - alle notes are duplicated, but the original tablature from manual input is not used/shown

I cannot judge whether the XML export in C13 needs an improvement to achieve an successful reimport or whether the XML import function needs improvement.

Please let me know how I can assist you in this case

Peter

(attachments)

PaulWalmsley · November 21, 2025, 4:08pm

Thanks for passing these on, these will be very useful.

Klaus-Peter_Arnold · November 22, 2025, 6:10pm

Hi Paul,

today I tried to figure out, whether editing of MusicXML export files from C13 could bring some quick solution. I simply copied manually from stave 2 (tablature) to stave 1 (notation) all abstracts related to fret/string settings for each note one by one - just a trial. C15 still duplicates all notes into one grand staff system. Switching afterwards to a fretted instrument does not help. The available tablature data seem to be lost.

I do not what a MusicXML import in Dorico would do, but I checked Guitar Pro 8.

GP8 automatically generates a correct score from my manually modified XML file as described above.

So I would conclude that still the main issue ist the MusicXML import routine in C15.

PaulWalmsley · November 25, 2025, 9:09pm

I have had a look at this briefly. I think there are a few problems. Currently Cubase isn’t able to read the string numbers of files created in C13 or earlier. This is on our list to look at in the future. I’ve tried loading the MusicXML created by C13 into Dorico and it isn’t able to read the string numbers, however Dorico can set the string numbers for when you create a tab score in Dorico then export and re-import MusicXML. Also C13 exports MusicXML that has all the notes in twice.

I have discovered that if I ensure that the track in the MusicXML file is called ‘Guitar’ then Dorico can load it and show the string numbers:

However, I’m not sure yet of the best way of getting this information into Cubase as currently I don’t think the string numbers in Dorico or MusicXML files are getting read into the Cubase project

Klaus-Peter_Arnold · November 27, 2025, 8:23am

Paul,

thanks for your work on this issue ! Good to know that Dorico reacts on the instrument type settings.

Perhaps this is one of the problems within the current C15 import routine, which always assumes “Grand Staff”.

It would be great if the import routine in C15 would be updated resolving these issues.

Peter

PaulWalmsley · November 27, 2025, 11:11am

I have fixed some of the problems that meant that Cubase wasn’t importing string numbers from MusicXML or Dorico projects. This won’t solve the problem with Cubase 13 notes appearing twice, but if you turn off the tablature mirror option before exporting MusicXML then you’ll only get one set of notes.

We hope to improve the opening of C13 projects with tablature data in the future.

Klaus-Peter_Arnold · November 28, 2025, 10:03am

Paul,

thanks for your response.

Do I understand correctly : By fixing some poblems from your side in C15, C15(after update) can now(soon) import MusicXML / Dorico projects including string/fret numbers based on appropriate instrument settings?

This would be already big progess !

Peter

PaulWalmsley · November 28, 2025, 11:25am

Yes, that is correct.