Fretkeys

Tab at the speed you hear it.

A tab and notation editor for bass and guitar that you drive entirely from the keyboard. One key press per note: a fret key for the fret, held with Shift, Ctrl or Option to pick the string. I built it for writing exercises and for transcribing songs by ear.

Version 0.1.2 macOS · Apple silicon 6.9 MB

Download for Mac

Built October 19, 2026. Runs on Macs with an M-series chip; Intel Macs aren't supported yet.

Download .dmg Free · no account

Version 0.1.2 Windows 10 and 11 · 64-bit 5.6 MB Test build

Download for Windows

Built October 19, 2026, from the same code as the Mac version. It hasn't been tried on a real Windows PC yet, so expect rough edges.

Download installer Free · no account

What it does

Notation and tab together, with playback, a metronome and a count-in.
Exercises: repeats, endings, bar-repeat signs, sections, and fretting and plucking fingering.
Transcribing: load a song, loop a section, and slow it to 50% without changing the pitch.
Exports: PDF, Guitar Pro (.gp) and plain-text tab.

Installing

Mac

Open the .dmg and drag Fretkeys onto Applications.
Open Fretkeys. The app isn't signed by Apple yet, so macOS will refuse the first time.
Go to System Settings › Privacy & Security, scroll down, and click Open Anyway. You only do this once.

Windows

Run the installer. It isn't signed yet, so Windows shows Windows protected your PC.
Click More info, then Run anyway, and follow the installer.

The keys

` is the open string, 1–9 are frets 1–9, and 0 - = are 10–12. Caps Lock shifts the same keys up to frets 13–24. On bass, no modifier is the E string, Shift is A, Ctrl is D and Option (Alt on Windows) is G.

The full guide is built in: press Cmd+K (Ctrl+K on Windows) and choose Help.

SHA-256 · Mac · 3ad09d630d5b4858ebeab5082bbb670c196f8219366f2bea9c67c38511928737

SHA-256 · Windows · 7bc2b9eade4e418f1b9d49b76a5b854faa5fdaa1b53f4d8d5df5071492fe451a