diff --git a/runtime/syntax/abc.vim b/runtime/syntax/abc.vim
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..3dc098e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/runtime/syntax/abc.vim
@@ -0,0 +1,64 @@
+" Vim syntax file
+" Language:	abc music notation language
+" Maintainer:	James Allwright <J.R.Allwright@westminster.ac.uk>
+" URL:		http://perun.hscs.wmin.ac.uk/~jra/vim/syntax/abc.vim
+" Last Change:	27th April 2001
+
+" For version 5.x: Clear all syntax items
+" For version 6.x: Quit when a syntax file was already loaded
+if version < 600
+  syntax clear
+elseif exists("b:current_syntax")
+  finish
+endif
+
+" tags
+syn region abcGuitarChord start=+"[A-G]+ end=+"+ contained
+syn match abcNote "z[1-9]*[0-9]*" contained
+syn match abcNote "z[1-9]*[0-9]*/[248]\=" contained
+syn match abcNote "[=_\^]\{,2}[A-G],*[1-9]*[0-9]*" contained
+syn match abcNote "[=_\^]\{,2}[A-G],*[1-9]*[0-9]*/[248]\=" contained
+syn match abcNote "[=_\^]\{,2}[a-g]'*[1-9]*[0-9]*"  contained
+syn match abcNote "[=_\^]\{,2}[a-g]'*[1-9]*[0-9]*/[248]\="  contained
+syn match abcBar "|"  contained
+syn match abcBar "[:|][:|]"  contained
+syn match abcBar ":|2"  contained
+syn match abcBar "|1"  contained
+syn match abcBar "\[[12]"  contained
+syn match abcTuple "([1-9]\+:\=[0-9]*:\=[0-9]*" contained
+syn match abcBroken "<\|<<\|<<<\|>\|>>\|>>>" contained
+syn match abcTie    "-"
+syn match abcHeadField "^[A-EGHIK-TVWXZ]:.*$" contained
+syn match abcBodyField "^[KLMPQWVw]:.*$" contained
+syn region abcHeader start="^X:" end="^K:.*$" contained contains=abcHeadField,abcComment keepend
+syn region abcTune start="^X:" end="^ *$" contains=abcHeader,abcComment,abcBar,abcNote,abcBodyField,abcGuitarChord,abcTuple,abcBroken,abcTie
+syn match abcComment "%.*$"
+
+
+" Define the default highlighting.
+" For version 5.7 and earlier: only when not done already
+" For version 5.8 and later: only when an item doesn't have highlighting yet
+if version >= 508 || !exists("did_abc_syn_inits")
+  if version < 508
+    let did_abc_syn_inits = 1
+    command -nargs=+ HiLink hi link <args>
+  else
+    command -nargs=+ HiLink hi def link <args>
+  endif
+
+  HiLink abcComment		Comment
+  HiLink abcHeadField		Type
+  HiLink abcBodyField		Special
+  HiLink abcBar			Statement
+  HiLink abcTuple			Statement
+  HiLink abcBroken			Statement
+  HiLink abcTie			Statement
+  HiLink abcGuitarChord	Identifier
+  HiLink abcNote			Constant
+
+  delcommand HiLink
+endif
+
+let b:current_syntax = "abc"
+
+" vim: ts=4