The No.1 Website for Pro Audio
When you buy products through links across our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Learn more
ICYMI - Rich Costey is in the house right now doing a Q&A! Now's your chance to ask him about his methods & techniques in recording, producing and mixing some of the biggest-selling rock and pop records of the past three decades! Click here to check it out!
BB Code
BB code is a set of tags based on the HTML language that you may already be familiar with. They allow you to add formatting to your messages in the same way as HTML does, but have a simpler syntax and will never break the layout of the pages you are viewing. The ability to use BB code is set on a forum-by-forum basis by the administrator, so you should check the forum rules when you post a new message.

Below is a list of the BB code tags you can use to format your messages.
BB Code List
[b], [i], [u] Bold / Italic / Underline
[color] Color
[size] Size
[font] Font
[highlight] Highlight
[left], [right], [center] Left / Right / Center
[indent] Indent
[email] Email Linking
[url] URL Hyperlinking
[thread] Thread Linking
[post] Post Linking
[list] Bulleted Lists / Advanced Lists
[img] Images
[code] Code
[php] PHP Code
[html] HTML Code
[quote] Quote
[noparse] Stop BB Code Parsing
[attach] Attachment
[acoustics] Acoustics
[ASIDE] Aside
[BLOCKLEFT] Left aligned block
[BLOCKRIGHT] Right aligned block
[comment] Comment
[h] Headline
[hr] Horizontal Rule
[li] List item
[mention] Mention
[ol] Ordered List
[product] Product
[soundcloud] SoundCloud
[special] Special
[testcat] testarea
[timg] Thumbnail Image
[tnt] Tips & Techniques
[ul] Unordered List
[videovault] Video Vault
[vimeo] Vimeo
[wiki] Wiki
[youtube] YouTube Videos
Incorrect BB Code Usage:
  • [url] www.example.com [/url] - don't put spaces between the bracketed code and the text you are applying the code to.
  • [email][email protected][email] - the end brackets must include a forward slash ([/email])

Bold / Italic / Underline
The [b], [i] and [u] tags allow you to create text that is bold, italic and underlined.
Usage [b]value[/b]
[i]value[/i]
[u]value[/u]
Example Usage [b]this text is bold[/b]
[i]this text is italic[/i]
[u]this text is underlined[/u]
Example Output this text is bold
this text is italic
this text is underlined

Color
The [color] tag allows you to change the color of your text.
Usage [color=Option]value[/color]
Example Usage [color=blue]this text is blue[/color]
Example Output this text is blue

Size
The [size] tag allows you to change the size of your text.
Usage [size=Option]value[/size]
Example Usage [size=+2]this text is two sizes larger than normal[/size]
Example Output this text is two sizes larger than normal

Font
The [font] tag allows you to change the font of your text.
Usage [font=Option]value[/font]
Example Usage [font=courier]this text is in the courier font[/font]
Example Output this text is in the courier font

Highlight
The [highlight] tag allows you to emphasize your text.
Usage [highlight]value[/highlight]
Example Usage [highlight]this text is highlighted[/highlight]
Example Output this text is highlighted

Left / Right / Center
The [left], [right] and [center] tags allow you to change the alignment of your text.
Usage [left]value[/left]
[center]value[/center]
[right]value[/right]
Example Usage [left]this text is left-aligned[/left]
[center]this text is center-aligned[/center]
[right]this text is right-aligned[/right]
Example Output
this text is left-aligned
this text is center-aligned
this text is right-aligned

Indent
The [indent] tag allows you to indent your text.
Usage [indent]value[/indent]
Example Usage [indent]this text is indented[/indent]
Example Output
this text is indented

Email Linking
The [email] tag allows you to link to an email address. You can include an optional parameter to 'name' your link.
Usage [email]value[/email]
[email=Option]value[/email]
Example Usage [email][email protected][/email]
[[email protected]]Click Here to Email Me[/email]
Example Output [email protected]
Click Here to Email Me

URL Hyperlinking
The [url] tag allows you to link to other websites and files. You can include an optional parameter to 'name' your link.
Usage [url]value[/url]
[url=Option]value[/url]
Example Usage [url]https://gearspace.com/board[/url]
[url=https://gearspace.com/board]Gearspace[/url]
Example Output https://gearspace.com/board
Gearspace

Thread Linking
The [thread] tag allows you to link to threads by specifying the thread id. You can include an optional parameter to 'name' your link.
Usage [thread]threadid[/thread]
[thread=threadid]value[/thread]
Example Usage [thread]42918[/thread]
[thread=42918]Click Me![/thread]
(Note: The threadid/postid is just an example and may not link to a valid thread/post.)
Example Output https://gearspace.com/board/high-end/42918-headphone-preamp.html
Click Me!

Post Linking
The [post] tag allows you to link to posts by specifying the post id. You can include an optional parameter to 'name' your link.
Usage [post]postid[/post]
[post=postid]value[/post]
Example Usage [post]269302[/post]
[post=269302]Click Me![/post]
(Note: The threadid/postid is just an example and may not link to a valid thread/post.)
Example Output https://gearspace.com/board/so-much-gear-so-little-time/27515-upgrade-struggling-student-post269302.html#post269302
Click Me!

Bulleted Lists
The [list] tag allows you to create simple, bulleted lists without specifying an option. Within the value portion, each bullet is denoted by the [*] tag.
Usage [list]value[/list]
Example Usage [list]
[*]list item 1
[*]list item 2
[/list]
Example Output
  • list item 1
  • list item 2

Advanced Lists
The [list] tag allows you to create advanced lists by specifying an option. The option should have a value of 1 (for a numbered list) or A (for an alphabetic with capital letters list) or a (for an alphabetic with lowercase letters list) or I (for a numbered with capital Roman numeral list) or i (for a numbered with small Roman numeral list).
Usage [list=Option]value[/list]
Example Usage [list=1]
[*]list item 1
[*]list item 2
[/list]

[list=a]
[*]list item 1
[*]list item 2
[/list]
Example Output
  1. list item 1
  2. list item 2
  1. list item 1
  2. list item 2

Images
The [img] tag allows you to embed images within your posts. You can also combine this tag with the [url] tag to make images become links.
Usage [img]value[/img]
Example Usage [img]https://static.gearspace.com/board/images/vca/statusicon/forum_new.gif[/img] (Not linked)

[url=http://www.example.com] [img]https://static.gearspace.com/board/images/vca/statusicon/forum_new.gif[/img] [/url] (Linked)
Example Output (Not linked)

(Linked)

Code
The [code] tag switches to a fixed-width (monospace) font and preserves all spacing.
Usage [code]value[/code]
Example Usage [code]
<script type="text/javascript">
<!--
    alert("Hello world!");
//-->
</script>
[/code]
Example Output
Code:
<script type="text/javascript">
<!--
	alert("Hello world!");
//-->
</script>

PHP Code
The [php] tag performs the same function as the [code] tag, but also adds syntax highlighting for PHP code. Although it is designed for PHP, it may correctly highlight some other C-like languages.
Usage [php]value[/php]
Example Usage [php]
$myvar = 'Hello World!';
for ($i = 0; $i < 10; $i++)
{
    echo $myvar . "\n";
}
[/php]
Example Output
PHP Code:
$myvar = 'Hello World!';
for ($i = 0; $i < 10; $i++)
{
    echo $myvar . "\n";
} 

HTML Code
The [html] tag allows you to perform syntax highlighting for HTML code.
Usage [html]value[/html]
Example Usage [html]
<img src="image.gif" alt="image" />
<a href="testing.html" target="_blank">Testing</a>
[/html]
Example Output
HTML Code:
<img src="image.gif" alt="image" />
<a href="testing.html" target="_blank">Testing</a>

Quote
The [quote] tag allows you to attribute text to someone else.
Usage [quote]Quote[/quote]
[quote=User Name]value[/quote]
Example Usage [quote]Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet[/quote]
[quote=John Doe]Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet[/quote]
[quote=John Doe;17222638]Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet[/quote]
Example Output
Quote:
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet
Quote:
Originally Posted by John Doe
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet
Quote:
Originally Posted by John Doe ➡️
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet

Stop BB Code Parsing
The [noparse] tag allows you to stop the parsing of BB code.
Usage [noparse][b]value[/b][/noparse]
Example Usage [noparse][b]Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet[/b][/noparse]
Example Output [b]Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet[/b]

Attachment
The [attach] tag allows you to display an attachment in your post rather than at the bottom. It will only display attachments that belong to the post in which it is utilized.
Usage [attach]attachmentid[/attach]
Example Usage [attach]12345[/attach]
Example Output

Acoustics
Create a link to an article in the Acoustics namespace.
Usage [acoustics]value[/acoustics]
Example Usage [acoustics=Example]Click here to view this page![/acoustics]
Example Output Click here to view this page!

Aside
Usage [ASIDE]value[/ASIDE]
Example Usage [ASIDE]Whoa![/ASIDE]
Example Output [ASIDE]Whoa![/ASIDE]

Left aligned block
A left aligned block.
Usage [BLOCKLEFT=Option]value[/BLOCKLEFT]
Example Usage [BLOCKLEFT][/BLOCKLEFT]
Example Output [BLOCKLEFT][/BLOCKLEFT]

Right aligned block
A right aligned block.
Usage [BLOCKRIGHT=Option]value[/BLOCKRIGHT]
Example Usage [BLOCKRIGHT][/BLOCKRIGHT]
Example Output [BLOCKRIGHT][/BLOCKRIGHT]

Comment
Add a comment that is only visible in the source code.
Usage [comment]value[/comment]
Example Usage [comment]This is an HTML comment.[/comment]
Example Output

Headline
Create any level headline.
Usage [h=Option]value[/h]
Example Usage [h=2]Headline Level 2[/h]
Example Output

Headline Level 2

Horizontal Rule
Creates a horizontal line spanning a width you specify.
Usage [hr]value[/hr]
Example Usage [hr]100[/hr]
Example Output

List item
Usage [li]value[/li]
Example Usage [li]test[/li]
Example Output
  • test
    		•

    Mention
    Mention an user to alert him or her to this post!
    Usage [mention]value[/mention]
    Example Usage [mention]Username[/mention]
    Example Output @Username;

    Ordered List
    Usage [ol]value[/ol]
    Example Usage [ol][li]One[/li][li]Two[/li][li]Three[/li][/ol]
    Example Output
    1. One
    2. Two
    3. Three

    Product
    Usage [product=Option]value[/product]
    Example Usage [product=1022]Product[/product]
    Example Output [Product #1022 not found]

    SoundCloud
    Embed the tracks from SoundCloud into your post. Use the track URL in your browser. For example, for http://soundcloud.com/tokaare/animal-sound-test it would be: [soundcloud]http://soundcloud.com/tokaare/animal-sound-test[/soundcloud]
    Usage [soundcloud]value[/soundcloud]
    Example Usage [soundcloud]https://soundcloud.com/joshmancell/crash-bandicoot-2-sewer-or[/soundcloud]
    Example Output

    Special
    Quickly link to a Special Page.
    Usage [special]value[/special]
    Example Usage [special=Specialpages]Specialpages[/special]
    Example Output Specialpages

    testarea
    Create a link to an article in the testarea namespace.
    Usage [testcat]value[/testcat]
    Example Usage [testcat=Example]Click here to view this page![/testcat]
    Example Output Click here to view this page!

    Thumbnail Image
    Thumbnail image - 100 by 100 pixels.
    Usage [timg]value[/timg]
    Example Usage [timg]https://img.gearspace.com/logo/gearspace-board-logo-small.png[/timg]
    Example Output

    Tips & Techniques
    Create a link to an article in the Tips & Techniques namespace.
    Usage [tnt]value[/tnt]
    Example Usage [tnt=Example]Click here to view this page![/tnt]
    Example Output Click here to view this page!

    Unordered List
    Usage [ul]value[/ul]
    Example Usage [ul][li]one[/li][li]two[/li][li]three[/li][/ul]
    Example Output
    • one
    • two
    • three

    Video Vault
    Create a link to an article in the Video Vault namespace.
    Usage [videovault]value[/videovault]
    Example Usage [videovault=Example]Click here to view this page![/videovault]
    Example Output Click here to view this page!

    Vimeo
    Code to embed Vimeo videos.
    Usage [vimeo]value[/vimeo]
    Example Usage [vimeo]20241459[/vimeo]
    Example Output

    Wiki
    Link to articles in the main wiki.
    Usage [wiki]value[/wiki]
    Example Usage [wiki=Article]Click here to view Article[/wiki]
    Example Output Click here to view Article

    YouTube Videos
    To use, please place the Video ID in between tags. For instance if your URL is http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dQw4w9WgXcQ the Video ID would be dQw4w9WgXcQ.
    Usage [youtube]value[/youtube]
    Example Usage [youtube]dQw4w9WgXcQ[/youtube]
    Example Output