Create your 'Chords Over Lyrics'
Chords Over Lyrics
Chords Over Lyrics
Manual
A practical guide to the Chords Over Lyrics create workspace, including lyric editing, tabs, notation, and export.
Create Workflow
- Start in Song Info to set song, artist, key, capo, transpose, and notes.
- Move into Lyrics & Chords to paste lyrics and align chord rows.
- Open Tabs when the song needs riffs, picking patterns, or exact fret positions.
- Open Notation when the arrangement needs melody, lead-sheet, or score cues.
- Finish in Export to choose which sections print and generate the PDF.
The walkthrough below is organized as one row per workspace area, so you can jump directly to the part of the editor you need.
Visual Workspace Walkthrough
Top Action Bar
Use these buttons for the most common actions while editing.
- Each action is shown below with a plain-language meaning.
- Use this as a quick reference while working.
Song Details
Define the metadata and musical settings before placing chords or opening the other workspaces.
- Set song, artist, and author labels.
- Choose key and capo position.
- Apply the global transpose value used across the song.
Style Settings
Control readability so the final chart stays clear on screen and in print.
- Set text weight.
- Choose text color.
- Preview style changes before export.
Notes
Keep arrangement notes and performance reminders together with the current song.
- Write rehearsal notes.
- Track arrangement cues.
- Document reminders that should travel with export.
Lyrics Input
Create lyric lines that become the editable rows in the main lyrics workspace.
- Paste or type lyrics directly.
- Import from .txt.
- Click Update lyrics to regenerate rows.
Chord Row Controls
Place and align chords over each lyric line with per-row controls.
- Add chords using quick controls.
- Drag chords to exact word positions.
- Copy, paste, and delete row patterns.
Tabs Workspace
Use the tabs editor when the song needs exact guitar parts instead of only chord symbols.
- Enter fret numbers directly into the tab grid.
- Adjust tuning, bars, and beats per bar without editing raw text.
- The tab output stays attached to the same song and export flow.
Type fret numbers directly on the string lines. Arrow keys move between cells, and each group closes into a bar based on the beats-per-bar setting.
Notation Workspace
Use the notation editor for melody fragments, score cues, and simple lead-sheet lines.
- Pick a tool, duration, and accidental before placing notes on the staff.
- Switch between create and preview to check the rendered score.
- Clear or rebuild measures without leaving the current song.
Click Directly On The Staff
Pick a tool, then click a beat position and line or space to place a note. Erase removes the note or rest under that beat.
Preview Pane
Review the final layout before sharing or printing.
- Check spacing and readability.
- Verify chord and lyric alignment.
- Run final export once the full song looks correct.
Export Checklist
- Song name, key, capo, and transpose are set correctly.
- Chord and lyric alignment is checked in preview.
- Tabs only include the systems you want to print.
- Notation preview renders the intended score before export.
- No accidental blank lyric rows remain.
- Notes include arrangement reminders if they should appear in the final PDF.
Need Help
If a control does not behave as expected, open Support and include:
- song name, key, and transpose value
- which workspace you were in: Song Info, Lyrics, Tabs, Notation, or Export
- what happened vs what you expected