How to Add Chords to Lyrics

After adding lyrics to your song arrangement, you can also insert the chords so that your volunteers can print out chord charts. They will also be able to transpose the chord charts into different keys that you specify.

Adding in a Song Arrangement

To add a chord chart to a song, you’ll firstly need to create a song. Once the song has been added, click on the song title and ‘Add’ under the ‘Arrangements’ heading in the sidebar.

Add in a name of your arrangement and include a starting key for the song, otherwise chords will not be generated.

Go to the ‘Lyrics & Chords’ tab, and enter in your chords to the lyrics in the text field shown below.

Chord Formatting

There are a number of formatting options for your chords you can use.

Chords Inline

Add chord inline wrapped with ‘[]’

Input Example:

A[G]ma[G/B]zing [G/D]grace [D7]how [Em]sweet [C]the [G]sound

Output Example:

 G G/B  G/D   D7  Em    C   G
Amazing grace how sweet the sound

Chords Above

Add chord to line above lyrics

Input Example:

 G G/B  G/D   D7  Em    C   G
Amazing grace how sweet the sound

Output Example:

 G G/B  G/D   D7  Em    C   G
Amazing grace how sweet the sound

Bold Text

Wrap words with ‘*’

Input Example:

*Amazing grace* how sweet the sound

Output Example:

Amazing grace how sweet the sound

Italic Text

Wrap words with ‘_’

Input Example:

Amazing grace how _sweet the sound_

Output Example:

Amazing grace how sweet the sound

New Page

{np} or {new_page}

Input Example:

Amazing grace how sweet the sound
{np}
That saved a wretch like me

Output Example:

Amazing grace how sweet the sound
-- NEW PAGE --
That saved a wretch like me

Column Break

{cb} or {column_break}

Input Example:

Amazing Grace how sweet the sound
That saved a wretch like me!
I once was lost, but now am found,
Was blind, but now I see.
{cb}
’Twas grace that taught my heart to fear,
And grace my fears relieved;
How precious did that grace appear
The hour I first believed.

Output Example:

Amazing Grace how sweet the soundThat saved a wretch like me!I once was lost, but now am found,Was blind, but now I see. ’Twas grace that taught my heart to fear,And grace my fears relieved;How precious did that grace appearThe hour I first believed. 

Downloading the Custom Chord Chart from Admin Area

To see if the chords are generated properly, go back to the ‘Keys’ tab. If the song has been created with a key, you should be able to see a ‘Download Chord Chart’ link on this page. If no key has been recorded against the song, add in a key for the song, and the link should appear.

It will then generate a PDF based on the starting key, and it places chords above the lyrics.

Downloading the Custom Chord Chart from Member Area

Go to the Songs link from the main menu in the Member Area. On this page, simply select the song title, and under the title of the arrangement, click on the chart you want to download.

When the page loads, you will get the same file as from the Admin Area.

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