Chord Pro - make good guitar chord sheets

We'll all typed out guitar chords and lyrics into a text editor and used spaces to try to line up the chords with the lyrics and then somebody wanted it in a different key so we painfully edited each chord.

Well no more, there is no need to ever do that again!

There has been a standard around since the early 90's but around a decade ago was reworked to produce beautiful pdfs. It has so many features over using a text editor we're not going to even waste time discussing them.

Let's just get started!

1. Download and install ChordPro. It's free, download the exe from GitHub last seen here
2. You can edit text right there, or use a text editor, however you want to add the text. BUT YOU NEED TO KNOW SOME OF THE STANDARDS! We'll get to that
3. You can use some fo the built in styles to generate your pdf, I wanted a very specific look and feel, so in the Settings window tick "Custom Configuration File" and point it to your json file.
4. As you change text turn the preview on and off to to re-render the pdf until you are happy with it.
5. From the File menu, export your pdf, print, share, yay!

Let's talk the custom configuration file. I am very used to the SongSelect style so I made a json file that mimics it. If you want to make your own or edit mine, it is a little tedious, while the structure is "Really Relaxed JSON" ChordPro won't show you a preview if you have any errors at all. Open the Messages window to see what your problems are. Get a copy of the config file I am using here.

Chordpro Standard - Title

This is self explanatory - add it to the top and fill it out:

{title: Happy Birthday}
{artist: Hill sisters}
{key: C}
{tempo: 82}
{time: 3/4}


This what you will get, very pretty and easy on the eyes:

Chordpro Standard - Chord Diagrams

I like chords fretting to be shown. It doesn't hurt, stick it out right it's not in the way. Any usual chords you use in your song will be shown, any unusual ones you can define yourself like this: {define: Fadd#11 frets 1 2 2 1 0 X fingers T 3 4 2 X X}

Notice that the "fingers" part is what give the circles numbers, you can use that or leave it out to let the guitarist decide how they are going to do it - there will just be black dots. If you specifically DON'T want a chord shown, use:

{define: E diagram off}

Here's an example of a simple barre chord, using the "fingers" definition with the same finger 1 groups them into the usual barre look: {define: F#m7 frets 2 4 2 2 2 2 fingers 1 3 1 1 1 1}

You can make ultra advanced diagrams, for example this one is at 7th fret, using your first finger as a normal barre and then your fourth finger as a second barre: {define: Bsus4 base-fret 7 frets 1 3 3 3 1 1 fingers 1 4 4 4 1 1}

Chordpro Standard - Arrangement

Layout the arrangement. I like to have two at the most pages so when they are in your folder you can see the whole score without changing pages. So having re-used verse/chorus/intro/turnaround is great, but list the order they are going to go at the top. I defined a bunch of fonts, the one I use for the default arrangement is "comment_italic". Example:

{comment_italic: Default Arrangement: V1, V2, C1, V3, C1, V4, C2, C1}

Chordpro Standard - Verse/Chorus

Once again there are are headers for sections, I used {comment: <something>} for a header and then use {start_of_<verse/chorus>} to begin a section and {end_of_<verse/chorus>} to finish it.

Most importantly, use [<chord>] at the start of a word/syllable so that the chord will be shown above on that word/syllable. As for layout, add in extra spaces to pad lines out so they line up in the pdf. Look it's a bit clunky, but it does the job.

Mark out syllables! Sing it to yourself - hyphen the syllables to match the melody and rhythm - help the guitarist/singer know when to change chord, try to line up bars across a verse:

{comment: VERSE 1}
{start_of_verse}
Hap - py [C]birth - day to [G]you
Hap - py birth - day to [C]you
Hap - py birth - day dear [Fadd#11]Some - bod - y
[F]Hap - py [C]birth - day [G]to [C]you
{end_of_verse}


Chordpro Standard - Intro

An Intro/turnaround/instrumental doesn't have a section as such, it's just inline text. Use barlines to help the reader out, especially

{comment: INTRO}
[|][G] [|][C]


If there is some tab you want to include, go for it! Of course this is a chord sheet but if you just have to show a riff or something, here is an example (with chords on top):

{comment: INTRO}
    [G]                              [C]
{start_of_tab}
E|------------------|------------------||
B|----------0-------|-------1----------||
G|-------0-----0----|-------0----------||
D|----0-----------0-|----2-------------||
A|------------------|-3----------------||
E|-3----------------|------------------||
{end_of_tab}


Chordpro Standard - Other Good Stuff

• Change the key! From Settings->Notation click on Transpose, specify the key From/To and refresh the preview! (Note: any unusual chords you defined will need to have the new key versions defined)
• Force a new page with {new_page}
• In the same way you use spaces to pad out horizontally, use carriage returns to pad out vertically. If you can make your score fit on one page try to do that, but if it has to go over two pages then space it out.

Download my "Happy Birthday" chordpro file I was using here as an example, and the resulting pdf it made.