User Manual
Chords
Th' chords tab be lettin' ye transpose and capo chords as well as determine how those chords appear, savvy? It also be lettin' ye select an instrument fer chord diagrams, matey.
Supported File Formats
OnSong can transpose and format songs in text files as well as PDF files. Arrr, learn more about these supported file formats and how t' get th' most out o' th' chord transposition engine, ye scallywag!
Key
Th' key chooser be lettin' ye set th' key o' th' chord chart. This can be different from how th' song was written in th' song editor as transposition be performed from th' original key t' th' one selected here. Th' original key o' th' song be visually highlighted. Th' key th' chart be written in be always offered, so ye can undo a transposition, matey.
Below th' transpose toggle be th' listen button. Tap it t' use Key Finder, which be listenin' t' ye sing or play through yer audio input or a connected MIDI instrument and detectin' th' key t' perform th' song. A Listen Fer Key prompt first explains th' feature; tap Listen t' start. While OnSong works out th' key, Calculatin' Key… appears. If yer plan don't include this feature, tap Upgrade in th' prompt. Th' listen button don't appear when th' Transpose Control option be set t' th' slider.
If th' song has no key, only th' transpose toggle be available. Tap it and choose Detect Key in th' No Key Set prompt t' find th' key from th' chords. If th' song don't contain enough chords, No Key Detected appears instead. Th' key chooser and capo stay disabled until a key be detected.
Th' most common keys be presented in a "circle o' fifths" order, placin' keys with less sharps and flats toward th' left. Keys switch between major and minor based on how th' song be written. Ye can change this interface t' be in alphabetic order, or t' use th' original slider interface instead usin' th' Transpose Control option.
Users who prefer more options in keys or who want t' access theoretical keys can turn on Theoretical Keys option.
Capo
Th' capo slider allows OnSong t' adapt th' chords based on capo position. This maintains th' key o' th' song found in th' transpose slider but alters th' chords t' work with th' capo. Ye can capo from 0 t' 11 and determine if th' capo be applied by togglein' th' power button on th' right.
By default, increasin' th' capo slider will modulate th' chords o' a song down. Th' reason fer this be t' allow th' declared key o' th' song t' be maintained. Fer instance, if th' key o' th' song be C#, and a capo be applied on th' first fret, then ye should set th' capo slider t' 1. This will display th' chords o' th' song down one half step in th' key o' C.
Ye can change how capo effects yer chord chart in Settings » Display Settings » Song Formattin' » Capo.
Ye can tap on th' left and right sides o' th' slider t' adjust th' capo up and down one fret.
Transposin' Instrument
If ye be playin' an instrument that don't play at concert pitch, ye can adjust th' chords that appear throughout th' song t' adjust fer those instruments, Ahoy! Options include:
- Off used fer concert pitch and most stringed or percussion instruments like piano.
- B-flat used fer B-flat instruments such as trumpet, clarinet, bass clarinet, and soprano and tenor saxophones.
- E-flat used fer E-flat tuned instruments such as soprano clarinet, or alto and baritone saxophones.
- F used fer F tuned instruments such as French and English horns.
- G used fer alto flute.
Position
Th' position chooser be lettin' ye determine if chords should be displayed above th' lyrics, or inline with th' lyrics. Options include:
- Above displays th' chord above th' lyrics on an extra line.
- Inline displays th' chord within th' lyrics on th' same line.
Style
Th' style chooser be lettin' ye pick how th' chords should appear on th' screen. Ye can choose from th' followin' options, savvy?:
- Alpha displays chords as an alphabetic character (A-G) includin' enharmonic preference (sharp or flat). Default.
- Numeric displays chords as Nashville numbers (1-7) based on their position in th' key.
- Roman displays chords as Roman numerals (I, ii, iii, IV, V, vi, vii) based on their position in th' key.
- Solfege displays chords as numbers usin' Latin (do, re, mi, fa, so, la, ti) based on their position in th' key. Tap and hold th' Solfege button t' choose Default, Fixed or Movable fer th' "do" o' this song.
Split Chord
This be determinin' what portion o' th' chord be displayed when it includes a split bass component, matey. Options include:
- Both displays both th' chord, and th' bass note separated by a slash.
- Bass Only displays only th' bass note. If no split bass note be specified, th' note o' th' correspondin' chord be displayed.
- Chord Only displays only th' chord portion o' th' chord and omits th' bass note includin' th' slash.
Typograph
This section be lettin' ye customize how th' chord be rendered usin' different typographic conventions, Blimey! Each o' th' followin' items can be toggled on and off independently:
- Superscript turns superscriptin' o' th' chord variation on and off. This includes everythin' after th' note definition but don't superscript th' slash bass note. Default be off.
- Enharmonic Symbols replaces text-based representations fer sharp and flat with actual musical symbols. Default be off.
- Replacement Symbols replaces certain chord variations with symbolic notation. Fer instance, minor be replaced with a minus, augmented be replaced with a plus, and major seventh chords be replaced with a triangle.
- Lowercase Minor Chords will omit th' "m" syntax fer minor chords and represent them instead with lowercase note values.
- Lowercase Split Bass will lower case th' note found in th' split bass portion o' th' chord after th' slash.
Decoration
While OnSong uses square brackets t' designate chords in a chord chart, they typically don't get outputted in th' result chord sheet. Th' followin' options be mutually exclusive and allow none t' be selected t' remove all decorations, savvy?:
- None be th' default and uses no decoration. This be achieved when none o' th' options be selected.
- Square Brackets will wrap all chords with square brackets.
- Parentheses will wrap th' chords in parentheses.
- Angle Brackets will wrap th' chords in angle brackets or less than and greater than symbols.
- Curly Braces will wrap th' chords in curly braces.
Methodology
Changes made in this menu don't modify th' original content o' th' song as found in th' song editor. Every settin' except fer key and capo be applied t' formattin' chords fer th' song when ye choose th' system scope, Arrr!
When ye select a song in th' All Songs list, th' changes be applied t' th' master library. If ye select a song in a book or set that has Separate Set/Song Styles enabled, th' changes be only applied t' th' song within that set. This be allowin' ye t' transpose a song in a different key fer that book or set without changin' th' master version, matey.
Ye can change th' default behavior and interface options fer this screen by tappin' th' wrench icon in th' upper left corner t' change Style Preference Chords options, savvy?
