Support & Documentation

What ChordProEditor Does

ChordProEditor is specifically designed to add ChordPro format chords to your existing ProPresenter (.pro) files. It enables you to display chords on your ProPresenter stage display for musicians while keeping the main audience screen clean with lyrics only. Version 2.1 adds powerful new features: Chord Chart Import from SongSelect and PraiseCharts, a live Stage Display Preview pane, and AI-Assisted Chord Matching on macOS 26+.

What's New in Version 2.1

Chord Chart Import

ChordProEditor can now automatically import chords from SongSelect and PraiseCharts ChordPro (.txt) files directly into your ProPresenter slides. To use this feature:

1. Download the ChordPro .txt file for your song from SongSelect or PraiseCharts
2. Open the song in ChordProEditor and select your ProPresenter file
3. Click the Import Chord Chart button in the toolbar
4. Select your ChordPro .txt file
5. ChordProEditor will automatically match lyrics and place chords — review any flagged mismatches and click Save Edits

On macOS 26+ with Apple Intelligence enabled, the AI-Assisted Chord Matching feature automatically resolves difficult matches.

Stage Display Preview

A live 16:9 preview pane now appears in ChordProEditor showing exactly how your current slide will look on your ProPresenter stage display — including chords in green above the lyrics. Use the Stage Layout picker below the preview to select your configuration.

Getting Started

Step 1: Prepare your song file in ProPresenter.

ChordProEditor cannot create new slides. It can only add chords in ChordPro format. So, make sure your song file is "performance ready" before adding chords. ChordProEditor can only extract lyrics from one text box, so if your setup uses multiple text boxes, be sure your main lyrics text box is at the top of the objects menu in the lower left corner in 'Edit' mode. Blank slides must have a text block in order to add chords to them. Because the chords will appear above your lyrics, ChordProEditor is designed for 1 or 2 lines of text per slide only. If you have more than 2 lines of text on any slides, your lyrics and chords may not display as expected. Be sure to close ProPresenter while editing .pro files to ensure your edits are saved correctly.

Step 2: Load Your ProPresenter Library

ChordProEditor is designed to load an existing ProPresenter library. The app will display a list of all the songs (.pro files) within the selected library. The title of any songs sourced from MultiTracks will be in orange font while all other song titles will be in white.

Step 3: Select the song you would like to edit.

ChordProEditor will display the slides and lyrics ready for chord editing. A Stage Display Preview pane shows a live 16:9 simulation of how your chords will appear on your ProPresenter stage display. Use the Stage Layout picker to select the stage display configuration you want it to simulate.

Step 4: Define the song's Original Key in the Chord Settings menu (necessary for .pro files not sourced from MultiTracks).

For songs in a minor key, tell ChordProEditor whether you would like to define the key by minor or its relative major key (helpful when using numbers or numerals).

Step 5: Add Chords Using the ChordPro Format

Add chords to the lyrics at desired places. Embed chords within the lyrics using standard ChordPro format with square brackets placing them before the words or syllables you would like the chord to appear above:

Step 5b: Import chords from a ChordPro formatted chord chart (optional)

If you have a ChordPro formatted .txt file from SongSelect or PraiseCharts, click the Import Chord Chart button to automatically populate chords for the entire song. ChordProEditor will automatically match the chart's lyrics to your slides and place chords in the correct positions. Review any mismatches, then save.

Step 6: Use placeholder words for chords when there are no lyrics.

To enter chords on slides with no lyrics (intros, instrumentals, etc.), select the same number of placeholder words as there are chords (from 0-9) and ChordProEditor will auto-populate placeholder words to serve as anchor points for your chords. On slides with lyrics that require a chord without a lyric attached (a chord that occurs after a lyric or on a rest), you may also manually enter a placeholder word (for example: chord1).

Step 7: Save your edits.

Click 'Save Edits' and ChordProEditor will embed the chord data into the ProPresenter file. If you used any placeholder words (chord1...) on blank slides, ChordProEditor will remove them before saving and will automatically repopulate them when you reopen your .pro file in ChordProEditor.

Step 8: Open ProPresenter and configure your stage display in ProPresenter.

Follow the instructions in this ProPresenter chord tutorial for enabling chords to display on the stage display when you open the file in ProPresenter. The video covers the entire process of importing lyrics and chords from MultiTracks. Around 3:40 into the video, you will find the directions on setting up the Stage Display to display chords in the Stage Editor. A MultiTracks subscription is not required to use ChordProEditor to add chords to your .pro files. However, the configuration in ProPresenter is identical.

• Main audience screen: Shows clean lyrics only
• Stage display: Shows chords positioned above the lyrics for musicians with 4 options for displaying notation (chords, numbers, numerals, and Do Re Mi).

ChordPro Format Reference

For more information on the ChordPro format, visit the ChordPro.org website.

Letter Chord Notation

• Major chords: [C], [D], [E], [F], [G], [A], [B]
• Minor chords: [Am], [Bm], [Cm], [Dm], [Em], [Fm], [Gm]
• Seventh chords: [C7], [Am7], [Dmaj7], [G7sus4]
• Slash chords: [D/F#], [C/E], [G/B]
• Complex chords: [Cadd9], [Am7b5], [C13], [Gdim7]

Numeral Chord Notation

• Major chords: [I], [IV], [V]
• Minor/diminished chords: [ii], [iii], [iv], [viiº]
• Seventh chords: [I7], [ii7], [4^7], [V7sus4]
• Slash chords: [I/iii], [V/vii]

Number Chord Notation

• Major chords: [1], [4], [5]
• Minor/diminished chords: [2m], [3m], [6m], [7dim]
• Seventh chords: [17], [2m7], [4maj7], [57sus4]
• Slash chords: [1/3], [5/7]

Chord Placement Tips

• Place chords in brackets ([]) directly to the left of the syllable where they change
• For chords with no lyrics (intros, outros, and instrumental breaks), use ChordProEditor's placeholder word feature

ProPresenter Integration

Stage Display Setup

To see chords on your stage display in ProPresenter:

• Configure ProPresenter with a separate stage display
• Set up your stage display to show chord information. ProPresenter chord tutorial
• Any chords embedded in the .pro file will automatically appear above lyrics on the stage display
• Main audience screen will show lyrics only

Compatible ProPresenter Versions

• ProPresenter 7: Full compatibility
• ProPresenter 6: ChordProEditor has not been tested with ProPresenter 6.

Workflow Tips

Preparing Your Song Library

• Start with your existing ProPresenter song files
• Create a backup of original files before adding chords
• Add chords systematically to build your chord-enabled library
• Test files in ProPresenter to ensure proper display

Best Practices

• Use consistent chord naming throughout your song library
• Position chords clearly immediately to the left of the corresponding lyrics
• Double-check chord placement before saving
• Test chord display on your actual stage display setup

Frequently Asked Questions

What file formats does ChordProEditor support?

ChordProEditor works specifically with ProPresenter (.pro) files. It reads and writes in ProPresenter's native format to ensure seamless integration.

Will chords appear on the main audience screen?

No! ChordProEditor specifically embeds chords so they only appear on ProPresenter stage displays. The main audience screen will show clean lyrics without any chord symbols.

Can I edit existing chord files?

Yes! Open any ProPresenter file that already has chords added by ChordProEditor or sourced from MultiTracks, and you can edit, add, or remove chords as needed.

Do I need special ProPresenter settings?

You need to have a stage display configured in ProPresenter to see the chords (ProPresenter chord tutorial). The chords will automatically appear on the stage display when the file is opened in ProPresenter.

Can I import chords from SongSelect or PraiseCharts?

Yes! ChordProEditor v2.1 includes a ChordPro chord chart import feature. Download the ChordPro .txt file from SongSelect or PraiseCharts, then click Import Chord Chart in the toolbar. ChordProEditor will automatically match the chart's lyrics to your slides and place all chords. Double-check all chords before saving. Some manual editing may still be required especially on blank slides (intros, outros, and instrumentals).

What is the Stage Display Preview?

A live 16:9 preview pane inside ChordProEditor that simulates what your current slide and next slide will look like on your ProPresenter stage display — with chords shown in green above the lyrics. You can link ChordProEditor to your stage configuration file so it can closely simulate your ProPresenter stage display.

What happens to existing ProPresenter formatting?

ChordProEditor preserves your existing ProPresenter slide formatting, backgrounds, and other visual elements. It only adds chord data to the file.

System Requirements

• Operating System: macOS 11.0 (Big Sur) or later
• Processor: Intel or Apple Silicon Mac
• Memory: 4 GB RAM minimum, 8 GB recommended
• Storage: 100 MB available space
• ProPresenter: Version 7 recommended for best compatibility
• AI-Assisted Chord Matching: Requires macOS 26+ with Apple Intelligence enabled (Apple Silicon Mac)

Troubleshooting

Chords Not Appearing in ProPresenter

• Ensure you have a stage display configured in ProPresenter
• Check that stage display is set to show chord information
• Verify the file was saved properly from ChordProEditor
• Make sure ProPresenter is closed when editing a .pro file.

File Won't Open in ChordProEditor

• Ensure the file is a valid ProPresenter (.pro) file
• Check that the file isn't corrupted or incomplete
• Try creating a new ProPresenter file and test it with ChordProEditor.
• Make sure your lyric text box is the first item in the Slide Objects menu in the lower left corner when in 'Edit' mode.

Chords Appearing in a Different Key in ProPresenter

• There is a known issue where using ProPresenter's placeholder feature within a playlist causes all embedded chords to be transposed to the key of C.
• To avoid this issue, either create your playlist by manually dragging song presentations from your library into the playlist, or by using the Planning Center integration to automatically generate your playlist.
• Either of these two options will prevent your chords from unwanted transposition.

Chords Appearing in Wrong Positions

• Check chord placement in ChordProEditor - position chords directly to the left of target syllables
• Save and test in ProPresenter to verify positioning

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