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.

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. 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.

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

ChordProEditor will display the slides and lyrics ready for chord editing. A preview pane is provided to simulate a stage display in ProPresenter. Depending on your configuration, your stage display may look different.

Step 4: Configure the Chord Settings menu.

Tell ChordProEditor whether you would like to use letters (A), numerals (IV), or numbers (1) for your chords. You can also change these options within ProPresenter under the Stage Editor menu regardless of how you have it configured in ChordProEditor. MultiTracks-sourced .pro files can also be transposed to different keys within ProPresenter when using chords displayed as letters. However, if you are editing a .pro file that is not sourced from MultiTracks, and you are using letters to display the chords, you will need have ChordProEditor handle transposing to a new key. The transpose feature is disabled when using numerals or numbers.

Step 5: Add Chords Using 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 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, you may also manually enter a placeholder word (for example: chord1). ChordProEditor will prompt you to remove all placeholder words before saving which is as easy as clicking the 'Remove Placeholders' button!

Step 7: Save your edits.

Click 'Save Edits' and ChordProEditor will embed the chord data into the ProPresenter file format. If you used any placeholder words (chord1...), ChordProEditor will prompt you to remove them before saving. Placeholder words will automatically repopulate 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 directly above the syllable where they change
• For chords with no lyrics (instrumental breaks), use placeholder words

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
• Chords 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 above 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. The chords will automatically appear on the stage display when the file is opened in ProPresenter.

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

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 Wrong Positions

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

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