Detect chords and prepare charts

Medussa offers three related tools: showing chords during a performance, editing the harmony in a lane, and preparing a chord sheet or chart. You can use detection as a starting point and correct the harmony before printing it.

Showing the chords that are sounding

1. Open Settings > Scene > Chords.
2. Turn on Show Chords.
3. In Chord Source, choose the source you want to follow from the available options.
4. Play or play back the material for that source.
5. Adjust position, size, font, color and shadow.
6. Decide whether the label should hold with the sustain pedal.

You can also show or hide chords from the View > Chord Display menu or from the visualizer's button bar. If the label doesn't match what you're playing, first check the selected source and any sustained notes.

Creating chords on the timeline

1. Switch to Editor.
2. Find the CHORDS section, below METER: it's always visible.
3. Set the piece's written key in the KEY section.
4. Place the playhead where the chord should start.
5. Use the lane's context menu to add it.
6. Set its name and duration in the chord editor.
7. Double-click an existing chord when you want to correct it.
8. Play back and check that the harmonic changes match the music.

Generating a first pass of harmony from the notes

1. Get the MIDI notes ready in the editor.
2. Choose Edit > Render Chords.
3. Review the generated lane.
4. Fix ambiguous chords, changes that are too short, or durations that don't reflect the harmony you want.
5. Save the session.

Detection can't always tell the harmonic intent from the notes present. Treat the result as a suggestion to review.

Reviewing the chart before printing

1. Open Charts > Chart Preview….
2. Check the chords over the bars, the key, the time signature and the title details.
3. If you find a musical error, go back to the editor and fix it.
4. Reopen or check the preview to confirm the change.

The chart is a chord sheet organized by bars. It's not a full transcription of every piano note on a staff.

Saving a piece to the library

1. Prepare the session's chart.
2. Choose Charts > Save Chart to Library.
3. If it's the first time, select the folder where you want to keep the library.
4. Open Charts > Chart Library….
5. Check that the piece appears with its title and details.

The library lets you search, sort and mark favorites. The files live in the folder you chose: include that folder in your backups.

Opening, transposing and editing a saved chart

1. Open the library and find the piece.
2. Open it in the reader.
3. Adjust the zoom so it's comfortable to read.
4. Use the reader's transposition if you need a different key.
5. If you want to change its content, use Load into Session to Edit from the piece or its edit option.

The reader's transposition starts from the written key and doesn't stack each time you choose the same offset. Check the key shown before exporting.

Exporting a PDF

For the session's chart:

1. Check the preview.
2. Choose File > Export Lead Sheet (PDF)….
3. Review the document options and save.
4. Open the PDF to check the title, chords and layout.

For a piece open in the library reader, use its PDF button. The export reflects that reading's transposition.

Go back to the index or continue with Exporting MIDI, audio and video.