#20 Chord Sheets (ChordPro)

PenPage renders ChordPro — a simple text format for song sheets. Write chords in square brackets inside your lyrics, and PenPage stacks each chord neatly above the syllable it belongs to.

How to use: Create a code block and set the language to chordpro. A formatted chord sheet appears below the source.

1. Chords above lyrics

Put a chord in square brackets [ ] right before the syllable where the chord changes:

[C]Twinkle twinkle [G]little star
[F]How I [C]wonder [G]what you [C]are

The chords line up above the words — no manual spacing needed.

2. Song info (directives)

Add song details with {directive: value} lines:

{title: Amazing Grace}
{key: G}
{tempo: 90}
{capo: 2}

[G]Amazing [G7]grace, how [C]sweet the [G]sound
  • {title:} — the song title (also becomes the page name)
  • {key:} {tempo:} {capo:} {artist:} {album:} {time:} — shown as labeled info
  • {comment:} — a note line (e.g. an intro or a reminder)

3. Sections (verse / chorus / bridge)

Wrap a chorus or bridge and it stands out with a colored bar:

{start_of_chorus}
[C]This is the [G]chorus you all [Am]sing to[F]gether
{end_of_chorus}

Short forms work too: {soc}/{eoc} for chorus, {sov}/{eov} for verse, {sob}/{eob} for bridge.

4. Reading tools

Above every rendered chord sheet there is a small toolbar. These tools only change what you see — your note is never modified:

  • ♭ / ♯ Transpose — shift every chord up or down by a semitone. The {key:} label follows along. Tap ↺ to return to the original key.
  • N Nashville numbers — show chords as numbers relative to the key (in the key of C: C→1, F→4, G→5, Am→6m). Any singer can then follow the song in their own key. Tap N again, or transpose, to switch back.
  • ▶ Auto-scroll (on shared and public pages) — scroll the sheet hands-free while you play; drag the slider to set the speed.

Great for practice, jam sessions, and sharing a song that everyone can play in any key.