Song Tools Documentation

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====== Song Tools File Syntax ======

To store your song information, a .txt file with a simple syntax is used.\\
The file needs to be UTF-8 encoded plain text. You can edit the files with every text file editor (e.g. notepad). Let's have a look at an example, and then we go through it step by step:\\


<code>
?{"title" : "Sample Song A", "artist" : "Best Band", "tuning" : "E A D G B E", "capo" : "4", "key" : "C", "stslsongid" : "1234567890"}

;This is a comment.

[Verse]
>C    H  O    R    D      S
This is just some sample Text
>M  O    R   E   C  H      O    R     D      S
To show you how to format your chord sheets correctly

[Chorus]
>C    H O   R   D  S
Here comes the chorus


</code>

===== Information line =====

The first line in the document will be the **information line**, which stores the information that does not belong to the displayed content.

This line is created and updated automatically by [[songmanager:start|Song Manager]].

You can also manually create the line with the following rules:

The line starts with a **?**, followed by a JSON-formatted string in **{ }**-brackets containing key-value pairs for 
  * **title:** The song title
  * **artist:** The artist or band name
  * **tuning:** Tuning information for string instruments (lowest to highest string)
  * **capo:** Capo position on fret 0-12
  * **key:** The key in which the song is played
  * **stslsongid:** The song ID from the matching song in your StreamerSonglist.com account

If you create this line manually, please take care of using **quote marks** before and after each key or value and a **comma** between the pairs.\\
Also be distinctly aware that every key-value pair has to be set, even it is empty.

You can use the following dummy to copy and paste:
<code>?{"title" : "", "artist" : "", "tuning" : "E A D G B E", "capo" : "", "key" : "", "stslsongid" : ""}</code>

===== Comments =====

You can mark a line as a comment by starting it with a **semicolon**.\\
This line will be displayed smaller and in different color in [[songviewer:start|Song Viewer]].

<code>;This is a comment.</code>

===== Sections =====

Sections are written in **[ ]**-brackets. They are used to structure your song file for better readability. You don't have to use them, but if you do, make sure, the **[**-bracket is the first sign in the line.

<code>[Chorus]</code>

===== Chords =====

Your chord lines start with a **greater sign** and should not contain anything else than chords or one of the following codes for //no chords//: [n.c., N.C., n/c, N/C, nc, NC]\\
Otherwise, this line will not automatically be detected as a chord line in [[songmanager:start|Song Manager]].\\
The text will always be displayed monospaced, so the chords can be positioned over the text, where they are played.
If you use the [[songmanager:start|Song Manager]] to edit your text, all chord lines will be marked with the greater sign automatically in conversion. You don't need to mark them manually. But you can.

<code>>C    D    Cadd9 Dm11/F  Csus2sus4 F#Mb5 </code>

===== Text =====

The text lines have no special syntax and can be written as they are.

Please make sure you don't use **; [ >** at the beginning of the line, if you want to display it as normal text.

===== Tabs =====

Tabs are used, to show how a section or a song is played on the strings of a string instrument.\\
They start with the tuning of the string, followed by **|-**. The pipe symbol **|** also divides bars and finishes a line. It can also be left out.

In the tabs, the following symbols can be used to show different playing technics:
  ***x** Dead note
  ***h** Hammer-on
  ***p** Pull-off
  ***/** Slide up
  ***\** Slide down
  ***~** Vibrato
  ***(n)** Ghost note
  ***b** Bend
  ***r** Release
  ***NH** Natural harmonic
 
See the following samples for different instruments.

Guitar:
<code>
e|-----------------|-----------------|
B|-----------------|-----------------|
G|-----------------|-----------------|
D|---------5-------|-----------------|
A|-7-----7----7--5-|-3------~2-------|
E|-----------------|-----------------|
</code>

4-string bass:
<code>
G|--------------|--------------|--------------|--------------|
D|--0--0--0--0--|--0--0--0--0--|-/2--2--2--2--|--------------|
A|--------------|--------------|--------------|--2--2--0--0--|
E|--------------|--------------|--------------|--------------|
</code>

Ukulele:
<code>
A|------------|----------|
E|-0--0-------|-~2-------|
C|-------2/4--|-----4-4--|
g|------------|----------|
</code>

Only two strings of guitar, tuned 1/2 step down:
<code>
Db|---------5---|-7---5--h7--|
Gb|-5--3--7-----|-7----------|
</code>

Tab without pipe symbol:
<code>
e----------------------------------
B----------------------------------
G----------------------------------
D---------5------------------------
A-7-----7----7--5--3------~2-------
E----------------------------------
</code>