Tips

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Tips

 

Arpeggio

 

    • The arpeggio screen shows you how the individual chord notes are spread over the fretboard.

 

    • You may choose what you would like to have shown on the fretboard: notes, intervals, etc.

 

    • The displayed fretboard and tuning match the selected instrument.

 

    • Choose whether you would you like to have your display remain turned on or not (‘Settings’).

 

    • Set the number of frets on your fretboard. You may reduce it to just three frets or explore it up to the last fret. The displayed fretboard and tuning match the selected instrument.

 

    • Color schemes help to distinguish the notes of different degrees in chords, arpeggios, scales and the Circle of Fifths at a glance (Theme setting).

 

 

Backup

 

    • Send your smartChord backup regularly to a safe place outside your smartphone (e.g. to Google Drive or your email client).

 

    • smartChord can now also store your backup in the cloud. All you have to do is select a backup directory.

 

    • PLEASE NOTE, that NO RECORDINGS created in the notes will be included in the backup!

 

 

Chord

 

    • Specify the number of fingers, so only fingerings using that number of fingers will be shown.

 

    • Specify how many and which frets the displayed chords may include.

 

    • Specify the information you would like to have displayed in the chord chart (fingering, sheet music, etc.).

 

    • Are you not yet so familiar with your fretboard and would like to have the notes shown on the fretboard? Well, go to ‘Settings instrument’.

 

    • Tap on the single notes of the large chord chart to hear the individual tones.

 

    • You may sort the chords according to your preferences: difficulty, required number of fingers, etc.

 

    • PLUS enables you to assemble and retain any fingering for any predefined or customized tuning (not just ten). The screen ‘Fingering favorites’ displays an overview of your selected fingerings.

 

    • You can change the size of the chord gallery with the handle above it

 

 

Chords

 

    • On the one hand the screen ‘Choose chords’ serves for chord selection (e.g. for ear training or the playground); on the other it is used to examine the various chords and their fingerings. This screen also leads to the screen ‘Details’, supplying additional information (e.g., the tones that compose the chord).

 

    • For each chord there is also a chord detail screen, providing even more information about the chord (button lower right).

 

    • By tapping on a chord chart the chord will be played. You may choose how you would like to have the chord played in the ‘Sound settings’, e.g. as an arpeggio. You also may deactivate this function.

 

    • smartChord provides more than 1000 predefined tunings, always specific to the selected instrument – even for 5-, 7- and 8-string guitars. Is your tuning is not listed? Well then, create your own custom tuning!

 

    • You may sort the chords according to your preferences: difficulty, required number of fingers, etc.

 

    • For a concise overview you may reduce the chord types to a predefined selection using the filter button (e.g. all ‘sus’ chords).

 

    • smartChord knows a lot of chord types. To attain a concise overview you may reduce the selection to the most common or your favorite ones.

 

    • For easier use select your favorite chords (overflow (3-dot)menu or simply by a long press on a chord type).

 

    • Once selected, a bass tone can be removed from the chord by a second tap on the selected bass tone on the right side.

 

    • smartChord also knows the chords for short-string instruments (e.g. 5-string banjo).

 

    • PLUS enables you to assemble and retain any fingering for any predefined or customized tuning (not just ten). The screen ‘Fingering favorites’ displays an overview of your selected fingerings.

 

    • Color schemes help to distinguish the notes of different degrees in chords, arpeggios, scales and the Circle of Fifths at a glance (Theme setting).

 

    • You can change the size of the chord gallery with the handle above it

 

 

Chord name

 

    • You do not know the name of a particular fingering? Just tap out the fingering on the fretboard and the ‘Chord name’ function will help you.

 

    • For a struck string tap on the corresponding fret and for a non-struck or muted one tap the nut (or next to the first visible fret).

 

    • Using the default setting, only one chord name will be displayed. However there are often several common names. By pressing ‘Plus’ you will get all possible chord names.

 

    • Select whether slash chords, inverted or incomplete chords should be considered or not by using the buttons (or Settings).

 

    • Select whether you would like to have the notes displayed on the fretboard or not (‘Settings’).

 

 

Overview

 

    • PLUS enables you to assemble and retain any fingering for any predefined or customized tuning (not just ten). The screen ‘Fingering favorites’ displays an overview of your selected fingerings.

 

 

Chord progression

 

    • You can transpose your chord progressions whole or half steps up and down or transpose them to another tuning.

 

    • You can transpose your chord progressions whole or half steps up and down or transpose them to another tuning.

 

    • The printout differs depending on the chosen tab and prints either: Chord overview, the bars with chords or the whole sequence of chords.

 

    • Tap on the name (of the song, set list, quiz, …) to open the ‘Table of contents’

 

 

Circle of fifths

 

    • The Circle of Fifths is one of the major music tools helping to transpose a piece of music to a different key, while displaying all notes of a scale. Go ahead and ask Google 😉

 

    • The Circle of Fifths is interactive and can be rotated, changing the tonic, and with it the dominant, subdominant …

 

    • Select a keynote or tonic for the Circle of Fifths by using the ‘Key’ button.

 

    • Activate the ‘Play’ button to hear the sound of every tapped chord; deactivate this function if you do not like it. For any chord you tap, the ‘Details’ screen will be displayed.

 

    • Color schemes help to distinguish the notes of different degrees in chords, arpeggios, scales and the Circle of Fifths at a glance (Theme setting).

 

    • Tapping in the middle of the circle of fifths displays either the accidentals of the selected chord or the accidentals of the key

 

 

Drum machine

 

    • Unfortunately with some devices and Android versions there are problems if the sounds are played too fast. Please reduce the speed in this case!

 

    • Share your drum patterns with us. We collect them and make them available for download to all other users. The name must indicate the genre and time signature (e.g. ‘Rock 4/4 – Nr. 23’. Thanks a lot in advance!

 

    • There are now 508 shared drum patterns for download

 

    • Tap on the name (of the song, set list, quiz, …) to open the ‘Table of contents’

 

    • You can also use the drum machine as a rhythm trainer or flexible metronome including the speed trainer

 

 

Ear training

 

    • Train your musical ear to recognize notes or chords with ‘Ear training’.

 

    • By ‘New’ you may determine the tones or chords you would like to practice within your selected range.

 

 

Fretboard trainer

 

    • Tap on the name (of the song, set list, quiz, …) to open the ‘Table of contents’

 

 

Home

 

    • Our tips show the entire potential of smartChord by giving hints on non-obvious functions and features. They are mainly specific to a particular screen and fade in automatically when opening a screen. You may activate the list of tips within the general settings to display them again. Or just take a look at the particular help screen.

 

    • Just explore smartChord by tapping on the elements of a screen. Most of them will react, e.g. touch on the guitar’s head to change the instrument.

 

    • There is a special help page for each screen explaining several functions and listing specific tips (overflow (3-dot) menu or button at top right).

 

    • Using the icon top left always gets you back to the most recently opened screen.

 

    • For each feature specific settings can be selected (overflow (3-dot) menu or button at top right). Also, instrument settings and chords are specific to each instrument.

 

    • You may select different instruments. By assessing your individual skill-level (basic, intermediate, expert) a corresponding set of settings will be made. E.g. showing all chords and fingerings (expert) or just easy and most common ones (basic).

 

    • You may hide features you do not need by fading them out in the menu.

 

    • Go to ‘General settings’ to select whether you would like to have the app always open to the last displayed screen or the home screen.

 

    • The synthesizer guitar offers more than a 100 different sounds and can even make your chords sound like bagpipes sometimes!

 

    • You may choose whether you would like to have the chords sounded when tapping them or not (in ‘General settings’).

 

    • You may select the app’s language regardless of the system language (‘General settings’).

 

    • You may save different settings when using the smartChord PLUS version, e.g. set the metronome for a particular practice piece.

 

    • Using smartChord PLUS version you may create a backup and restore all your personal settings and data when needed.

 

    • smartChord is available in different dark and light color combinations. Dark themes are more suitable to play on stage and do save your battery power. Just pick your favorite one on the home screen (button in the upper right).

 

    • Send your smartChord backup regularly to a safe place outside your smartphone (e.g. to Google Drive or your email client).

 

    • Please send us your feedback via email. We answer every email. Please check your spam folder, if you are waiting for an answer.

 

    • We’ve increased our development by 300% and want to make smartChord the best and most popular musician app worldwide. Improvements and enhancements come every two weeks. Many enhancements find their way unnoticed and therefore remain unused.

      Use all the potential and get a quick overview on www.smartChord.de/news.

 

    • Casting your Android screen lets you mirror your Android device to the TV so you can enjoy your content exactly as you see it on your mobile device – only bigger. Please see how to cast your Android screen.

 

    • In each help page there is a search across all help pages, settings, tips and FAQs

 

    • Each screen has its own settings. With each version new ones are added. For everyone who does not regularly follow the new features, it is worth taking a regular look at the settings

 

    • You can get tooltips for most of the buttons by a long press on the button

 

    • Share your drum patterns with us. We collect them and make them available for download to all other users. The name must indicate the genre and time signature (e.g. ‘Rock 4/4 – Nr. 23’. Thanks a lot in advance!

 

 

    • There are now 508 shared drum patterns for download

 

 

    • You can set the tools shown in the start screen in the menu and rearrange them by long-pressing on the icons

 

    • There are now 508 shared drum patterns for download

 

    • The Fretboard Explorer gives you string-by-string and note-by-note control over what you see, and more importantly, what you don’t see as you explore and learn the fretboard. Jump in, give it a try, and share the ways that you might use it with other musicians. Enjoy!

 

    • Do you miss a chord? The chord dictionary knows every possible chord without exception. Jump in and get your missing chord

 

    • Send your smartChord backup regularly to a safe place outside your smartphone (e.g. to Google Drive or your email client).

 

    • Dialogs are movable by dragging the title bar

 

    • You can also use the drum machine as a rhythm trainer or flexible metronome including the speed trainer

 

    • If many tools are placed on the home screen and the texts are too small, the option ‘Home-screen scrollable’ makes the home-screen scrollable and the texts readable in any case

 

    • smartChord can now also store your backup in the cloud. All you have to do is select a backup directory. 

 

    • You can use the Key Identifier to determine the key of a song or a chord progression or even an arbitrary set of chords or notes.

 

    • Do you want a better sound? The sound of the instrument is produced by the MIDI producer of your device. Some devices do not replicate the sound of stringed instruments nicely. Often, however, piano or organ sound better. We have therefore added several of these sounds. Do you want to change the sound now?

 

 

Instruments

 

    • You may select different instruments. By assessing your individual skill-level (basic, intermediate, expert) a corresponding set of settings will be made. E.g. showing all chords and fingerings (expert) or just easy and most common ones (basic).

 

    • You may assess your individual skill-level (basic, intermediate, expert) for each instrument. Depending on the skill level, settings will change by the time you change the instrument and e.g. more or less chords and fingering are displayed.

 

    • Please be aware, switching the skill level has an impact on the chord settings, because with a change of the skill level you also change the depending settings, e.g. number and difficulty of displayed chords and fingerings.

 

 

Metronome

 

    • You may set the rhythm for each piece of music with the help of the metronome.

 

    • ‘Dimming’ helps to save your smartphone’s energy and dims the screen while the metronome is running.

 

    • You may let the metronome run in the background while practising.

 

    • Speed up the metronome with the help of the Speed Trainer and thereby increase your pace.

 

    • Select the instrument or instruments playing the rhythm (‘Settings’) – one for the stressed and one for the unstressed beats.

 

    • Using the timer you may determine how long the metronome will maintain its pace.

 

    • With PLUS it is possible to apply your personal metronome settings for any songs and exercises (not just two). That will enable you to access a ‘play’ and ‘exercise mode’ faster. Just save your favorite setting for a composition and get back to it later.

 

    • Tap on the name (of the song, set list, quiz, …) to open the ‘Table of contents’

 

    • You can also use the drum machine as a rhythm trainer or flexible metronome including the speed trainer

 

 

Notepad

 

    • Manage your favorite YouTube videos in the Notepad. Use the menu ‘Link -> YouTube’ in the edit screen to add links to the YouTube videos

 

    • Tap on the name (of the song, set list, quiz, …) to open the ‘Table of contents’

 

    • PLEASE NOTE, that NO RECORDINGS created in the notes will be included in the backup!

 

 

Pattern

 

    • You can use a swipe gesture left or right to switch the pattern. In the settings you can define if you want to switch between favorites.

 

    • Have you found an interesting pattern? Create an exercise to practice it or share it with your friends or students.

 

    • Tap on the name (of the song, set list, quiz, …) to open the ‘Table of contents’

 

 

Playground

 

    • Using the ‘Playground’ you may listen to the different chord sounds, compare them or just do a little jamming. Just let your fingers slide over the fretboard.

 

    • Would you like to assemble some chords? Well, switch into the edit mode by using the ‘Pencil’ – the ‘Checkmark’ will get you back again.

 

    • Working in the edit mode, you may change the chord selection by using ‘Plus’ and confirm your selection with the ‘Checkmark’. You may replace a chord by tapping on the chord name and tap on the ‘X’ to remove a chord.

 

    • PLUS enables you to create, save and play along with any chord progression in the playground (not just two). Transpose your chord progressions any number of steps up or down or change them to another tuning. Use the speed-trainer to accelerate the pace or the timer to limit your practice time. Compile your favorite chords, possibly creating a new piece of music or just store the chords of well-known compositions to practice. Additionally, you can change between your saved chord progressions at various screens.

 

 

Practice

 

    • Tap on the name (of the song, set list, quiz, …) to open the ‘Table of contents’

 

 

Scales

 

    • The ‘Scales’ screen shows you how the individual notes of a scale are spread over the fretboard.

 

    • Tap on the button with the scale name to get a variety of scales to choose from.

 

    • Tapping the ‘C’ button changes the scale’s root.

 

    • Select what you would like to have displayed on the fretboard: notes, intervals, …

 

    • Tapping on the name of the tuning changes the tuning.

 

    • Color schemes help to distinguish the notes of different degrees in chords, arpeggios, scales and the Circle of Fifths at a glance (Theme setting).

 

    • Have you found an interesting pattern? Create an exercise to practice it or share it with your friends or students.

 

    • With the swipe gesture on the musical notation you can change the scale. Swipe up or down to change the root note. Swipe left or right to switch between your favorite scales

 

 

Scale fretboard

 

    • The displayed fretboard and tuning match the selected instrument.

 

    • Set the number of frets on your fretboard. You may reduce it to just three frets or explore it up to the last fret. The displayed fretboard and tuning match the selected instrument.

 

    • Color schemes help to distinguish the notes of different degrees in chords, arpeggios, scales and the Circle of Fifths at a glance (Theme setting).

 

    • You can tap on the scale name to change the scale

 

 

Set list

 

    • Navigate within the set list by an external Bluetooth or MIDI device like a PageFlip pedal.

 

    • smartChord does not save the changes in the songs when using the set list. It’s because the musician shouldn’t be interrupt by saving prompts while he is possibly playing a gig. You have to save a changed song explicitly

 

    • Tap on the name (of the song, set list, quiz, …) to open the ‘Table of contents’

 

    • The songbook is used in the set list to display the songs. When using the set list, we assume that you are probably playing a gig and don’t want to be disturbed. Therefore, when you make changes, there is no prompt to save the changes. You have to explicitly execute ‘Save.

 

 

Song

 

    • Now it’s possible to synchronize your songs with your cloud (Google Drive or DropBox). It allows synchronization of songs between multiple Android devices or editing of song text files conveniently from your desktop or notebook (‘Synchronize’ tool).

 

    • You can share a song as PDF. If you select ‘Print’, you will be asked if you would like to share the PDF.

 

 

    • We have introduced a delay before the scrolling starts, so that the first lines are visible longer. The delay is active by default. But there is an option in the songbook settings where you can change this default behavior. You can override this default behavior for every song individually.

 

    • Change the search engine in case that your preferred internet site for chords is not listed by the default search engine

 

    • You can add a YouTube video to a song. Add the official video, your favorite guitar lesson or a great cover. The embedded YouTube player will play the video as a great alternative to the audio player.

 

    • Create a custom chord to have different fingerings for the same chord in the same song

 

    • You can import a bunch of songs comfortable via the browser of your computer. Please see our video s.mart Songbook Importer

 

    • You can easily replace the fingerings and chords of a song. Get the menu by a long press on a chord in the gallery

 

    • In the ‘table of contents’ you can share one or more songs at once with your friends or band mates

 

 

    • The songbook detects nearly every chord. The available chords are listed in the Choose chord screen. The list of chords is already huge, but not entirely complete. If you still miss chords in smartChord, you can add them from the chord dictionary or you can create your own custom chords

 

    • Tap on the name (of the song, set list, quiz, …) to open the ‘Table of contents’

 

    • You can change the size of the chord gallery with the handle above it

 

    • The musical key is automatically determined by the Key Identifier
      ◾ For every new song from the internet
      ◾ If you click on the musical key in the info section
      ◾ On ‘Edit information’

 

    • Check whether your previous songbook allows the export of songs. For example, OnSong allows you to export songs in ChordPro format. The ChordPro format is preferable to other formats because it supports not only the lyrics but also meta information like title, author, album, key, etc. smartChord supports the import of ChordPro files

 

 

Song import

 

    • Check whether your previous songbook allows the export of songs. For example, OnSong allows you to export songs in ChordPro format. The ChordPro format is preferable to other formats because it supports not only the lyrics but also meta information like title, author, album, key, etc. smartChord supports the import of ChordPro files

 

 

Internet song search

 

    • ‘Close’ button in preview screen will show the originally loaded web page. This is useful for song catalogues that show previews of different song versions

 

 

Table of contents

 

    • There is the new ‘Table of contents mode’. It determines the accessibility of the screen ‘Table of contents’

 

    • You can categorize your entries and use filters to find them faster. For this purpose we have published a Video

 

    • You can sort the table of contents by the part of the name after the ‘-‘. This can be useful if you build your entries e.g. according to the scheme ‘title – artist’ and want to sort by artist

 

 

Synchronize

 

    • It is possible to provide data for other devices. This option should be enabled if the devices data are also intended for your other devices

 

 

Tone generator

 

    • Test the frequency spectrum of your headphones or your ears with the ‘Tone generator’ 😉

 

    • With each frequency change, the nearest tone will be displayed together with its corresponding frequency. Tap on the display if you would like to select a frequency by giving a note. Tap on this display to select a frequency by entering a tone. Please note: This function is only possible on large screens!

 

    • PLUS allows you to store different frequency sets in the tone generator for any of your exercises or tests (not just two) and allows you to switch between them.

 

    • Tap on the name (of the song, set list, quiz, …) to open the ‘Table of contents’

 

 

Transpose

 

    • You may transfer a song from one key to another by using the function ‘Transpose’.

 

    • Shift the sliding note bars with your finger. Select the key of the music piece you want to transpose in the upper notebar, e.g. the tonic C (stage 1) and below the key to which the song will be transposed, e.g. F tonic. Below the second notebar you will see the chords of the transposed music piece.

 

    • Tap on a chord name to open the ‘Details’ screen showing all the specific details and possible fingerings.

 

    • The number between IV and V shows you the fret on which the capo needs to be set in order to transpose.

 

 

Tuner

 

    • The ‘Tuner’ offers different modes – for beginners and for professionals – to tune their instruments. There is also a specific mode which helps you to change strings very easily.

 

    • The guitar head shows your selected instrument and its tuning. When the note AND the octave of the detected tone match the tuning, the tuning knob will be change color.

 

    • Please note, it is not possible to tune an instrument to every tuning! Strings might break when the tension is too high.

 

    • Please leave the ‘Tuning’ screen after you finish your tuning, because the tuner prevents your smartphone from switching off.

 

    • Tap on the instrument head to change the instrument.

 

    • Concert pitch is set to 440.0 Hz. You may also customize this pitch individually.

 

    • Please note, the vibration of your smartphone may affect sound detection.

 

 

Tuning

 

    • PLUS enables you to assemble and specify any number of favorite tunings, saving them in your tuning list. Manage the tuning list yourself: select your favorite tunings from the list of predefined tunings or add your personalized custom tuning to the list. Additionally, it is possible to change between the tunings of your tuning list at various screens.

 

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