Songs

The song library gives your organization a searchable collection of songs with lyrics, chord charts, and transposition tools.

Who Can Do What?

Opening the Song Library

Click Songs in the sidebar, or go to /songs.

Browsing and Searching Songs

The song library shows all songs added by your organization.

• Search — type a song title or artist name in the search box at the top.
• Filter by category — click a category chip to filter the list.
• Sort — songs can be sorted by title or recently added.

Viewing a Song

Click any song in the list to open its full view at /songs/[id].

The song page shows:

• Title and artist
• Key — the current display key (e.g. G, Bb, F#)
• Tempo — BPM if available
• Chord chart — lyrics with chords shown above the words
• Translations — lyrics in other languages (if added)

Transposing Chords

If you play an instrument and need the song in a different key:

1. Look for the transpose controls — usually + / − buttons near the key indicator.
2. Click + to raise the key by one semitone.
3. Click − to lower the key by one semitone.
4. The chord chart updates instantly.

The app handles sharps and flats automatically. Your transposition is only for your session — it doesn't change the key for everyone else.

Adding a Song (Admin / Staff / Music Coordinator only)

Option 1 — Create manually

1. Click Add Song.
2. Fill in:
   • Title (required)
   • Artist / Author (optional)
   • Key — e.g. G, Bb, F# (optional)
   • Tempo — BPM as a number (optional)
   • Lyrics — paste lyrics with chord annotations (optional)
3. Click Save.

Option 2 — Import from the public library

The platform includes a library of 600+ pre-built songs (hymns, contemporary worship, etc.).

1. Click Browse Public Library (or the import button, depending on your UI).
2. Search by title or artist.
3. Click Import next to any song.
4. The song is added to your organization's library immediately.

Song Categories (Admin / Staff / Music Coordinator only)

Categories help organize your library (e.g. "Advent", "Praise & Worship", "Hymns").

Creating a Category

1. Go to the Categories tab in the songs page.
2. Click Add Category.
3. Enter a name, choose an icon and color.
4. Optionally set a parent category to nest it under another.
5. Click Save.

Adding a Song to a Category

1. Open the song.
2. Click Edit.
3. Find the Categories field and select one or more categories.
4. Save.

A song can belong to multiple categories.

Adding Translations (Admin / Staff / Music Coordinator only)

1. Open a song.
2. Click Translations tab or button.
3. Click Add Translation.
4. Select the language.
5. Paste the translated lyrics.
6. Save.

Translations appear as tabs on the song viewer so anyone can switch between them.

Editing or Deleting a Song (Admin / Staff / Music Coordinator only)

1. Open the song.
2. Click Edit to change any field, then Save.
3. To delete, click Delete and confirm.

Deleting a song removes it from all service plans that reference it.

Frequently Asked Questions

I transposed the song but it reset when I came back — is that normal? Yes. Transposition is per-session only. It's not saved permanently so everyone else still sees the original key.

The chord chart looks like plain text with odd symbols. What's the format? Lyrics use a text-based chord format where chords are written inline with brackets or above the corresponding syllable. Your admin or music coordinator controls how lyrics are entered.

Can I print a chord chart? Use your browser's Print function (Ctrl+P / Cmd+P). The song page is designed to print cleanly.

How do I find a hymn I know by name? Type the title in the search box. Try partial matches if the exact title doesn't appear — for example, search "mighty fortress" to find "A Mighty Fortress Is Our God."