# Creating guitar chord charts in word **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 15, 2004, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/creating-guitar-chord-charts-in-word/234535 "2004-03-15T23:47:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![stpauler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9d8465/32.png) [@stpauler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stpauler)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2004, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/creating-guitar-chord-charts-in-word/234535/1 "2004-03-15T23:47:02Z")
Is there a program for making guitar chords on word document (Like what’s shown [here](http://www.cherylwheeler.com/home/tabs.html) )? ---
**Author:** ![CookingWithGas](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cookingwithgas/32/485_2.png) [@CookingWithGas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CookingWithGas)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2004, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/creating-guitar-chord-charts-in-word/234535/2 "2004-03-16T01:33:17Z")
Don’t know of one, but I will tell you that the chords in your example are graphics just pasted into the Word document. I’m sure there are programs that let you write tablature, and maybe even these kinds of chord symbols, but I’ve never heard of one that will output it as a Word document. ---
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2004, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/creating-guitar-chord-charts-in-word/234535/3 "2004-03-16T01:37:59Z")
My guess, looking at the blockiness and crappy text in the examples you linked to, is that they were created in Paint or similar - draw a few lines to make a grid, save it. Add text on the top and spots as necessary, and save as a separate file. Repeat. Insert into Word. ---
**Author:** ![stpauler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9d8465/32.png) [@stpauler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stpauler)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2004, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/creating-guitar-chord-charts-in-word/234535/4 "2004-03-16T01:44:14Z")
I found a program that does it and can be copied into word. Thanks all… [SongSheet4](http://www.dsbsoft.com/) ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2004, 3:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/creating-guitar-chord-charts-in-word/234535/5 "2004-03-16T03:12:46Z")
I happen to have a font set that will work, or rather a group of sets. They came with one of my Passport Designs music programs. ---
**Author:** ![bjs142](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/58956e/32.png) [@bjs142](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bjs142)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2004, 1:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/creating-guitar-chord-charts-in-word/234535/6 "2004-03-16T13:40:28Z")
Hey STPaul…have u used this prog? ---
**Author:** ![stpauler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9d8465/32.png) [@stpauler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stpauler)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2004, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/creating-guitar-chord-charts-in-word/234535/7 "2004-03-16T17:03:00Z")
Yeah, it’s got a 30 day free trial period. There’s a singer/songwriter I’m working with to make sheet music for his songs. This looks a bit better instead of putting A=X07655. I showed him the Cheryl Wheeler link (above) and he liked it. It seems pretty easy to use but I’ve found that a lot of the chords have to be added manually that I’d think would be standard (for example G#m=XX6444 instead of =466444) but that’s just a nitpick. When I’m done, I copy the chords and lyrics and paste them in a word doc. ---
**Author:** ![bjs142](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/58956e/32.png) [@bjs142](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bjs142)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2004, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/creating-guitar-chord-charts-in-word/234535/8 "2004-03-16T20:39:44Z")
OK…so why use Word…I just downloaded it and it has its own word processor. Is there something I’m missing? > [@stpauler](#): > > Yeah, it’s got a 30 day free trial period. > There’s a singer/songwriter I’m working with to make sheet music for his songs. This looks a bit better instead of putting A=X07655. I showed him the Cheryl Wheeler link (above) and he liked it. It seems pretty easy to use but I’ve found that a lot of the chords have to be added manually that I’d think would be standard (for example G#m=XX6444 instead of =466444) but that’s just a nitpick. When I’m done, I copy the chords and lyrics and paste them in a word doc. ---
**Author:** ![stpauler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9d8465/32.png) [@stpauler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stpauler)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2004, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/creating-guitar-chord-charts-in-word/234535/9 "2004-03-16T21:58:24Z")
I was thinking I’d use Word for simplicity’s sake. The program seems to save the work as an .rtf file. Problem with that is that I wasn’t sure if that would be universal and open correctly for people when they’d open it from the website. I thought just copying it into Word so I’d know the chords would line up with the lyrics would be best. (I could just be making more work for myself though.) The other thought that’s hanging out there is having his webmaster convert the .docs to a pdf file so the format may be a moot point anyhow. ---
**Author:** ![bjs142](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/58956e/32.png) [@bjs142](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bjs142)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2004, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/creating-guitar-chord-charts-in-word/234535/10 "2004-03-30T17:38:08Z")
Are you still using the Song Sheet prog? I emailed the guy and he sent me a converter so I can convert the rtf files to pdf. He made some changes in the font selections for the finished lyric report. This prog really works for me. ---
**Author:** ![stpauler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9d8465/32.png) [@stpauler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stpauler)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2004, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/creating-guitar-chord-charts-in-word/234535/11 "2004-04-08T14:14:21Z")
> [@bjs142](#): > > Are you still using the Song Sheet prog? I emailed the guy and he sent me a converter so I can convert the rtf files to pdf. He made some changes in the font selections for the finished lyric report. This prog really works for me. Somehow I missed this one, can you tell me more about the prog you’re using? (The artist I’m working with isn’t too keen on the Song Sheet Prog) Thanks, Josh ---
**Author:** ![sailor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a587f6/32.png) [@sailor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sailor)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2004, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/creating-guitar-chord-charts-in-word/234535/12 "2004-04-08T20:03:06Z")
> [@stpauler](#): > > Is there a program for making guitar chords on word document (Like what’s shown [here](http://www.cherylwheeler.com/home/tabs.html) )? Those Word files do not display correctly in my computer. They are all garbage. I guess you need a specific flavor of MS Word. Word may be a good program for word processing but once you have finished the work, it is not a good format for exchanging the information with other people because you run into this type of problem. If you just want to present the scores so others can see them and print them, you are much better off using .PDF or a graphics format like TIFF as they should print just fine on any other computer, If you want to actually work on the scores and edit them, then you need a program which is particularly suited for that job. I am thinking there are several MIDI softwares which allow that. ---
**Author:** ![stpauler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9d8465/32.png) [@stpauler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stpauler)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2004, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/creating-guitar-chord-charts-in-word/234535/13 "2004-04-08T21:20:51Z")
Yup, **Sailor,** that’s the end idea…to put it into a .pdf file so that the spacing above the lyrics doesn’t get fussy for one thing. So far I’ve searched through a lot of notation software but haven’t found any programs that can duplicate what is on the website in the OP. (They’re the guitar chords with the name of the chord at the top and then a graph with the fingering without the numbers at the bottom). I bought [Finale Print Music](http://www.finalemusic.com/printmusic/) last night at Guitar Center and read the instruction booklet before I loaded the software (luckily). The program didn’t do what I needed it to so I returned it and the store said I would need the full version which he said was $200.00. I’ve emailed a couple other companies to see if I can just do a lyrics/chords sheetmusic but haven’t heard back yet. ---
**Author:** ![sailor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a587f6/32.png) [@sailor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sailor)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2004, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/creating-guitar-chord-charts-in-word/234535/14 "2004-04-08T22:00:35Z")
Well, I don’t know the first thing about music notations or how guitar is specific but if you just need to write notes on a pentagram there are MIDI programs which will do it. . . and play the music too. then, to convert to PDF you need Acrobat. ---
**Author:** ![Eva\_Luna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e495f1/32.png) [@Eva\_Luna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eva_Luna)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2004, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/creating-guitar-chord-charts-in-word/234535/15 "2004-04-09T01:30:42Z")
I think you’ll have much better luck with this thread in Cafe Society. I know there’s a way to do guitar tab in Word, but I’ve never done it myself…my teacher does it, though. And he is so far from computer-savvy it’s not even funny. Are you trying to do tab, or chord charts, or what? ---
**Author:** ![stpauler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9d8465/32.png) [@stpauler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stpauler)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2004, 12:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/creating-guitar-chord-charts-in-word/234535/16 "2004-04-09T12:53:29Z")
**Eva Luna,** I’m just trying to find a program to make chord charts like the ones [here.](http://www.cherylwheeler.com/home/tabs.html) Something simple and clean looking and able to also switch to alternate tunings as well (see “Walk Around Downtown”) And yeah…maybe this would do better in Cafe Society, Mods? (pretty, pretty please?)