PDF export

Overview

PDF export turns a song chart into a clean, printable handout. It is designed for rehearsals, gigs, and sharing outside the app.

Whether you need paper backups, want to hand charts to a sub musician, or prefer working from a printed page during practice, PDF export creates professional-looking documents from your charts.

When to use it

• Your band needs paper copies — some musicians prefer physical charts
• You want a stable snapshot for a set — lock in a version for a specific gig
• Sharing with someone who doesn't use Akordo — email a PDF to a guest musician
• Offline backup — keep printed copies in your gig bag as insurance
• Rehearsal handouts — distribute charts to a choir or ensemble

How to export

From a song

1. Open the song you want to export
2. Switch to the arrangement you want to use (the PDF uses the current arrangement's key, capo, and tempo)
3. Click the PDF action button (usually found in the song header or actions menu)
4. The PDF generates and downloads automatically

From a setlist

You can also export an entire setlist as one PDF:

1. Open the setlist
2. Click the PDF action
3. Get a single document with all songs in order

Setlist PDFs include each song's chosen arrangement, so everyone's literally on the same page.

What the PDF includes

Every exported PDF contains:

• Song title — prominently displayed at the top
• Arrangement metadata — key, capo position, tempo (if set)
• Artist/subtitle — if specified in the chart
• The full chart — lyrics with chords rendered cleanly above them
• Section headers — VERSE, CHORUS, BRIDGE, etc. with visual distinction
• Comments — visible {c:} comments are included
• Page numbers — for multi-page charts

What's NOT included

• Private hash comments (# like this) — these stay hidden
• Edit functionality — it's a static document

Layout and formatting

PDFs are formatted for standard printing:

• Paper size — US Letter by default
• Margins — generous margins to avoid clipping
• Font size — readable at arm's length on a music stand
• Two-column layout — fits more content per page

Column breaks

For charts with multiple sections, you can control where content breaks:

VERSE 1
[C]Content here

COLUMN_BREAK

VERSE 2
[C]More content in the next column

Use COLUMN_BREAK to force content into the next column for better visual organization.

Long songs

If a song spans multiple pages:

• The PDF continues naturally with consistent formatting
• Page numbers help you navigate
• Consider splitting very long charts into separate songs for easier handling

Tips for better PDFs

Before you export

• Set arrangement metadata — key, capo, and tempo appear in the PDF header
• Use section headers — they make the chart scannable during rehearsal
• Add visible comments — {c:Play softly here} notes help musicians
• Preview in viewer mode — see what the chart looks like before exporting

Formatting considerations

• Long lines — may wrap in the PDF; consider editing for cleaner breaks
• Chord density — too many chords per line can look cramped
• Consistent style — stick to one format for section headers throughout

For setlist PDFs

• Arrange in performance order — the PDF respects your setlist ordering
• Label songs if needed — "new" or "review" labels aren't in the PDF but help during prep
• Test with one song first — make sure the formatting works before exporting a full setlist

Common issues

The PDF looks different from the app

The PDF renderer uses fixed fonts and spacing. If something looks off:

• Check for very long lines that might wrap unexpectedly
• Verify section headers are on their own lines
• Ensure chords use proper [bracket] syntax

Content is cut off

• Margins — PDFs have fixed margins; if content is at the edge, it may clip
• Font size — smaller fonts fit more but may be hard to read
• Column layout — try adding COLUMN_BREAK to rebalance content

The PDF is blank

This usually means the chart has no renderable content. Check that:

• The chart has actual lyrics and chords (not just metadata)
• Chord syntax is correct
• There are no syntax errors blocking rendering

See Troubleshooting for more help.

Sharing PDFs

Once you've generated a PDF:

• Email it — attach to a message for your band
• Print it — for paper backups or rehearsal handouts
• Store it — keep in a shared drive or cloud folder
• AirDrop or share — send directly to nearby devices

PDFs are standalone files — recipients don't need an Akordo account to view them.

Next steps

• Songs — create and edit charts for export
• Setlists — organize multiple songs into a printable set
• ChordPro reference — formatting options for your charts