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Chord-Playing Notepad Application - Remaining Implementation

What's Already Implemented

Core MVP (Phases 1-5) - COMPLETE:

  • ✅ Full text editor with file operations, undo/redo, recent files
  • ✅ Font selection and size adjustment (Ctrl+Wheel, Ctrl+Plus/Minus/0)
  • ✅ Line-based chord detection with PyChord validation
  • ✅ American and European notation support with conversion
  • ✅ FluidSynth audio playback with GeneralUser-GS soundfont
  • ✅ Clickable chords (left-click to play)
  • ✅ Auto-play with BPM control (60-240 BPM)
  • ✅ Play/Pause/Stop controls with threading
  • ✅ Current chord highlighting during playback
  • ✅ Settings persistence (font, BPM, notation, window geometry, recent files)
  • ✅ Makefile and PyInstaller spec for packaging

Additional Features (Phases 7-13) - COMPLETE:

  • ✅ Loop/repeat mode for playback
  • ✅ Instrument/voicing selection (Piano, Guitar Standard, Drop D, DADGAD, etc.)
  • ✅ Key signature selector in toolbar
  • ✅ Time signature control (beats per measure and beat unit)
  • ✅ Roman numeral chord notation support
  • ✅ ChordPro directive support:
    • ✅ BPM changes ({tempo: 120})
    • ✅ Time signature changes ({time: 4/4})
    • ✅ Key changes ({key: C})
    • ✅ Labels ({label: intro})
    • ✅ Loops ({loop: intro 3})
  • ✅ Beat count annotations (e.g., C*2 for 2 beats)
  • ✅ About dialog
  • ✅ // line comments
  • ✅ Support NC for rests/pauses

Remaining Work

Phase 6: Packaging & Distribution (Partially Complete)

Remaining Tasks:

  1. Test on target platforms
    • Windows 10/11 testing
    • Ubuntu 22.04/Fedora 39 testing
    • Verify audio playback works
    • Check file operations

Future Enhancements (Post-MVP)

Preferences Dialog

Tasks:

  1. Create preferences dialog window
    • Custom soundfont path selection (file picker)
    • MIDI velocity (volume) slider
    • Default chord duration preference
    • Auto-save preferences to JSON file

Help & Documentation

Tasks:

  1. Keyboard shortcuts reference dialog
    • Help → Keyboard Shortcuts (show reference dialog)
    • List all shortcuts in organized table
    • File operations, editing, playback, etc.
    • Copy reference to clipboard option

Keyboard Shortcuts to Document:

File Operations:
  Ctrl+N          New File
  Ctrl+O          Open File
  Ctrl+S          Save
  Ctrl+Shift+S    Save As
  Ctrl+Q          Quit

Editing:
  Ctrl+Z          Undo
  Ctrl+Y          Redo
  Ctrl+C          Copy
  Ctrl+V          Paste
  Ctrl+X          Cut
  Ctrl+A          Select All

View:
  Ctrl+Plus       Increase Font Size
  Ctrl+Minus      Decrease Font Size
  Ctrl+0          Reset Font Size
  Ctrl+Wheel      Zoom In/Out

Playback:
  Click Chord     Play Single Chord

Transpose Dialog

Tasks:

  1. Create transpose dialog UI
    • Numeric spinner: -12 to +12 semitones
    • Preview button (show what chords will become)
    • Apply button (transpose all chords in document)
    • Tools → Transpose menu item

Metronome & Capo Support

Tasks:

  1. Metronome click track

    • Toggle button in toolbar
    • Play click sound on each beat during auto-play
    • Sync with BPM and time signature
    • Independent volume control
    • Auto count-in (1 bar) when metronome enabled

  2. Capo support (global, affects playback only)

    • Toolbar spinner: "Capo: [-12 to +12]" (or -24 to +24)
    • Transposes playback pitch, NOT display
    • Text shows: C, Am, F, G (unchanged)
    • Positive values (like capo): Capo +2 plays D, Bm, G, A
    • Negative values (like downtuning): Capo -2 plays Bb, Gm, Eb, F
    • Use cases:
      • Match vocalist's range without rewriting chart
      • Play along with recording in different key
      • Simulate guitar downtuning
    • No {capo:} directive - global UI control only

  3. Global tempo/speed percentage slider

    • Slider range: 50% to 150% (or 25% to 200%)
    • Default: 100%
    • Label: "Speed: 75%" or "Tempo Scale: 75%"
    • Multiplies ALL tempos proportionally:
      • Initial BPM slider value
      • All {tempo: N} directives in the song
    • Preserves tempo structure and changes
    • Perfect for practice: slow down entire song while keeping tempo variations
    • Optional keyboard shortcuts: [ decrease 5%, ] increase 5%

Export to MIDI

Tasks:

  1. Export song to MIDI file
    • File → Export to MIDI menu item
    • Convert detected chords to MIDI notes
    • Respect tempo, time signature, beat counts
    • Respect loops and labels
    • Use selected voicing/instrument

Arpeggiation / Backing Track Generator

Tasks:

  1. Add arpeggiation patterns for chords

    • Different arpeggio styles: up, down, up-down, pattern-based
    • Rhythm patterns: whole notes, quarter notes, eighth notes, etc.
    • Pattern selector in toolbar or preferences
    • Elevates from simple chord playback to full backing track

  2. Strumming patterns (for guitar voicings)

    • Up/down strum patterns
    • Timing variations
    • Accent patterns

Chord Diagrams

Tasks:

  1. Display chord diagrams
    • Show guitar/piano fingering diagrams for detected chords
    • Popup on hover or click
    • Support for different voicings/positions
    • Visual representation of fretboard or keyboard

Guitar Tab Generation

Tasks:

  1. Generate guitar tablature from chord progression
    • Use existing guitar voicing data (fingering patterns already known)
    • Combine with timing information (beat counts, tempo)
    • Export to text-based tab format or ASCII art
    • Support for different tunings (standard, drop D, DADGAD, etc.)
    • File → Export to Tab menu item
    • Could also display tabs inline in the editor

Export to Audio

Tasks:

  1. Render backing track to audio file
    • File → Export to WAV/MP3 menu item
    • Use FluidSynth's audio rendering capability
    • Respect all playback settings (tempo, loops, patterns, etc.)
    • Progress bar during rendering
    • Audio format options: WAV (lossless), MP3 (compressed)

Volume & Dynamics Control

Tasks:

  1. Volume control via directives
    • {v: 80} or {volume: 80} directive (MIDI velocity 0-127)
    • Apply to subsequent chords until changed
    • Default velocity configurable in preferences
    • Useful for creating dynamic backing tracks

Custom Rhythm Patterns

Tasks:

  1. Per-section rhythm/arpeggio patterns
    • {pattern: arpeggio-up} - ascending arpeggio
    • {pattern: arpeggio-down} - descending arpeggio
    • {pattern: strum-down} - downstroke strum
    • {pattern: strum-alternate} - up-down strumming
    • {pattern: whole} - whole note (default)
    • Pattern library extensible
    • Different patterns for intro/verse/chorus

Additional Future Ideas

Features that may be considered for future versions but are not currently planned:

Deferred (Maybe Later):

  • Audio device selection - Allow user to choose output device under Playback menu (requires sounddevice library for enumeration)
  • Export to PDF/image - Print/export chord sheets as PDF or image files
  • Dark mode - UI theme
  • Multiple tabs - Work on multiple songs simultaneously
  • Multi-track support - Separate tracks for melody, chords, bass (complex, requires style programming)
  • Playback through MIDI device - Send MIDI output to external devices instead of just FluidSynth

Success Criteria

Core Features:

  • Application runs on Windows and Linux as standalone executable
  • Detects chords in American, European, and Roman numeral notation
  • Plays chords with acceptable audio quality
  • UI is responsive (no freezing during playback)
  • File operations work correctly (load/save)
  • Auto-play feature works with adjustable BPM
  • Stop button immediately stops all audio
  • Loop mode works
  • Instrument/voicing selection works
  • ChordPro directives work (tempo, time signature, key, labels, loops)
  • Beat count annotations work

Remaining - Near Term:

  • Comment syntax (//)
  • NC (No Chord) notation for rests
  • Transpose dialog
  • Keyboard shortcuts help
  • Preferences dialog
  • Metronome (with auto count-in)
  • Capo support (playback pitch shift)
  • Global tempo/speed percentage slider
  • Executable tested on Windows and Linux
  • Application starts in <3 seconds
  • Executable size is reasonable

Remaining - Longer Term:

  • Export to MIDI
  • Export to audio (WAV/MP3)
  • Arpeggiation/backing track patterns
  • Custom rhythm patterns per section
  • Volume/dynamics control ({v: 80})
  • Chord diagrams
  • Guitar tab generation

References