Text, Chords and Markers

Text Formatting

You can easily format the karaoke text font/size/color using the font panel ("Show Fonts" from the "View > Font" menu). Formatting is applied to both text, chords and markers. Chords and markers visibility can be toggled with the "View > Chords" and "View > Markers" menu items.

Auto Size

If the "Auto Size" option is checked, QMidi resizes the text accordingly to the window height so that a constant number of lines are viewed. The chords can then be independently sized by dragging the text/chord divider.

Rich text (RTF)

When opened, styled text with the same color as background is automatically set to white/black, depending on the background color.

Background Image

With the "View > Background Image" menu, you can add a background image to your karaoke window. You may also drag an image from the finder to do this.

You can also manually link an image to a single media file:

1. Copy the image file to the media file's directory.
2. Rename it as the media file name + extension (jpeg, jpg, png, tiff or tif).

Text Encoding

If a karaoke file has been created on other platforms, accented characters are not displayed correctly using the default encoding. To fix this problem, QMidi allows you to choose the appropriate text encoding for any karaoke file and to save your settings within the playlist/library. You can change the default encoding in the Settings dialog.

Adding lyrics in Edit Mode

1. Choose "Edit" from the "View" menu (karaoke window must be frontmost).
2. Type/Paste your text.
3. Save your work by choosing "Save" from the "File" menu.

During this operation, a QMidi project will be created with the same base name in the media file's directory.

NB: You should never edit synced lyrics in Edit Mode because this may invalidate sync information.

Editing in Sync Mode

The safe way to edit existing lyrics, chords or markers is the following:

1. Choose "Sync" from the "View" menu.
2. Click either the "Lyrics", Chords" or "Markers button in the bottom toolbar.
3. Click the "pencil" button at bottom to enable manual editing.
4. Double click the text column to edit its content. Chords must be properly formatted! (see "Chords Format").

The "CR" column is used to add/remove line breaks.

The behavior of the "+" button depends on the current selection state:

• If a row is selected, it will be duplicated. If the "Text" column is being edited, the text will be split at cursor position.
• If no rows are selected (command-click on any selected row to unselect it), an empty row will be added at the end.
• If you hold down the option key while pressing the "+" button, the new item is inserted at the playhead’s current time (see shortcuts).

Adding New items in Sync mode by Pasting.

1. Choose "Sync" from the "View" menu.
2. Paste your text. Every line of text will create a sync item.

• If a row is selected, the events willl be inserted before the selection.
• If no rows are selected (command-click on any selected row to unselect it), the events will be added at the end.
• If you are working on chords, only valid chords will be accepted (see "Chords Format").

Syncing

Real time syncing

1. Choose "Sync" from the "View" menu to enter synchronize mode.
2. Click the "smiley" button at bottom to enable sync mode.
3. Start Playing. Optionally click the "Turtle" button to proceed at half speed.
4. Click the row you want to synchronize at the playhead's time (press the Return key to advance one line).
5. Choose "Display" from the "View" menu to exit synchronize mode.
6. To save your changes, choose "Save" from the "File" menu.

You can of course do step 4 while the player is stopped. It is not necessary to synchronize the entire text at once: you can adjust the row's position at any time by rewinding and clicking it at the right time. All these actions may be undone using the "Edit > Undo" menu.

Tips: Option-Click a row to move the playhead at the corresponding time; Shift-click to move all subsequent rows.

Manual Sync Editing

Enter the synchronize mode and click the "Edit" (pencil) button to enable manual editing.

The "Time" column is formatted as measure:beat:tick (for MIDI files and media files with a linked MIDI file) or HH:MM:SS.MS.

Action menu

Split/Join words

Use these menu items if you want to synchronize word by word or line by line.

Transformations

Applies the specified text transformation to the selected rows.

Shift

Opens the shift time dialog.

Adjust tempo

Opens the adjust tempo dialog. You can here lengthen or shorten the duration of the selected time range.

Quantize (MIDI only)

Opens the quantize dialog.

Reload

Reloads the sync data (lyrics, chords or markers) embedded in the media file, if any.

Chords Format

Chords must use the standard notation format "A#m7/E", where the first letter is the chord name (capitals letters A-G) , the second is the accidental (#, b or white space), followed by the chord description. The bass note may also be added at the end, separated the "/" character.

Valid chords examples:

"B m7"

"Gbsus4"

"D#/F" --> bass note is F

"E/F#" --> bass note is F#