The Instrument page appears in the Library Options property window. It also appears in the All Levels area of Default Options, and as the second step of the New Library process.
In addition to the controls shown below, there are extra buttons which are common to all property windows.
This page defines the instrument and tuning of a library. These are among the most fundamental settings in ChordWizard, as they affect all operations, and the fretboard display in all views.
ChordWizard provides a wide range of definitions for standard instruments and tunings. You can use one of these, or if necessary, you can define your own custom instrument and tuning.
ChordWizard is equally comfortable with any instrument or tuning, since it calculates all displayed information from first principles.
The instrument Type, Tuning, Model and Fretboard Length controls (described below) are read-only for libraries which already contain one or more chordshapes. This is because changing any of these properties might invalidate the existing chordshapes.
If you want to change any of these properties for an existing library, you can create a new library with your desired settings and then import the chordshapes from the original library.
Controls
Type
This dropdown list specifies the basic type of the instrument. It contains all of the standard instruments defined in ChordWizard.
You can then select your desired tuning for the selected instrument type from the Tuning dropdown list (described below).
The last item in the Type list is (other). You can select this if you want to create a library for an unusual instrument, not listed in the other items.
In this case, the Tuning dropdown list will be replaced with the Model dropdown list (described below) where you can select the string configuration of your custom instrument. The Tuning Details button will also be enabled so you can enter the tuning of each string manually.
Tuning
This dropdown list contains all of the standard tunings defined in ChordWizard for the selected instrument Type.
There is a different set of tunings available for each instrument type. These are carefully compiled to include the most common tunings used for each instrument type, so you are very likely to find the one you want here.
If not, the last item in this dropdown list is (custom). Selecting this enables the Tuning Details button, so you can enter the tuning of each string individually.
Model
This dropdown list replaces the Tuning dropdown list if you have selected (other) for your instrument Type.
It contains a list of the basic instrument configurations available with ChordWizard. In general, stringed instruments ranging from 3 to 8 strings are supported.
You can also specify dual-string instruments (such as the mandolin or 12-string guitar) which contain pairs of strings tuned to the same note. Each pair of strings is known as a course.
Tuning Details
The Tuning Details button is enabled when you have (other) as your selected instrument Type, or (custom) as your selected instrument Tuning.
Pressing this button opens the Tuning Details window, where you can manually set the tuning of each string on your instrument.
Play Instrument
Plays the open (unfretted) sound of your tuning. The current tuning pitches to are displayed in the text area just underneath it.
Instrument Description
Displays the instrument description. ChordWizard automatically displays the instrument description for the standard instruments and tunings, so you do not normally need to enter this.
If the Custom option is ticked, this area is available for you to override the default description. Whatever description you enter here will be shown for your library in the Switch Library window.
This can be a good way to isolate special purpose libraries (such as those for printing song chordshapes to accompany sheet music) from the more general purpose libraries for an instrument.
Custom
Ticking this indicates that you want to enter a custom Instrument Description.
If you have selected (other) for the instrument Type, or (custom) for the instrument Tuning, this option is forced to be ticked.
Append Notes
Ticking this indicates that you want the notes of the instrument tuning to appear after the instrument description wherever it appears (such as in the Status Bar, or when printing reports).
A preview of these tuning notes is not shown in the Instrument Description area.
Voice
Specifies the MIDI voice that you want to use for playing the sound of your instrument everywhere in ChordWizard.
There are 128 to choose from, but usually ChordWizard selects the most appropriate one based on the instrument Type you have chosen.
There are several other settings in Sound options that control the way that instrument sounds are played.
Capo
Specifies whether you want to place a capo on the fretboard, and at which fret.
When you make a change to the Capo setting, all chordshapes in the library are reanalyzed to update their matching chords.
Chord
Specifies the style you want chords and chordshapes in the ChordWizard workspace to be played with:
Strum - All notes are played more or less at once from lowest to highest
Arpeggio - Each note is played separately from lowest to highest to lowest again.
In general, it is more useful to strum higher pitched instruments (such as guitar, banjo, mandolin).
It is more useful to play arpeggios on lower pitched instruments (such as bass guitar). They are generally used to play single notes at a time, because strums sound too boomy and muddy with bass strings.
Fretboard Length
ChordWizard can be configured to have a Fretboard Length of anywhere between 14 and 19 frets.
The standard libraries supplied with ChordWizard have a 14 fret length to make best use of the screen space, but you can expand this by creating a new library with a longer fretboard length and importing from the equivalent standard library.
Fret Markers
Opens the Fret Markers window, which allows you to make changes to the positions and styles used for fretboard markers in all views of the workspace.
Reset
Resets all settings on the Instrument page to the system default settings. This is only visible within the Default Options area.
Tools
