Chordle is a songbook app for Windows 10 and Mobile, allowing you to store, write, and catalog music. While the app has some UI issues, the functionality is great, and the developer is consistently issuing updates. Here's a quick look!
When you open up Chordle initially, it can be a little confusing, but the app has help tooltips to help you get started. The hamburger column on the left lets you view your songs, as well as create new ones by hitting the + symbol. There's an additional context menu for sharing, exporting, and deleting songs, with a panel below for managing set lists. This is ideal if you're planning on performing live, or practicing through a set of songs.
Beneath the set list panel, there are controls for viewing a current song, searching the internet for new chord sheets, settings, and setting up OneDrive sync settings. OneDrive integration allows you to sync your Chordle library between devices, which is really handy if you're rocking a Windows 10 Mobile in addition to a PC.
Adding chord sheets to Chordle is an incredibly simple process. You can search both UltimateGuitar.com and Chordie.com for new music, and then import them directly into Chordle for storage and syncing.
Once you have found the music you want to store, a quick tap at the bottom of the app allows you to import it directly into your song book for cataloging. You can add it to set lists, tweak the chords directly, and name the songs as you see fit. But that's not the most useful feature, especially for learners.
Chordle allows you to view the relevant chords contained in a row beneath the music. You can even view chord variants, change keys, and add capos, with support for different types of guitar tuning and even ukuleles. It converts the chord sheet dynamically, which saves an incredible amount of time if you're looking to transcribe guitar music into different formats.
In song view, you can either set the chord sheet to fill the screen, or have it scroll automatically. Changing the functionality for this requires you to dive into the settings menu, however, which is a little less intuitive than it could be. Therein lies the biggest problems with Chordle: the UX simple isn't as clean or organized as some other UWP apps out there. Elements frequently overlap, and section padding, borders, and other visual cues are a little messy. Some things could be solved with right click or long press context menus on PC and Mobile, instead of hiding important controls in additional menus. Still, these are all things that will improve over time, as Chordle's developer updates the app.
Chordle has a free demo that supports the storage of ten songs, but for a reasonable in-app purchase you can unlock infinite songs, set lists, and song exporting. If you're a musician, it might just be worth it!
Do you use any musician's apps on Windows 10? Which are your favorite? Let us know in the comments!
