Song structure

Use the song structure editor to:

• Define the order of sections, eg "AABA", "verse verse chorus verse", ...

• Select the rhythm(s) to be used

• Adjust the rhythm parameters to introduce dynamics, eg variation, intensity, fill, muted instrument, ...

Song parts

A song part is linked to a parent section of the chord lead sheet.

A song part has a name, a rhythm and a value for each of the rhythm parameters.

To add a new song part:

• drag a section from the chord lead sheet into the song structure editor, or

• right-click menu Insert, or

• copy an existing song part: drag it while pressing the ctrl key, use copy & paste, or right-click menu Duplicate

By default the name of the song part is the name of the parent section. If the song part is renamed, the parent section is shown below the name.

If some contiguous song parts share the same name, then the name is displayed only on the first song part and a line is shown on the contiguous song parts. Clicking this line will select all the related song parts.

Song parts can be reordered by dragging them using the mouse.

Editing

You can modify the song part name, rhythm, and rhythm parameter values.

Edition is done directly from in the song structure editor using the mouse, or from the song part editor (see snapshot at the top of this page). Edited values will impact all the selected song parts or rhythm parameters.

Press R or click the rhythm name to open the rhythm selection dialog.

When changing the rhythm, JJazzLab tries to adapt the values of the previous rhythm parameters to the new rhythm parameters.

Midi can only accommodate 16 channels, and many rhythms use 7 or 8 instruments. That's why it's difficult in practical to have a song with more than 2 rhythms.

Mouse shortcuts

Selection	Mouse	Action
song part, rhythm param.	click	select
song part	double click	edit song part name
song part name	click	edit
rhythm	click	select a rhythm
editor, song part, rhythm param.	right-click	open popup menu
rhythm parameter	double-click	edit value
rhythm parameter	mouse wheel	change value
rhythm parameters	shift+mouse wheel	make values identical then change value
editor	ctrl mouse wheel	change X zoom factor

Keyboard shortcuts

Many actions are also available via the context menu (right-click on Windows/Linux, ctrl-click on Mac), and when available the associated shortcut is displayed.

Selection	Key	Action
song part, rhythm param.	enter	edit song part name
song part, rhythm param.	R	select rhythm
song part, rhythm param.	I	insert song part
song part, rhythm param.	ctrl-I	append song part
song part, rhythm param.	D	duplicate song part(s)
song part	delete	delete song part(s)
rhythm parameter	ctrl-up/down	next/previous value
rhythm parameter	Z	reset param. value
song part	ctrl-C/X/V	copy/cut/paste
editor	ctrl-Z/Y	undo/redo
editor	ctrl-F	zoom to fit width