Plain text files

SongSheet Pro can import songs from plain text files.

Importing

This page explains how SongSheet Pro interprets the contents of a plain text file. For the different ways to bring a file into SongSheet Pro, see Adding songs.

Plain text files usually use the .txt extension. During import, SongSheet Pro reads the file line by line and identifies metadata, stanza names, chord lines, and lyric lines using the rules below.

Reviewing a plain text import

Before adding the song to your library, SongSheet Pro shows a Song Import Preview. Use this preview to check the line types it detected.

To change the type of each line in the song, tap Line Identification or swipe the song to the left. In this view, you can override the line types that SongSheet Pro detected.

Import preview line identification screenshot

To change the identification of a line, tap the line, then choose the appropriate line type from the list on the right. You can also tell SongSheet Pro to ignore a line by selecting Ignore this line.

Once you are happy with the import, tap Import in the top-right to add the song to your library. Tap Cancel in the top-left to dismiss the import view without importing the song.

Song metadata

If a line contains text like the following, it will set the key for the song:

key a
key: a
key of a
key of: a
Key: Aminor
Key A minor
Key of: Fb
Key C major
Key of G
Key = Amin
Key=G

Capo:

Capo 5
Capo -1
Capo 3
Capo: 3
Capo: 9
Capo:5

Tempo:

120bpm
120 BPM
Tempo 120bpm
Tempo 120
Tempo: 120
Tempo:120
Tempo = 120
bpm = 120
bpm=120

Time signature:

4/4
3/4
5/16
7/4

A line that starts with Copyright, (c), or the © symbol, i.e.

Copyright 2023 Some copyright details
(c) 2023 Some copyright details
© 2023 Some copyright details

Stanza names

Any line starting with one of the following followed (optionally) by a number, and optionally by a : is recognized as the name of a stanza:

verse
chorus
refrain
bridge
intro
outro

e.g.

Verse 1
Verse 2:
Intro

are all recognized as stanza names.

or any line with text ending in : such as:

Prechorus:

Chords

Chord lines are expected to appear on their own line above a line of lyrics.

If a file uses embedded chords in square brackets, SongSheet Pro treats it as ChordPro instead of plain text.

Chord lines must contain only text that can be recognized as chords e.g. A, Gmin, Asus4, etc

Everything else is assumed to be lyrics.

For example, this is recognized as a line of chords followed by a line of lyrics:

 D                  G         D
Amazing grace! (how sweet the sound)

Title and artist

If the first two lines are detected as lyrics, SongSheet Pro can use them as the title and artist:

Line 1 becomes the song title.
Line 2 becomes the artist name.

This happens when the third line is blank, or when the third line contains recognized metadata such as key, capo, tempo, or time signature.

Example

e.g. a valid file could be:

This is the Song Title
Artist Name
Key: A
Tempo: 110
4/4
© 2023 Some copyright info

Verse 1:
  A
A line with chord above

Prechorus:
This is the prechorus

Chorus:
And now, the chorus!

Verse 2:
The second verse now

Last updated: May 26, 2026