Chordwatch

User Guide

© 2022 Moonstop Software Ltd - https://moonstopsoftware.com 1

 Contents
Introduction
Installation
Activation
Overview
Quick Start
Chord Recognition
TAB Fretboard
Scale Guides & Chords
LivePlay
Settings
Chordwatch with your DAW

© 2022 Moonstop Software Ltd - https://moonstopsoftware.com 2

 Introduction
Thank you for purchasing Chordwatch.

Chordwatch is the ultimate music theory teaching tool

that helps you learn and play with real-time chord
recognition, automatic TAB generation, visual scale
guides, online collaboration and more.

This document covers all features of Chordwatch, how

they work, and how to make best use of them. This is
a living document which will be updated as required.

© 2022 Moonstop Software Ltd - https://moonstopsoftware.com 3

 Installation
There are two different ways to purchase and install
Chordwatch - Steam and Gumroad.

Steam
Windows - After downloading and running for the
first time, a prompt will be shown asking to
install the ‘Loopbe1 Virtual MIDI’ driver. This
is optional but recommended. This is important as
Windows only allows a MIDI device to be used by a
single application at a time. You may wish to
skip this step if you already have a virtual MIDI
solution.

macOS - Simply download and run.

Linux - Simply download and run.

Gumroad
Windows - Run the installer, if the 'SmartScreen'
prompt shows please choose 'More info' and 'Run
anyway'. There is a checkbox to install the
‘Loopbe1 Virtual MIDI’ driver. This is optional
but recommended. This is important as Windows
only allows a MIDI device to be used by a single
application at a time.

macOS - Run the installer, then drag & drop the

App into the presented Applications shortcut.
After install the App may need to be run twice.

Linux - Extract the AppImage and run. The App may

need to be flagged as executable.

© 2022 Moonstop Software Ltd - https://moonstopsoftware.com 4

 Activation
Chordwatch can be activated and installed on up to
three devices.

Steam
Activation is automatic with no actions required.

Gumroad
To activate Chordwatch you will require the email
address you used at checkout and the licence key
which was sent to you, also available on the
‘View Content’ page on Gumroad.

After running Chordwatch, simply enter your email

address and licence key and click ‘Activate’.

If activation fails it may mean either the email

or key is incorrect, the activation limit is
reached or there is a problem connecting to the
internet. Please use the contact button to get
support.

© 2022 Moonstop Software Ltd - https://moonstopsoftware.com 5

 Overview
Chordwatch works by monitoring a selected “MIDI
input” (or mouse & keyboard) and displaying relevant
chord information, with the option to forward the
MIDI stream to other apps via “MIDI output”, or even
to other Chordwatch users online via “LivePlay”.

● Monitor Tab
○ Chord Name Output
○ Alternative Names
○ Chord Inversion
○ Scale Selector
○ Chord Selector
○ Chord View
○ TAB View
○ Piano Pop-up
○ Piano Roll

● Settings Tab
● Info Tab

© 2022 Moonstop Software Ltd - https://moonstopsoftware.com 6

 Quick Start
1. Install Chordwatch on your desired platform.

2. If you wish to use your MIDI instrument, go to

the Settings Tab and select from the “midi input”
drop-down the device you would like to monitor.
Otherwise, set this to “none”.

3. If you wish to use Chordwatch with another app,

go to the Settings Tab and set the “midi output”
drop-down to “LoopBe Internal MIDI” (“Chordwatch
Passthrough” on macOS/Linux). Otherwise, keep
this as “Chordwatch Piano FluidSynth” - built-in
synth.

4. Go to the Monitor Tab and start playing your

MIDI instrument! You can also use the computer
keyboard keys “AWSEDFTGYHUJK”, or mouse click the
piano, with Ctrl/Cmd acting as sustain and Esc to
clear.

5. Congratulations, you’re set up! Chordwatch has

many features not covered in this quick start.
You can learn all about them throughout this
guide!

© 2022 Moonstop Software Ltd - https://moonstopsoftware.com 7

 Chord Recognition
Chordwatch monitors the input midi stream (or mouse &
keyboard) and detects any chords that are played and
displays the following information:

1. The chord name - at the centre.

2. Alternative chord names - at the top right.
3. The chord inversion - at the bottom right.
4. The chord TAB - in TAB View.
5. The chord symbol - in the system tray icon.

When a valid chord (or interval) is detected, the

pressed piano keys will highlight to the ‘special key
colour’ of the current theme, indicating a chord has
been played.

Chord View
The Chord View is the default view, and can be
selected by clicking the “magnifying glass” icon.

In this View, the chord inversion and any

alternative chord names can be seen, alongside
the main chord name.

TAB View
The TAB View can be selected by clicking the
“guitar” icon.

In this View, TAB for the current chord and

guitar tuning is generated, alongside the main
chord name.

ℹ You can preview any inversion of the current chord by hovering your mouse over
the inversion numbers at the bottom right, and click to hear it played!

© 2022 Moonstop Software Ltd - https://moonstopsoftware.com 8

 TAB Fretboard
When in TAB View, Chordwatch will automatically
generate multiple TAB options, with respect to the
current tuning and display it on the fretboard.

The fret number is displayed on the top right of the

fretboard to help you locate where to play the chord.
A dashed line represents an open string to be played.

TAB options can be browsed by using the drop-down at

the bottom right, clicking an alternative TAB will
update the fretboard.

Custom Tuning
Each string on the fretboard can be tuned to a
different note by using the top drop-downs. Doing
so will adjust the TAB to respect your tuning.

The custom tuning may be reset to standard tuning

by clicking the “rewind arrow” at the top left.

© 2022 Moonstop Software Ltd - https://moonstopsoftware.com 9

Scale Guides & Chords
Chordwatch has the ability to highlight scales &
modes on the piano roll, and to preview any diatonic
chord from that scale.

To select a scale, use the two drop-downs on the top

left to choose a scale tonic and type.

Once selected, the piano roll will highlight the

notes within the scale, and also display the chords
menu.

Chord Previews
With a scale selected, the chords preview menu
will be visible. This drop-down lists all fitting
chord shapes, as well as triads, sevenths and
ninths if a modern diatonic mode is selected.

Hovering your mouse over each chord button will

preview it and clicking will play it.

© 2022 Moonstop Software Ltd - https://moonstopsoftware.com 10

 LivePlay
LivePlay is a unique feature of Chordwatch that
allows you to easily play your piano with friends
online! All notes and chords are synced in real-time.

To enable LivePlay, simply go to the Settings Tab,

click the “LivePlay” button and set a nickname.

Hosting LivePlay
To host a LivePlay session, just click the “host
session” button and copy the “shareID” number.
You can then share this with a Chordwatch user.

Joining LivePlay
To join a LivePlay session, just click the “join
session” button and paste your host’s “shareID”
number. Then click the “connect” button.

When active, the other player’s keys will be coloured

gold. To stop LivePlay simply press the “x” button.

© 2022 Moonstop Software Ltd - https://moonstopsoftware.com 11

 Settings
midi input
The midi device for Chordwatch to monitor.

midi output
The midi destination to forward the input midi
stream. Use “Chordwatch Piano FluidSynth” for the
built-in piano synth. Use “LoopBe Internal MIDI”
or (Chordwatch Passthrough) to forward to a DAW.

auto-connect midi input

Automatically connect the first midi input
device.

mute off-scale notes

When a scale guide is used, only play notes in
the scale and mute the others.

sticky chords
Always keep the last played chord. You can use
Esc to clear the current chord when in this mode.

always show on-top

Make the Chordwatch window always show on top.

dynamic tray icon

Render the chord symbol as the system tray icon.

join beta
Access the beta build. Only needed for non-Steam.

pop-up piano
Select the key count for the pop-up piano.

octave offset
Adjust the starting octave of the piano roll.

© 2022 Moonstop Software Ltd - https://moonstopsoftware.com 12

Chordwatch with your DAW
Chordwatch for Windows includes the Virtual MIDI
Driver “LoopBe1 Internal MIDI” - this is used to get
around the Windows limitation of a MIDI device being
tied to a single application one time.

For macOS and Linux this is not needed. There are two
ways to use Chordwatch with your DAW on Windows.

Chordwatch to DAW
This is the most simple and recommended approach.
Set Chordwatch MIDI input to your device, then
set Chordwatch MIDI output to “LoopBe1 Internal
MIDI”.

Inside your DAW, select “LoopBe1” as your MIDI

input source.

This way, Chordwatch acts as a go-between your

MIDI device and your DAW, monitoring the input
stream for chords and forwarding the MIDI data to
your DAW via LoopBe1.

DAW to Chordwatch
This approach will vary depending on your DAW but
the principle remains the same.

Set Chordwatch MIDI input to “LoopBe1 Internal

MIDI”. This will only be visible if LoopBe1 has
not been selected for Chordwatch MIDI output.

Connect your MIDI device to your DAW as usual,

then, find your DAWs way of outputting MIDI and
select “LoopBe1”.

© 2022 Moonstop Software Ltd - https://moonstopsoftware.com 13