Chords Font

This is a Sans Serif font designed to be space equivalent to MS Courier New. This enables it to line up chords on a line above text. The font also includes a number of characters useful for chart notation (e.g. accidentals [in their Unicode specified locations], full and half diminished marks, etc.). It was never intended to be a complete music solution, and in that sense, it is successful. I have added a number of musical symbols which guitarists never use, and only rarely even understand. But their presence should not prevent you from using the rest of the font. I have also combined some symbols that are usually written out. If you don't like having a '' character, I suggest you not use it.

Using real flats and sharps (♯s & ♭s rather than "#"s and "b"s) will make your chord charts more readable, although you do not actually need this font for that. However, you will need this font, though, if you want to distinguish half-diminished seven chords (7) from doubly-(fully) diminished seven chords (7). However, one drawback is that since both the standard and new characters are located in ranges not directly accessible from the keyboard (either their assigned Unicode locations or a user-defined area). As a result, you will either need to be constantly inserting symbols from the menu, or assign the ones you actually use to shortcuts.

The regular Latin alphabet is located at the expected indices, although technically, only the caps A–G and a handful of lower case letters should be needed. The accidentals from the "Miscellaneous Symbols" page are encoded in their proper locations (u266D–F = ♭, ♮, & ♯). The "Number forms" page is completely supported (mainly for the sake of the Roman numerals), as well as several of the arrows (u2130–3 + u2198 + u8599 = W, N, E, S, NE, & SE arrows). Superscript numbers and parentheses are supported in the places specified by the Unicode standard (which, however, scatters them around): 0 = u2070, 1 = u00B9, 2 & 3 = u00B2 & 3, and 4–9 are in u2074–9; left and right parens are u207D & E. These function as the beat count numbers (numerators) in time signatures, and for measure counts when located over the multi-measure rest. (The corresponding beat value numbers [denominators] are represented in the private use area, rather than as subscripts, since they are non-spacing characters that sit under the beat count numbers; see below).

Most of the music symbols are in the "Private Use Area" (uE000–uE1FF), with a logo at uE8FF. uE000–uE04A are unique to this font. Some characters are re-mapped from the Unicode Music page, which is located above uFFFF (u1D100–u1D1DD), and is consequently unavailable to some software. Those characters are re-mapped here at uE100–uE1D2 (where uE100 = u1D100, etc.), although only a relatively small selection are included, given the nature of this font. If you need a symbol that I don't have, write me and I will see what I can do.

At this stage, the font has not been hinted, so it looks better on paper than it does on the screen. I will get to that.

Several of the characters are non-spacing characters designed to modify some previous character. They are indicated with '*' in the following list. The function of most should be obvious. Only two are worth pointing out. The beat value numbers (uE041–uE049) are intended go under the count numbers mapped to the superscript number area (see above) to create time signatures. The long rest is designed to be able to be able to sit under a two digit number (also from the superscript numbers), so if less than two digits are needed, you will have to pad the number with a space.

The Chords font is free, both to private and commercial users, provided it is unmodified. Of course, you can modify for your own private use. If you feel a change is necessary, please contact me first. If you do make a modification, send it to me, maybe I will include it, or something like it. The one caveat on on commercial use is that it may not be re-sold. It is, however, acceptable to bundle it with other products for which money is being charged.

Download the Chords Font (ttf)
Download the Chords Font (otf)

Standard characters:

Latin characters:

Extra numeric characters:

Arrows:

Standard musical symbols:

Misc. other symbols:

The Private use characters:

Unique to this font:

Remapped from Musical Symbols page:

Sample use in a vaguely rediculous context

Oh My Darling, Clementine

Percy Montrose (1884)

         E♭
    In a cavern, in a canyon, 
                     B♭7
    excavating for a mine; 
            A♭           E♭   
    dwelt a miner, forty-niner, 
            B♭7            E♭  
    and his daughter Clementine.  
     
         E♭                
    Oh my darling, oh my darling, 
                        B♭7 
    oh my darling Clementine 
            A♭               E♭          
    You are lost and gone forever, 
             E♭   B♭7   E♭    fine
    dreadful sorry, Clementine.  
     
              E♭                
    Light she was, and like a fairy, 
                              B♭7 
    And her shoes were number nine, 
            A♭            E♭           
    Herring boxes without topses, 
            B♭7            E♭    al fine      
    Sandals were for Clementine. 

Download the Chords Font (ttf)