Chord Dock Online Manual

1. Product Overview

Chord Dock is a composition helper plugin that lets you edit chord progressions on a timeline while using a Circle of Fifths guide in parallel.

• Timeline editor specialized for a chord track
• Circle of Fifths view for key / functional harmony guidance (Extended)
• Save and reuse chord progressions as presets
• Export as MIDI to any DAW track via drag-and-drop

Lite and Extended share the same installer. Extended features are unlocked by entering a serial key and completing online activation.

2. Editions & Licensing

2.1 Lite (Free)

The Lite edition is a free version that can be used without a serial key.

• Basic chord editing on the timeline
• Chord palette with transposition, inversions, and octave changes
• MIDI drag-and-drop to your DAW
• Roughly 10 editable factory presets

If you do not enter a serial key, Chord Dock runs as Lite.

2.2 Extended (Paid)

The Extended edition is an upgraded, paid version unlocked by activation.

• All Lite features
• Circle of Fifths view
• Tensions (9 / 11 / 13), slash chords, extended notation
• User presets and import/export of progression files
• Additional UI options such as Extended snap, etc.

2.3 License & device count

• You can activate on up to 2 devices per account at the same time.
• From the license management page you can view and deactivate registered devices.
• If you have already used 2 devices, deactivate an old one before activating on a new machine.

3. Quick Start (First 10 Minutes)

This section walks you from first launch to exporting a chord progression as MIDI into your DAW.

3.1 Install and load the plugin

1. Run the installer and install VST3 / AU as appropriate for your OS (AAX / Pro Tools is coming soon).
2. Launch your DAW and perform a plugin scan.
3. Insert Chord Dock on an instrument track or MIDI effect slot.

3.2 Understand the basic layout

• Top: Toolbar — Undo / Redo, time signature, save, export, settings (gear icon), etc.
• Center: Timeline Editor — Place chord events along bars and beats.
• Bottom: Chord palette / right side panel — chord types, tensions / slash, voicing, presets, and more.

3.3 Enter a chord progression

1. Click on the bar where you want to place a chord; this moves the timeline indicator.
2. Choose a chord type (e.g., C, Am7) from the chord palette and double-click to insert it.
3. On the timeline, drag the right edge of a chord event to adjust its length in bars / beats.
4. Repeat to build a few bars of progression (e.g., C – Am – F – G).

3.4 Audition

1. Start playback in your DAW; Chord Dock syncs and plays chords via its internal synth.
2. Click chords in the chord palette to preview their sound.
3. Use the speaker icon in the toolbar to mute / enable the internal audio.

3.5 Drag & drop MIDI to your DAW

1. Select chord events on the timeline. You can:
   • Ctrl (Cmd on macOS) + click to add or remove events from the selection.
   • Drag to create a selection box and select multiple events at once.
2. Click and drag from the “MIDI Drag” area at the right edge of the timeline onto a DAW track. The selected progression is dropped as a MIDI clip.

3.6 Try Extended features (if available)

• Open the Circle of Fifths view from the middle panel and choose chords from any key.
  • Right-click to open the context menu, then drag and drop to replace chords in the chord palette.
  • You cannot place chords directly from the Circle of Fifths onto the timeline.
• Use the chord palette context menu to add tensions (9 / 11 / 13) and slash chords.
• Save frequently used progressions as user presets and reuse them in other projects.

4. Activation Steps (Extended)

4.1 First activation

1. After purchasing Extended, you receive a serial key.
2. Launch Chord Dock and open the settings window from the gear icon in the top-right.
3. Click the Enter license… button and enter your serial key.
4. If the key is valid, your browser opens automatically.
5. Sign in to your Chord Dock account in the browser and approve this machine as an authorized device.
6. Return to the plugin; after a short delay Extended features become available (you may need to restart the DAW).

4.2 Activating on a second machine

1. Install Chord Dock on the second machine.
2. On the second machine, open the settings window and click Enter license…, then enter the same serial key.
3. When the browser opens, log in with the same account and authorize the device.
4. If you have already activated 2 devices, deactivate an old device on the license management page before trying again.

4.3 Offline use

• Online connection is required only for activation and device management.
• Once activation is complete, editing, playback, and MIDI export work offline.
• New machine activation, device removal, and serial key recovery require going online again.

5. Main UI Components

5.1 Top toolbar

• Undo / Redo: revert or reapply recent actions.
• Time signature: insert time signature change events at a bar.
• Center: scroll so the playhead is centered.
• Progression: save / load chord progressions.
• Export: export the entire timeline as MIDI.
• Internal audio: toggle the internal synth on / off (MIDI out continues).
• Settings (gear): open the settings window (license, online activation, etc.).
• Degree View: toggle degree notation view.
• Timeline Only: switch to a timeline-only layout.
• Section View: toggle “Reveal Contents” for all sections.

5.2 Timeline editor

• Horizontal chord track where time flows from left to right.
• Bar grid and beat subdivision are shown for alignment.
• Chord blocks can be moved, stretched, and copied by dragging.
• Snap settings let you switch between bar, beat, and Extended snap.

5.3 Chord palette

• Shows chord suggestions based on the current key / scale.
• Basic triads and 7th chords are available in Lite; tensions and slash chords are unlocked in Extended.
• Click to select a chord type and place it on the timeline.

5.4 Preset browser (Extended)

• Manage typical chord progressions as presets.
• Save progressions as presets and reuse them across projects and DAWs.
• Import and export preset files for backup and sharing.

5.5 Settings window

The settings window shows your current license state (Lite / Extended), registered devices, and links to the license management page.

5.6 Sections (Section Clips)

Group a part of your song (Verse/Chorus, etc.) into a colored clip and treat it as a unit.

• Create: select multiple chord blocks and run Create Section.
• Move: drag the clip—its contents move by the same amount.
• Constraint (normal mode): the section range is treated as occupied, so you can’t place chords inside.
• Duplicate-drag: hold the modifier key (Windows: Ctrl / macOS: Option ⌥) while dragging.
• Focus Edit: double‑click the clip to enter Focus Edit Mode. Everything outside is greyed out (Esc to exit).
• Reveal Contents: in normal mode, you can show the section’s chords as ghost items (not editable).
• Dissolve: remove the clip and return the chords to normal display.
• Change color: Extended only (Lite shows an upgrade prompt).

6. FAQ (Excerpt)

7. Support / Contact

For the latest product information, updates, and details about licensing, please also refer to:

• Product site / landing page: Chord Dock LP (English)
• Contact form: Google Form

When reporting bugs or requesting features, including your OS, DAW, plugin format (VST3 / AU), and reproduction steps helps us respond more quickly.

If you prefer Japanese, you can also refer to the Japanese online manual.