Formu is built for musicians, producers, and arrangers, and runs on iPad and Mac.
It keeps chords, rhythm, instrument assignments, performance cues, and song form
in a single .formu file — for learning, arranging, rehearsing,
performing, and sharing.
1. Getting Started
Create, open, and import
On the home screen, tap New Song to start from a blank chart or a template.
Tap Open to pick an existing .formu file:
"Open Song" edits the original file in place; "Import a Copy" duplicates it into
your Formu library, leaving the original untouched.
Edits are saved automatically to the current song. For important versions, we recommend saving a separate copy.
2. Editing Charts
A chord chart is made of sections, bars, harmony, rhythm, and performance notes. A section can be an Intro, Verse, Chorus, Bridge, Solo, or Outro, and each section can hold one or more lines of bars.
- Tap the bar you want to edit.
- Use the editing tools to enter or change chords, degrees, rhythm, and other information.
- To restructure, use the section and bar actions to add, delete, move, or split content.
In the editor toolbar you can adjust bars per line, display level, zoom, and page view. Handwritten annotations are great for temporary changes; keep formal chord and structure information as structured content so it stays easy to adjust and export.
3. Performance Mode
Performance mode is designed for reading on stage: a cleaner layout, larger type, and no accidental edits. Open a song and switch to Performance Mode to enter a read-only view.
Under "Settings → Performance Mode Display" you can choose which information stays visible on stage. We recommend building around chords, the rhythm timeline, and section labels, then turning on more as you prefer.
Bluetooth page turning
First pair your page-turner in the iPad's system Bluetooth settings, then configure the previous/next page actions in Formu under "Settings → Bluetooth Page Turner". Test the direction thoroughly before a show.
4. Setlists
Setlists organize multiple songs in performance order. Open Setlists from the home screen sidebar to create a list, add songs from your library, and arrange the order. During a show you can move to the previous or next song in Performance Mode, or jump to any song from the song picker.
Before a show, run through the whole setlist once to confirm every song opens correctly and the order is right.
5. Export & Sharing
Tap Export in the editor and choose the format that fits your purpose:
- PDF: printing, sending to band members, or long-term archiving.
- PNG / JPG: quickly sharing chart images.
- SVG: continuing in design or vector layout tools.
Before exporting, check the song title, section structure, performance cues, and page breaks.
6. Library & Sync
The home screen shows recently opened songs; use favorites, pinning, and the trash to keep your library tidy. Deleted songs go to the trash first — confirm there to remove them permanently.
In "iCloud Document Library" you can choose to keep your library on-device or in iCloud. Formu remains local-first: editing and performing work fully offline. When switching library locations, keep your network stable and wait for the migration to finish.
One-minute pre-show checklist
- Confirm song titles, keys, and section order.
- Set Performance Mode display options to your liking.
- Test the Bluetooth pedal's page turning in both directions.
- Confirm the setlist order and that every song opens.
- Keep a PDF or
.formubackup, and make sure your iPad is charged.