Kind of, but really the basics are pretty simple.

One thing that helped me was to examine at least one demo file every day. Over 3 years that is more than 1000 demo files studied. You will see almost all the tricks inside those demo files--plus cool chord progressions.

Then the following screenshots show the basic tools that I think are the coolest. The first one is just wicked. What's not to love. It forces you to think about what chords you have already used and where you might want to go. Once you figure it out, you just hit the button.

(Right click to open these images in a new tab if they are hard to see.)

One the second, you have to "master these dots" to solo instruments or add holds, etc. Very useful. You just have to mess around with it. Experiment with the dots.

One thing missing in many examples is that you have to use a comma in a chord entry box to push it to the next beat. That is also useful. In other words if you want a chord on 1 and 4 in 4/4, enter a chord in box 1, then comma followed by chord in box 2.

In 3/4, typing in the second box puts that chord on beat 3, a chord comma chord entry in bar one puts the second chord on beat 2.

I do wish that the site would make a really easy to access a chord entry manual for beginners in a place that is super easy to find and sticky. It is the MOST important tool. I found the text somewhere and made my own, but you really need it, and I wish a pdf could be made for all users and put in a really easy to find place.

For example, a diminished7 is a mb5 in PG notation. There would be no way to know that without the translator.

Here it is though. I suggest a cut and paste into a word doc.

http://www.pgmusic.com/tutorial_chordlist.htm

Other than that, I find the program pretty easy, but I just use it for the basics, and then play a lot of stuff myself.

For recording, I find it indispensable. I use Real Band a lot for recording. You just open up the BIAB file, create a .seq file, arm a track and you can see the chord chart rolling past your face as you are laying down audio.

I don't know of another place where you can do that, and it is my bread and butter.

It makes my life 1000 easier, not 1000 times harder.

Attached Files (Click to download or enlarge) (Only available when you are logged in)
Part 1.png (252.58 KB, 258 downloads)
Part 2.png (267.91 KB, 253 downloads)
David Snyder
Songwriter/Renaissance Man
Studio + Fingers

https://davidsnydersongs.com/
https://spoti.fi/359Gigs
www.davidsnydermusic.com/
www.reverbnation.com/davidpsnyder
www.soundcloud.com/davidsnyderchannel
https://www.songtradr.com/user/profile/david.snyder