Geoff:

Got it in 1!

I have open office (I use Ubuntu Linux), but I haven't tried it for this yet. In the past I have tried Powerpoint - Open Office has the same facilities and I am switching to that.

The problem is that I find it time consuming. Maybe I'm a bit just a bit lazy. The sequence goes like this.

1. Open the master 'chord shape template', which has a blank and where I store the chord shapes I have already constructed.
2. If the chord isn't there create a new one. This entails copying one of the library of 'blobs' (hammer-on,hammer-off,hold,slide etc) on to the finger position.
3. When it is finished shrink it down to the corect size.
4. Cut and paste into the lyrics page.

The problems are (in powerpoint) are:

(a) it's hard to snap circles onto the fret string lines. They always seem to come out to one side or the other. Therefore the 'snap to grid' grid spacing has to be small, and the diagram big, before shrinkage.

(b) It's hard to get the shrunk diagrams a consistent size.

I suppose I'm asking for a moon on a stick, but it would be nice to have a program with drop down menus to drop the chords on the page. I suppose I'll have to code one myself one day...

Most computer programs* concentrate on music notation and 'standard' tunings if any. I'm going to try the 'Harmony' program suggested by Pavane, I'm interested to investigate 'place notes on the staff', which can be immediately reflected in the guitar tab. now that would be squaring the circle.

AP

* Geek note: 'Program' as in 'computer program', or 'washing-machine program' is not an Americanism. 'Programme' is something you watch on the TV or they give out in theatres. It's in the Oxford English Dictionary if you don't believe me...

PS For our American readers:

'Aluminum' is the correct for name of the metal. 'Aluminium' is British back-formation to make it consistent with all the other 'ium' metals. But wrong.

'Gotten' is grammatically correct English. As in 'misbegotten'. ;o)

PPS You still can't pronounce 'Herb' and 'Solder' though.

;O)