# Clapchart

> Write a rhythm or a simple melody and get a play-along video with a moving marker and count-in, plus a printable colour chart. Free, in your browser.

Clapchart is a browser only play-along maker for music teachers. The teacher writes a rhythm or a simple melody in a grid (whole notes to sixteenths, dotted notes, rests and ties across bar lines, in 2/4, 3/4, 4/4 or 6/8, up to 16 bars and 4 parts, pitches C4 to C6 for bells parts) or types it in a small text notation (rhythm words such as "ta ti-ti ta rest" or notes such as "C5/4 D5/8", bars split by |), read word by word with every error listed and nothing guessed. It draws the notation with beams, ties, rests and repeat signs, with rhythm syllables or counting under the notes and an optional colour convention for colour-coded tubes and bells (red C, orange D, yellow E, green F, teal G, purple A, pink B to start, changeable). It plays the board from the Web Audio clock with a count-in, a click or soft drum backing, loop and a moving marker; makes 1920 by 1080 or 1080 by 1920 play-along videos with sound (MP4 through WebCodecs where the browser can, otherwise a WebM recording, named before it starts); and prints a colour chart, the notation and one-bar cards on A4 or Letter, plus a PNG chart. 20 rhythm patterns and 12 melodies written for the site are included. No accounts, nothing uploaded.

## Tool

- [Rhythm play-along maker](https://clapchart.com/): The tool: write a rhythm or a simple melody, play it with a count-in and a moving marker, make a play-along video and print a colour chart.

## How it works and guides

- [How the play-along maker works](https://clapchart.com/how-it-works/): The notation it reads, the colour convention and how to change it, how playback stays in time, video formats by browser, and what it is not.
- [Guides](https://clapchart.com/guides/): Guides for music teachers: a play-along in a 30-minute lesson, layering four parts, and colour charts for station work.
- [Running a play-along in a 30-minute lesson](https://clapchart.com/guides/play-along-in-a-30-minute-lesson/): A minute-by-minute plan for teaching a rhythm or a bells melody with a play-along video, from the warm-up echo to the performance and the exit check.
- [Layering four rhythm parts with a class](https://clapchart.com/guides/layering-four-parts/): How to build a four-part rhythm piece with a class one layer at a time: choosing the parts, teaching each, the order to add them and what to do when it falls apart.
- [Printing colour charts for station work](https://clapchart.com/guides/colour-charts-for-station-work/): How to print colour charts and one-bar cards for small-group stations: paper sizes, the colour convention, setting up stations and rotating groups.

## Reference

- [Starter rhythms and melodies](https://clapchart.com/starters/): 20 rhythm patterns and 12 melodies written for this site, each with a notation preview, ready to open, change and play.
- [FAQ](https://clapchart.com/faq/): The notation, tempo and count-in, the colour convention, video formats, sound in the video, printing, saving and privacy.
- [About](https://clapchart.com/about/): What the site is, who it is for and what it is not.

## Free printables

- [Free printables for music class](https://clapchart.com/printables/): Free printables for music class as PDFs on A4 or US Letter: rhythm flashcards, a blank rhythm grid of 4 bars a line and a colour tube chart from C to C.
- [Rhythm flashcards: ta, ti-ti, rest and ta-a](https://clapchart.com/printables/rhythm-flashcards/): Free rhythm flashcards for music class: ta, ti-ti, the quarter rest and ta-a, drawn large on four cards, with the syllable and the beats on the backs.
- [Blank rhythm grid, 4 bars a line](https://clapchart.com/printables/blank-rhythm-grid/): A free blank rhythm grid for writing rhythms: lines of 4 bars on a one-line staff, beats numbered, with a writing line for syllables, in 4/4 and in 3/4.
- [Colour tube chart, C to high C](https://clapchart.com/printables/colour-tube-chart/): A free one page colour chart for colour-coded tubes and bells: eight tubes from C to high C with their letters and colours, and the notes on a staff.

## Policies

- [Premium](https://clapchart.com/premium/): What a paid plan adds when billing is switched on.
- [Privacy](https://clapchart.com/privacy/): Boards are written, played and saved in the browser and never uploaded.
- [Terms of use](https://clapchart.com/terms/): What the play-along maker can be relied on for, your data, and support.

## Pricing

Free: The grid and text editors, playback with count-in, backing and loop; The notation and colour chart on screen, printing, and the PNG colour chart; A landscape play-along video of up to 30 seconds, with a small site mark; 2 parts on a board; 3 saved boards, with backup export and import. A paid plan adds: Play-along videos of any length, with no site mark; Portrait videos (1080 by 1920) as well as landscape; PDF colour charts, notation and one-bar cards on A4 or Letter; Up to 4 parts on a board for layered play-alongs; Up to 50 saved boards in one browser. Prices are shown at checkout.

## What it is not

- Not affiliated: Clapchart is not affiliated with any instrument maker, publisher or music exam board.
- Not a full notation program: one line per part, no lyrics, dynamics, tuplets or key signatures.
- Not a guesser: a word or a bar that does not read is shown to the teacher, never filled in.
- Not an uploader: everything the teacher writes stays in the browser; there is no server.

## Optional

- [Full text of every page](https://clapchart.com/llms-full.txt): every page as Markdown, in one file.
- Support: socialreminderinfo@gmail.com