Meaningful Sound

SongForm

A songwriter's workspace for sections, lyrics, layers, and co-writes.

SongForm is a native iPhone and iPad workspace built around how songs are actually written — not how DAWs want you to write them. Build a song as a sequence of sections (verse, pre-chorus, chorus, bridge), layer recordings and chord performances per section, edit lyrics with Nashville-style formatting, and co-write with collaborators using a fragment-based contribution model that preserves who wrote what.

Coming Soon · In Active Development Follow for Launch Updates
Hero Screenshot iPad three-panel layout: section list + lyric editor + chord sequencer/filter panel
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7Section Types
3Layer Types
9Track Tags
20+Scales

Songs as Structure

Every song is a sequence of sections. SongForm treats them as first-class objects — reorder, rename, trim, and recolor — instead of burying them in a timeline ruler. Each section carries its own measure count, pickup detection, and trim boundaries.

IntroOpening section — lead-in to the song
VerseStory / narrative section
Pre-ChorusTension-building bridge to the chorus
ChorusMain hook / refrain
BridgeContrasting middle section
InterludeInstrumental breather
OutroClosing section

Layers, Tracks & Recording

Each section can hold any number of layers. A layer is either an audio recording, a chord performance, or a step pattern. Audio captures to WAV or M4A AAC at 44.1kHz with input gain control, a live waveform, peak/average metering, and a count-in. Each recording is tagged with a track type so you can mute the scratch vocal while keeping the bass.

Layer TypeAudio recordings
Layer TypeChord performances
Layer TypeStep patterns
Track TagVocal
Track TagBacking Vocal
Track TagInstrumental
Track TagPads
Track TagDrums
Track TagBass
Track TagGuitar
Track TagKeys
Track TagScratch

A gapless arrangement engine (built on AVAudioEngine) plays the full song back through a per-layer mixer: volume, pan, mute, and solo per layer; section-level mix controls; live timer sync.

Lyrics & Theory

Screenshot Lyric editor with sections sidebar and chord grid
images/lyrics.png

Co-Writing with Fragments

SongForm doesn't try to be Google Docs for songs. Songs aren't documents — they're decisions. SongForm uses a fragment model: every lyric line, audio clip, or melodic idea is an atomic, attributed unit with a status (draft, contributed, accepted, dismissed) and a provenance trail.

Lead-as-gatekeeper. Writers submit drafts. The session lead reviews pending contributions and accepts them into the master or dismisses them back to the pool. Leadership can transfer between collaborators at any time, with a full audit trail of who held it when.

The .songform Document

Songs in SongForm are .songform packages — flat-directory bundles containing a song.json definition plus an audio subfolder. Portable: copy through Files.app, AirDrop to a bandmate, attach to email, back up however you back things up. Server-free: a song belongs to you and lives wherever you put it. CloudKit syncing is opt-in glue, not a requirement.

Your songs belong to you. No proprietary cloud format, no platform lock-in. If SongForm disappeared tomorrow, every .songform file on your device is still a readable JSON document next to a folder of WAVs.

Platform & Layout

iPhone

Compact layout with lyrics and tools side by side. Portrait and landscape supported. Full songwriting workflow on the device in your pocket.

iPad

Three-panel layout: section list and lyric editor on the left, chord sequencer and thesaurus in the center, fragment bank and filters on the right. The big-screen home for serious co-writing.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is SongForm?

A native iPhone and iPad workspace for songwriters. Sections, layers, lyrics, audio recording, theory-aware chord tools, and fragment-based co-writing.

How does co-writing work?

Every contribution — a lyric line, an audio clip, a melodic idea — is an atomic, attributed fragment. The session lead reviews pending fragments and accepts them into the master or dismisses them back to the pool. Leadership can transfer between collaborators at any time, with a full audit trail.

Why lead-as-gatekeeper instead of live simultaneous editing?

Songwriting isn't a Google Doc. Decisions about what stays and what doesn't belong to whoever the team agrees should hold the lead at the moment. Fork-and-merge with explicit acceptance preserves intent and credit better than chaotic real-time editing.

What is a .songform file?

A flat-directory bundle containing the song's JSON definition and an audio subfolder for recordings. Portable through Files.app and AirDrop. Server-free by design; CloudKit sync layers on top for live collaboration.

What can I record?

Per-section audio in WAV or M4A AAC at 44.1kHz, with input gain, live waveform, peak/average metering, and count-in. Recordings tag as vocal, backing vocal, instrumental, pads, drums, bass, guitar, keys, or scratch.

Is SongForm out yet?

Not yet. The core songwriting workflow (sections, layers, lyrics, audio recording, fragment authoring, local document persistence) is wired and working. CloudKit-backed real-time collaboration is in development for the public launch.

Does SongForm collect data?

No. No accounts beyond your existing iCloud, no analytics, no advertising, no third-party SDKs. Sync uses your personal iCloud, encrypted end-to-end by Apple. Local songs never leave the device unless you choose to share them.

Privacy by Default

No accounts beyond your iCloud. No analytics. No advertising. No third-party SDKs. Your songs and recordings live in your iCloud account, encrypted by Apple. Read the full privacy policy →

Get Notified

SongForm is in active development. Follow on Instagram for launch updates and behind-the-scenes from the build.

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