Rhythm diagrams in JustChords

Rhythm diagrams let you notate simple rhythmic patterns (for example guitar strumming) directly inside a song using compact text syntax. JustChords then turns this syntax into a visual diagram aligned with the beat.

This article walks through an example: creating a basic guitar strumming rhythm in 4/4 time.

Step 1: Choose a time signature

First, decide on the time signature for your pattern.

Open the song in the Song Editor.

Set the time signature in the song’s metadata (for this example, use a simple 4/4 time).

In 4/4 time, each bar contains:

4 quarter‑note beats

or 8 eighth‑note pulses

or 16 sixteenth‑note pulses

These can be written as:

Quarter notes: 1 2 3 4

Eighth notes: 1+ 2+ 3+ 4+

Sixteenth notes: 1e+a 2e+a 3e+a 4e+a

For this example, we will use eighth‑note resolution, so we have 8 pulses per bar.

Step 2: Insert a rhythm diagram line

Now insert a pre‑formatted rhythm diagram placeholder.

In the Song Editor, tap the … button in the top‑right corner. Tap Insert … and choose Rhythm diagram. This inserts a special line into your song, for example:

{rhythm: }

You will enter your pattern characters between the braces { } after rhythm:. When you save the song, JustChords converts these characters into a visual rhythm diagram.

Step 3: Define the strumming pattern

Decide on the strumming pattern you want to represent. In this example we will use a common 4/4 guitar pattern built from eighth notes:

Downstrum, missed Upstrum, Downstrum, Upstrum,

missed Downstrum, Upstrum, Downstrum, Upstrum.

This gives us 8 action slots (one per eighth note in the bar).

Action and modifier characters

We use two types of characters:

Action characters – what you play:

- D – Downstrum
- U – Upstrum
- - – No strum (missed stroke)

Modifier characters – how to play an action (placed immediately after an action):

- > – Accent (harder / louder stroke)

For the example pattern we want an accented downstrum on beat 1. Written as actions and modifiers, the pattern becomes:

D>-DU-UDU

Here:

D = downstrum

U = upstrum

- = no strum

> after the first D = accent on the very first downstrum

We have 8 action characters (D/U/-) in total, one for each eighth‑note pulse in the bar, and 1 modifier (>) on the first action.

Final rhythm syntax

Insert the pattern into the rhythm diagram line:

{rhythm: D>-DU-UDU}

Save the song. The editor converts this into a visual diagram aligned with the bar:

The numbers (1, 2, 3, 4) at the bottom show the beats.

The dots between them show the pulses (here: 8 eighth‑note pulses).

The symbols above the timeline reflect your D, U, - and > pattern.

Reading the resulting diagram

Interpreting the example:

On beat 1, you play an accented downstrum (because of D>).

You skip the upstrum between beats 1 and 2 (-).

On beat 2, you strum down again (D), then up (U) on the “+”.

On beat 3, you skip the downstrum (-) but play an upstrum (U) on the “+”.

On beat 4, you play a downstrum (D) followed by an upstrum (U).

By encoding rhythms this way, you can:

Document strumming patterns consistently across songs.

Help band members quickly understand the feel of a song.

Reuse and tweak patterns by editing a single {rhythm: …} line instead of redrawing diagrams by hand.