Content rules

A .noisesong file is a chord chart: sections, chords, tempo, key and feel. It contains no audio and, by design, has no field for lyrics or melody notation. These rules exist to keep it that way.

Allowed

• Chord progressions and harmonic structure, in roman numerals or chord symbols
• Section structure, repeats and energy (intro, verse, chorus, bridge, and so on)
• Tempo, time feel, key and style hints
• A song title and your own notes — "in the style of" is fine, the original recording's title is not a claim of authorship

Not allowed

• Lyrics, in whole or in fragments
• Melody lines, riffs or solo transcriptions
• Tablature or notation beyond a chord chart
• A copied arrangement that reproduces a specific recording rather than a general progression
• Anyone else's personal data
• Spam, advertising, or anything unrelated to guitar practice

Why this line

Chord progressions and common song structures, by themselves, generally receive limited or no copyright protection. Lyrics, melodies, distinctive riffs and sufficiently original arrangements may be protected, and where exactly the line falls can depend on the country and on what is taken. NØISE therefore limits shared .noisesong files to chord-chart information and removes material that crosses that boundary when it is reported, through notice and takedown rather than by relying on good faith alone. Chord charts have drawn publisher takedown requests before, which is why the rule is explicit.

If you're unsure whether a chart crosses the line, leave out anything beyond the chords and structure. That is the safest choice we know of, and it's also all the app needs to play the song.