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Wasted space in 2-column view?

January 3, 2023
Hello, been using Worship Tools, Planning, and Music Stand for some time. I like that we can edit songs in ChordPro in the Planning app as well as directly in Music Stand.
A repeated "glitch" is the wasted space in 2-column view. It behaves like there is a column-break and routinely kicks a single verse/bridge/outro to a second page when there is clearly enough room on the first page.
Is this a glitch? Is there some deep setting I can't find with some kind of defaults that split columns up in an unneeded fashion? Is there some code in the background of ChordPro files that causes this?
I have been unable to find a solution.
In some cases, switching to single-column will fix the issue (with a little ChorPro editing) but that's not the case with long/wordy songs in which two-column would be best.
Anyone found a solution? Or is this being worked on?
Posted by Tanner
January 10, 2023
If you're editing songs in ChrodPro, then you may have already attempted this, but there is a code in ChordPro that many songs have be default that looks like this: {Column_Break}. If you delete that code, it will get rid of the white space but will split the verse between the two columns.
Posted by Connor
January 10, 2023
Thank you, yes I've deleted the column break code.
In one song I recently worked on, 2-column-view put Vs1 and Chorus in the first column, then Vs2 and Vs3 are moved to the second column and the Bridge on a second page. But each column was barely half-page long, plenty of room to put Vs2 after the Chorus in the first column and the Bridge would then easily fit after Vs3, all on one page.
Maybe that better explains the issue I'm seeing.
I can't find any other codes unless there's some built-in limitation in 2-column view, like, "only two sections allowed per column" or something like that...
Posted by Tanner
March 25, 2023
I have exactly the same issue. Part of the reason for using two columns is to get everything onto a single page. It makes it a bit pointless if a second page is created without fully exhausting the space on the first. Does anyone perhaps know the ChordPro directive for decreasing the font globally?
Posted by TJ
January 31, 2025
Same issue and getting very frustrated with this problem! No column break and still having issues. Help please!!
Posted by Mark
February 3, 2025
I’m a newbie, so I’m sure this is too elementary for what you are asking. But I’ve been getting around this by splitting the section with a {comment: Bridge (continued)} header in the midst of the next section. I wish I didn’t have to since that ultimately consumes another two lines.
Posted by Julie
February 20, 2025
Thanks Julie! =) I will try that as a get around, but hopefully there is better way that someone can share so the Chart music can be a little cleaner and not have to do that. Until that time, thanks again for the idea!
Posted by Mark
April 23, 2025
I have just come across this issue too, when songs import from CCLI, 2 column works fine, but I just added one of my own songs using the built in chordpro editor and it goes all messed up in 2 column.
Posted by James
July 30, 2025
This issue was one of my hesitations about our church switching to WT. I noticed it occasionally during testing. I like that many things work well together but this one is irksome to deal with. We need to have a few things tweaked in order to utilize the space better:
1). fix the wasted space issue.. I have several songs that have plenty of space in the first column for a second verse and yet, it decides to move it to the second column
2). incorporate some of the formatting ChordPro directives such as textsize so special areas can be adjusted if need be
3). ability to adjust the margins.. this one is at least "stuck" on the side of leaving more space for the song, but it would be nice to print songs and have room for 3 hole punch!
4). allow adjustments to space above and below section headers (e.g. verse 1, chorus..) and special directives like "flow" and "key change". I would use those but they take up too much space and all of that combined means we can't fit all the lyrics on a single page!
Posted by Ryan
August 2, 2025
I have this issue as well. I love the tools, but the niggling issues with ChrodPro has forced me to use pdfs created in ChordPro desktop or other tools and uploaded. I hope the ChordPro support can be improved.
Posted by Louis
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