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Export your library from your previous app in text-based formats like .onsong, .txt, or .pro (ChordPro), tap Import in Set Sidekick, and select your folder.

Set Sidekick works best with text-based chart formats such as .txt, .pro, .chordpro, and compatible OnSong text exports. Text-based charts unlock the app’s dynamic stage features, including chord visibility, key transposition, text scaling, vocal colors, and inline gear cues.

• Toggle chords on or off instantly for clean lyric-only views.

• Transpose keys on the fly without retyping.

• Apply dynamic text scaling that fits any iPad or iPhone screen without awkward horizontal scrolling.

• Render interactive vocal colors and inline gear badges ([HIT], [ON], [OFF]) that never shift or un-link from the lyrics.

Yes. Set Sidekick uses Apple’s iCloud service to sync supported song and setlist data between your iPhone and iPad when they are signed in with the same Apple ID. There is no fixed device limit set by Set Sidekick, but syncing depends on Apple’s iCloud settings, available iCloud storage, and network connection.

Your library is not stored on a Set Sidekick server or a third-party sync service.

For best results, make sure iCloud Drive is enabled on each iPhone or iPad you want to use with Set Sidekick.

Backing tracks and audio files do not sync automatically in version 1.0 and should be added separately on each device.

Step-by-Step Batch Import Workflow

1. Open the Import Hub: Go to Prep Studio and tap Import Library.

2. Select Your Library File: Tap Choose File and pick your ChordPro library file or song bundle from the iPad Files app or cloud storage.

3. Review the ChordPro Import Preview: Set Sidekick scans the file and displays a preview list of every song detected in the import package.

4. Set Actions for Existing Songs: For every song in the batch, you can specify how Set Sidekick handles conflicts or duplicates:

• Keep New: Imports the chart as a fresh entry if it doesn't already exist.

• Skip: Bypasses specific songs to avoid cluttering your library with duplicates.

• Replace: Overwrites an existing song with the new version if the incoming chart is updated.

5. Choose Your Import Destination:

• Import into Master Database: Permanently adds all selected songs directly into your main library pool.

• Keep as Separate Imported Library: Groups the batch into an isolated, temporary library. This is useful if you want to audition, review, or edit a set of songs for a sub gig or guest spot without cluttering your master library.

6. Finalize the Batch: Tap Add Selected Songs to complete the process.

💡 Pro-Tip: Once imported, you can run Search Song Info inside the song editor to automatically populate missing metadata like song runtimes, eras/decades, genres, and BPM

Set Sidekick does not impose a song storage limit. You can store thousands of setlists and charts locally based on your device’s available storage.

When you run a batch import through Import Library in the Prep Studio, the app scans your library file or package and generates a ChordPro Import Preview listing all detected songs. From this preview, you can manage the entire batch at once by setting individual tracks to Keep New, Skip, or Replace [74–76], and then importing them directly into your Master Database or as a Separate Imported Library.

While the documentation details these bulk preview and handling capabilities, it does not mention a maximum cap on the song count per import batch.

Set Sidekick supports standard chart importing using the native iOS Share Sheet. You can send chord sheets directly into your master library from web browsers, text editors, or chord reference apps like Ultimate Guitar.

How to Import via Share Sheet

1. Share from Ultimate Guitar: Open any song chart in the Ultimate Guitar app, tap the More (...) menu, select Share, and tap Open with…

2. Select Set Sidekick: Scroll through your iOS app share tray and tap Set Sidekick.

3. Confirm Song Details: Verify the Song Title and Artist Name. Set Sidekick uses these fields to automatically fill in song metadata like duration, decade/era, and genre.

4. Review in Set Sidekick: Your chart lands directly in the editor, ready for key transpositions, formatting, and custom gear tags.

Stage Pro-Tip: Because web charts are user-submitted, always "walk the chart" in the editor after importing to verify chords, timing, and line breaks before going live on stage.

While Set Sidekick supports PDF attachments for sheet music or complex horn charts, text-based files (like ChordPro or plain text) are vastly superior for live stage performance because they are fully interactive and integrated into the app's timing and display engines.

Here is why text-based charts outperform static PDFs on stage:

• On-the-Fly Key Transposition: Text and ChordPro files allow you to transpose chords up or down by semitones instantly with a single tap. PDFs are static images where chords cannot be automatically transposed.

• Dynamic Text Reflow & Screen Scaling: Text-based charts reflow automatically to fit any iPad screen size or orientation. You can adjust global font sizes or pinch-zoom on stage, and the text neatly wraps to fit the screen. Zooming into a PDF simply magnifies a fixed page, forcing you to scroll side-to-side and cutting off edges.

• Show / Hide Chords Toggle: With text charts, you can toggle chord visibility on or off with one tap. This is ideal when a lead singer strictly needs lyrics or when running a clean teleprompter screen.

• Locked Chord-to-Lyric Alignment & Auto-Scrolling: Text charts integrate directly with Set Sidekick's smart auto-scroll engine, intro delays, and scroll speeds. Using ChordPro bracket notation ([Chord]), chords remain locked directly to the correct syllable as the chart advances.

• Custom Visual Cues & Highlighting: You can apply custom text colors, highlight repeats or stops in yellow or pink, and set distinct global chord colors to optimize readability on dark stages or under bright outdoor sun.

• Teleprompter & Band Syncing: Text files scale effortlessly into massive, high-visibility fonts for Teleprompter Mode or wirelessly sync across band members' iPads without choking bandwidth.

Multi-device interaction in Set Sidekick works through two distinct systems: Live Stage Syncing (Jam Mode) for real-time performance control and Cloud/File Backup Syncing for keeping your song database up to date across devices.

1. Live Stage Syncing (Jam Mode / Peer-to-Peer)

For live shows and rehearsals, Set Sidekick uses a direct, peer-to-peer (P2P) Jam Mode that connects a host device to client devices:

• Host & Client Control: One device (typically the bandleader's iPad) acts as the Host, while up to 3 bandmates connect as Clients.

• No Internet or Router Required: Jam Mode works wirelessly via direct peer-to-peer connection without needing venue Wi-Fi, routers, or cellular signal.

• Setlist & Scrolling Mirroring: When connected, client devices automatically mirror the host's active setlist and track the host’s lyric and chord scrolling in real-time (Follow Host Scrolling).

• Independent Override: If a bandmate needs to adjust their own screen locally during a song, they can toggle Follow Host Scrolling off while remaining in the shared setlist.

• Teleprompter Match Indicators: In Teleprompter Mode, a match badge displays green when the client device is using a matching local copy of the song, or orange if it is streaming directly from the host.

2. Library & Setlist Syncing Across Devices

To transfer your master database or setlists between devices:

• iCloud Backup Tracking: Under System Options > Database & Cloud Security, Set Sidekick monitors your Cloud Backup Status and records the timestamp of your Last Cloud Update through iCloud [89, 94–96].

• Database & Setlist Exports: You can export a native Set Sidekick database backup file (.setsidekick) or a ChordPro ZIP archive to move full song libraries between devices.

• Real-Time Local File Mirroring: Enabling local file mirroring automatically writes ChordPro versions of your songs and setlists into your device’s Files app (Files > On My iPad > Set Sidekick), making it easy to AirDrop individual charts or setlist files directly between your iPad and iPhone.

No, you do not need an active internet connection on stage! Set Sidekick is engineered to be 100% stage-ready and fully functional offline.

Here is how your library and stage tools operate without Wi-Fi or cellular service:

• Local Database & Storage: Once your songs, ChordPro charts, and setlists are saved in Set Sidekick, they live directly inside your iPad's local storage. When attaching backing tracks, selecting the Copied to This iPad option copies the audio directly to your device so tracks play flawlessly without internet.

• Offline Stage Engine: All core live performance controls—including auto-scrolling lyrics, intro delay buffers, key transpositions, sound effect pads, and metronome count-ins—run entirely on local processing.

• Router-Free Band Syncing (Jam Mode): When syncing multiple devices across a band or feeding a remote teleprompter screen, Set Sidekick uses a direct, peer-to-peer (P2P) connection. Host and client iPads connect directly to each other wirelessly without needing venue Wi-Fi, cellular service, or an external router.

When Internet Is Used (Off-Stage Prep Only): Internet connection is only used off-stage during preparation tasks—such as fetching missing song details via Search Song Info, importing fresh chord sheets directly from Ultimate Guitar, or syncing your Cloud Backup Status to iCloud. Once your prep is complete in the Prep Studio, you can walk into a basement venue or outdoor festival with zero cell service and run your entire show seamlessly

To back up your library or share setlists with bandmates in Set Sidekick, you have a few easy options built directly into the app depending on whether you are doing off-stage prep or sharing live during a show.

1. Backing Up Your Song Library

All backup controls are located under System Options > Database & Cloud Security:

• Full Native Backup ( .setsidekick ): Tap Backup Song Library to create a single master file containing your entire song database, setlists, and custom app preferences. You can save this file to your iPad Files app, Google Drive, or AirDrop it to another device.

• ChordPro ZIP Archive: Tap Backup ChordPro Library to generate a ZIP file containing all of your songs formatted as clean, universal .pro / .chordpro text files.

• Automatic Cloud Tracking: Set Sidekick monitors your iCloud sync status and displays the timestamp of your last cloud update.

• Real-Time Local File Mirroring: Toggle on Real-Time Local File Mirroring to automatically write mirrored ChordPro versions of your songs and setlists directly to Files > On My iPad > Set Sidekick. This ensures you always have an accessible local folder copy on your device.

2. Sharing Setlists with Bandmates

• Exporting Setlist Files (Off-Stage Prep): In Prep Studio (Song Preparation) or System Options, tap Export All Setlists or export individual setlist blueprints. You can export them as native Set Sidekick files or ChordPro ZIP archives and instantly AirDrop, text, or email them to your band.

• Live On-Stage Syncing (Jam Mode): For live shows or rehearsals, you don't even need to export files! Set the bandleader’s iPad as the Host in Jam Mode. Up to 3 bandmates' devices can connect as Clients over a direct Peer-to-Peer connection—broadcasting the setlist and live auto-scrolling directly to their screens without requiring venue Wi-Fi or internet routers.

💡 Pro-Tip to share: Always run a quick Backup Song Library before major iOS updates or before handing your iPad to a guest musician at a gig!