OpenCifra

OpenCifra is a free and open-source Python application built with Kivy and KivyMD that serves as a songbook and lyrics viewer. It allows users to search for songs and artists, view lyrics with chord notation, and is designed to be mobile-friendly (desktop and Android).

This repository contains only the source code of the application.

Screenshots

Features

• Search songs and artists from public online sources
• Display lyrics with chord notation
• Responsive interface using Kivy / KivyMD
• Works on desktop and can be packaged for Android
• Fully free, open-source, and non-commercial

Requirements

• Python 3.x
• Kivy
• KivyMD
• Requests
• BeautifulSoup4
• Pyjnius

Other dependencies (openssl, certifi, etc.) are automatically handled during the Android build process.

Installation (Desktop)

Clone the repository:

git clone https://github.com/KaykCaputo/OpenCifra.git
cd OpenCifra

Set up a virtual environment:

python3 -m venv .venv
source .venv/bin/activate  # Linux/macOS
.venv\Scripts\activate     # Windows

Install dependencies:

pip install kivy kivymd requests beautifulsoup4 pyjnius

Run the application:

python main.py

Installation (Android)

Download the latest pre-built APK from the GitHub Releases page. Install it on your device (you may need to enable "Install from Unknown Sources").

Building from Source

This project uses Buildozer:

1. Install Buildozer following the official guide.
2. Build the APK:

buildozer android debug

3. Transfer the .apk file from the bin/ folder to your device and install it.

File Structure

• main.py: Main application entry point containing UI logic and API handling
• guitar.json: Database of guitar chords and finger positions
• buildozer.spec: Buildozer configuration file for Android packaging

Legal Notice

OpenCifra does not store, host, or redistribute any copyrighted lyrics, or musical content.

All lyrics and chords displayed are:

• Retrieved in real time from public web sources
• Displayed temporarily at the user’s request
• Owned by their respective authors and copyright holders

OpenCifra functions as a client-side viewer, similar to a web browser, and does not maintain its own database of musical works.

If you are a copyright holder and believe that content accessed through this application infringes your rights, please open an issue in this repository.

Privacy

OpenCifra does not:

• Collect personal data
• Track users
• Use analytics
• Store song content on servers

All processing happens locally on the user’s device.

Educational Purpose

OpenCifra is intended for:

• Music students
• Practice and study
• Educational and non-commercial use

The project aims to democratize access to music learning tools through free and open-source software.

Contributions

Contributions are welcome:

• Open issues
• Submit pull requests
• Improve documentation
• Suggest architectural or legal improvements

Please ensure contributions respect open-source principles and copyright.

License

This project is licensed under the MIT License.

You are free to:

• Use
• Modify
• Distribute
• Fork

As long as the original copyright notice and license text are included. See the LICENSE file for details.

Optional Donations

Donations, if any, are voluntary and intended solely to support the development of the open-source software. They do not provide access to any musical content or additional features.

Disclaimer

This project is provided “as is,” without warranty of any kind. The authors are not responsible for the use of third-party content accessed by users through the application.