Drag-and-drop riser placement for chorus directors
Built by a director who spent 40 years trying sticky notes, magnets, PowerPoint, and foam boards. Riser Chart does what all of those couldn't — let you arrange singers visually, see voice parts at a glance, and print a clean chart in seconds.
Riser Chart is a browser-based riser placement tool for chorus directors, created by Ted Chamberlain. It features drag-and-drop singer placement, color-coded voice parts (up to 12 custom parts), three layout styles (straight, curved, grid), unlimited formations, CSV roster import, and branded PNG/JPG/PDF exports. One-time purchase of $99 with no subscription. Works in Chrome, Edge, Firefox, and Safari.
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I've been directing since the 1980s. I tried everything.
If you're a chorus director, you know the drill. You've got a show coming up, singers have moved around, new members joined, and you need to figure out who stands where on those risers. Again.
I spent decades looking for a good way to handle this. Seating chart tools? Made for classrooms, not risers. PowerPoint? Life is too short to drag little text boxes around slides. Cookie sheets with magnets? Worked okay — until someone bumped the table.
Sticky notes on poster board? The sticky wore off, coffee spilled, notes stuck to someone's sleeve, and the giant board took up half my office. Velcro names on foam board? Took forever to set up, and moving people was still more hassle than it was worth.
After years of settling, I finally said: it's time to build my own.
I designed Riser Chart for the way I actually work — drag a singer onto a spot, see voice parts at a glance, try a different arrangement in seconds, print a clean chart for the risers. No learning curve. No monthly fees eating away at your chorus budget.
What's inside
Six core capabilities that make riser placement fast, visual, and frustration-free.
Drag-and-Drop Placement
Grab a singer from the sidebar and drop them onto any riser spot. Move them around by dragging on the canvas. Click to place, Delete key to remove. Auto-placement fills all spots by voice part in one click.
Color-Coded Voice Parts
Define up to 12 custom voice parts with custom names and colors. Works for barbershop, SATB, show choir, a cappella — any structure. Voice part colors appear everywhere: canvas, sidebar, filters, and legend.
3 Layout Styles
Straight rows, curved arcs, or rectangular grid — match your actual physical setup. Configure 0–4 elevated levels plus a floor row, with each row independently adjustable from 2 to 20 spots.
Unlimited Formations
Create as many named arrangements as you need — competition, holiday show, rehearsal, experiments. Each formation keeps its own riser configuration and placements. Switch between them in one click.
Branded Exports
Export as PNG, JPG, or PDF — all in high resolution with your chorus name, logo, and formation title. Print-ready charts for posting at rehearsal, emailing section leaders, or filing in your director binder.
CSV Roster Import
Drag and drop a CSV file to import your entire roster in seconds. Flexible column matching handles various header names and voice part abbreviations. Singer photos, timbre ratings, height, and notes all supported.
How it works
Run the setup wizard
Enter your chorus name, configure voice parts with custom colors, choose your brand accent color, and upload your logo. You're arranging singers within minutes.
Import your roster
Drop in a CSV file or add singers one by one. Each singer gets a profile with voice part, sub-part, timbre rating, height, photo, and notes.
Drag singers onto the risers
Pick a layout style, set your rows and spots, then drag singers from the sidebar onto the canvas. Use auto-placement to fill spots by voice part in one click, then fine-tune.
Export and print
Export branded charts as PNG, JPG, or PDF. Post them at rehearsal, email them to section leaders, or file them in your binder. Create new formations for the next event and start again.
One price. No subscription. Ever.
One-time purchase
- Full access to all features
- Automatic updates — always the latest version
- Use on any device with your access code
- JSON backup and restore
- Email support included
No downloads. No installation. No recurring fees.
Common Questions
How do I access Riser Chart?
Riser Chart is a hosted web app — just open it in your browser. No software to install, no files to manage. After purchase, you receive an access code and activate with your email. Use the same code on any device.
What voice part systems does it support?
Any voice part system you use. Define up to 12 custom voice parts with custom names and colors. Works for barbershop (Tenor, Lead, Baritone, Bass), SATB, show choir, a cappella — any ensemble structure. Sub-parts like Tenor 1 and Tenor 2 are supported with distinct color shading.
Is my data stored in the cloud?
No. All your chorus data — singers, formations, branding — is stored locally on your device and is never transmitted to external servers. This is a deliberate privacy feature. You can back up your entire project as a JSON file and restore it on any device.
Do I have to pay monthly?
No. Riser Chart is a one-time purchase of $99. No subscription, no recurring fees. All upgrades come automatically — every time you open the app, you're on the latest version.
Can I use it on multiple devices?
Yes. Your access code works on any device with the same email address. Use the JSON backup and restore feature to move your project data between devices.
How many singers can it handle?
Riser Chart handles rosters of 150+ singers smoothly. You can have unlimited formations, each with its own riser configuration and placements.
Ready to stop fighting with sticky notes?
Riser Chart gives you the visual, drag-and-drop riser placement tool that directors have been wishing for. Built from four decades of directing experience — and available for less than the cost of one rehearsal rental.
Get AccessQuestions? Email ted@tedsvoiceacademy.com · Browse all products