For when you want zero distractions but still want your syllables counted. Neon counts over every word, line totals beside each line, and a read-through mode for checking the song still makes sense.
0 lines · 0 syllables
You've written a decent chunk. Step back and read it as a song — does it still say what you want it to say?
Everything autosaves to this browser only. Type [chorus], [verse], [bridge] etc. on their own line to make section markers that aren't counted. Text in (parentheses) is treated as adlibs — shown with amber numbers, excluded from line totals. Hover a line's margin and press ⧉ to duplicate it — repeated lines are marked ×N. Counts are an estimate: English syllables resist perfect rules, so trust your ear on the odd word out.
What the Songwriter's Notepad is for
Most syllable counters make you paste finished text into a box and read totals somewhere else. The Songwriter's Notepad flips that: it is a clean, distraction-light notepad where the counting happens while you write. A small number sits above every word, each line's total sits in the margin, and everything updates as you type — so checking a line's length never interrupts drafting it.
It is deliberately freeform. There is no reference song, no targets and no red numbers telling you a line is wrong. If you want to write against the structure of an existing song, use the Songwriting Scaffold; this page is for verses, choruses and ideas that need room to breathe first.
Features built for lyric writing
Repeated lines are marked with a small ×N badge so choruses are visible at a glance, and any line can be duplicated with one click instead of retyping. Read-through mode strips away every number and shows your lyric as a plain sheet — a deliberate step back to check the song still makes sense as a whole, not just line by line. After a solid stretch of writing, the page will gently suggest a read-through on its own. Work autosaves to your browser; nothing is uploaded and no account is needed.
FAQ
How accurate are the counts? The counter combines vowel-group analysis with a large exception list covering contractions, silent endings and common lyric vocabulary (tryna, gonna, hurtin'). English resists perfect rules, so treat the rare odd word as a prompt to trust your ear.
Do syllable counts have to match a melody exactly? No. Lines a couple of syllables apart can carry the same melody if the stressed syllables land on the strong beats — the counts are a guide for consistency, not a rule.
Is it free? Yes, completely, like every Enodo tool.