Chord Workstation

How to Use This Chord Identifier

1. Tap the fretboard to place or remove a finger at any fret.
2. Toggle open/muted strings by tapping the X or ○ above the nut. X means muted; ○ means the string rings open.
3. Read the chord name that appears to the right. The top match is the most likely reading, with alternatives listed below.
4. Set a capo to see how the chord name transposes when you clamp across a fret.
5. Turn on the Notes or Intervals overlay to see the notes or scale-degree function (R, 3, 5, b7, etc.) of each tone you're playing.
6. Slide the fret position to explore chord shapes higher up the neck.
7. Type a chord name in the search field to look up playable voicings, and click a mini-diagram to load it.

Barre Chords & Moveable Shapes

A barre chord uses a single finger pressed flat across multiple strings at one fret, while the other fingers form a chord shape above it. The tool highlights any barre it detects.

When a shape uses no open strings, it's called a moveable shape — slide the whole thing up or down the neck to change the key. The classic E-shape (like F at fret 1) and A-shape barre chords are the backbone of playing in every key.

Jazz & Extended Chords

The identifier recognizes 40+ chord qualities, from simple triads through jazz extensions (9, 11, 13), altered dominants (7b9, 7#9, alt), and add chords (add9, 6/9). These colorful chords are the building blocks of jazz, neo-soul, and sophisticated pop.

• 9 chords: Dominant 7 with an added 9th. Common in funk.
• 11 chords: Often voiced as 7sus4 on guitar because the 3rd and 4th clash.
• 13 chords: Full dominant extension with a 13th (6th) on top. Bluesy and smooth.
• Altered dominants (7alt): Dominant 7 with a raised/lowered 5th or 9th. Tense, resolving to the tonic.

Understanding Guitar Chords

What is a chord?

A chord is three or more notes played together. Chords give music its harmonic texture — they're the backdrop behind melodies. A pair of notes is technically called an interval; add a third note and you have a chord.

How chords are named

Every chord has a root note — the note it's “built on” — and a quality describing the intervals between the notes:

• Major (C, G, D): bright, stable. Built from the root, major 3rd, and perfect 5th.
• Minor (Am, Em, Dm): darker, introspective. The 3rd is lowered by a half step.
• Seventh (G7, Am7, Cmaj7): add a fourth note for richer color. Dominant 7 chords want to resolve; major 7 chords feel jazzy and dreamy.
• Suspended (Dsus2, Asus4): replace the 3rd with a 2nd or 4th, creating unresolved tension.
• Diminished and Augmented: alter the 5th, producing tense, unstable colors used to drive harmonic motion.

Slash chords

When the lowest note of a chord isn't the root, it's written as a slash chord. “C/G” means a C major chord with G in the bass — often a smoother voicing than root-position C. Many common open-chord fingerings produce slash chords naturally.

How a capo works

A capo is a clamp that presses down all the strings at one fret, raising the pitch of every string by that number of semitones. The same chord shapes produce different chords when you capo up. Open G shapes with the capo at fret 2 sound in A; with capo at fret 5, they sound in C.

Common Open Chord Reference

Every guitarist should know these shapes:

• Major: C, D, E, F, G, A
• Minor: Am, Dm, Em
• Seventh: A7, B7, C7, D7, E7, G7
• Suspended: Dsus2, Dsus4, Asus2, Asus4
• Major 7: Amaj7, Cmaj7, Dmaj7, Fmaj7, Gmaj7

Reading a Chord Diagram

• Strings run vertically. The leftmost string is the lowest-pitched (thickest); the rightmost is the highest-pitched (thinnest).
• Frets run horizontally. The top line is the nut (or the capo, if set).
• X above a string means don't play that string.
• O above a string means play that string open.
• Dots on the fretboard show where to press.

Chord Progressions & Roman Numerals

A chord progression is a sequence of chords played in order — the harmonic backbone of a song. Most pop, rock, folk, country, and jazz songs are built on a handful of common progressions, just in different keys.

Musicians often describe progressions with Roman numerals(the Nashville Number System is a similar shorthand). The numerals represent the position of each chord within a key — uppercase for major chords, lowercase for minor. In the key of C, I = C, ii = Dm, iii = Em, IV = F, V = G, vi = Am, vii° = Bdim. So “I – V – vi – IV” in C is C – G – Am – F — one of the most-used pop progressions of all time.

The built-in progression builder supports common templates (Pop, Jazz ii-V-I, 12-bar blues, and more). Changing the key transposes every chord automatically.

Scales That Fit a Chord

Every chord has a set of scales that “work” over it — scales whose notes include all the chord's notes. The tool shows compatible scales for the current chord below the chord detail panel. Chord tones are highlighted so you can see which notes the chord is built from within each scale.

Rules of thumb for improvising:

• Over a major chord, try the Major scale or the Major Pentatonic of the same root.
• Over a minor chord, try the Natural Minor or Minor Pentatonic.
• Over a dominant 7 (like G7), Mixolydian is the classic choice.
• Over a blues, the Minor Pentatonic or Blues scale works on every chord in a standard 12-bar.

Saving & Sharing Chords

Click Save chord to store the current chord in your browser. Favorites persist across sessions on your device. You can rename, delete, or export them as a JSON file for backup, and re-import later.

Every change you make updates the URL. Click Copy link to copy a shareable URL that encodes your exact instrument, tuning, capo, and fingering. Anyone who opens the link sees the same chord.

You can also download the chord diagram as SVG or PNG, or print a clean paper-friendly version for reference or teaching.

Frequently Asked Questions

What chord am I playing?

Tap the frets on the diagram to match your fingering. The chord identifier analyzes the notes and shows the most likely chord name plus alternatives that share the same notes.

Why does it show multiple chord names?

Some sets of notes have more than one valid name. A-C-E-G can be Am7 (A minor 7th) or C6 (C major 6th). The identifier picks the reading where the bass note is the root, and shows other interpretations below.

How does the capo affect chord names?

A capo raises all open strings by the number of frets it covers. An open C shape with a capo at fret 2 actually sounds as a D chord. The identifier accounts for the capo when naming the chord.

Can I use this for alternate tunings?

The first version supports standard tuning (E A D G B E). Alternate tunings, custom tuning support, and additional instruments like bass, ukulele, banjo, and mandolin are coming in future updates.

What does “No chord identified” mean?

The current set of notes doesn't match any standard chord quality. This happens with unusual note combinations — try muting one string or moving a finger.

What is a chord progression?

A sequence of chords played in order. Progressions create the harmonic structure of a song. The progression builder lets you assemble, transpose, and play chord sequences at any tempo.

What do Roman numerals mean in music?

Roman numerals represent chord positions within a key. Uppercase = major, lowercase = minor. “I-IV-V” in the key of C means C-F-G.

How do I know which scale to play over a chord?

The scale compatibility panel shows which scales contain all the notes of your chord. Start with the major or minor pentatonic of the chord's root for a safe choice — it will always sound musical.

Can I save my chord diagrams?

Yes. Click the Save button to store chords to your browser's local storage. Export your favorites as a JSON file for backup across devices.

How do I share a chord with someone?

Click “Copy link” — the URL encodes your exact fingering, instrument, tuning, and capo. Anyone who opens the link sees the same chord.

Is this tool free?

Yes. All the computation runs in your browser. No account, no payment, no tracking.

Notes & Disclaimers

• Music theory is a guide, not a rule. The same notes can often be named in multiple valid ways depending on musical context.
• Bass note matters. The lowest sounding note heavily influences how a chord is heard and named.
• Enharmonic spelling (F# vs. Gb, C# vs. Db) is chosen based on standard conventions for the chord's root. Both spellings point to the same sound.