About Chordistry
Music theory mapped to the guitar
Chordistry Guitar Chords is a comprehensive web application designed to help guitarists visualize, learn, and explore chords, scales, and fretboard patterns. Whether you are a beginner learning your first chords or an advanced player analyzing complex voicings, this tool provides interactive fretboard visualization with real-time audio playback.
Explore the toolkit
Key Features
Practical fretboard tools, music theory, and realistic audio in one focused workspace.
- Interactive Fretboard Click on the virtual fretboard to select notes and explore guitar patterns. Supports multiple tunings including standard, drop D, and custom configurations.
- Chord Detection Automatically detect chord names, inversions, and voicings from selected notes using advanced pitch-class analysis. Recognize drop 2, drop 3, and drop 2 & 4 voicings, and view alternative chord interpretations and interval relationships.
- Scale Visualization Explore scales and modes with highlighted note positions on the fretboard. Choose from hundreds of scale types with detailed descriptions and interval formulas.
- Chord Shapes Library Browse thousands of chord voicings and fingerings organized by chord type. Each shape includes fretboard visualization and audio playback.
- Scale Information Hub Comprehensive database of scales with descriptions, technical details, and fretboard patterns. Filter and search through all available scales.
- Progression Generator Create and play chord progressions using literal notation or roman numerals. Includes preset progressions, custom sequences, and audio playback with adjustable tempo and strum patterns.
- Voice-Leading Voicing Finder Find complete progression-wide routes optimized for ease, smooth voice leading, or harmonic colour. Filter by voicing family, fret range, maximum stretch, movable positions, top and bass notes, movement, and common tones, then apply a route with one click.
- Chord-Melody Builder Enter a melody with note names, the fretboard, or Web MIDI and find playable voicings that keep every melody note as the highest sounding note. Automatic movable-voicing selections can be replaced note by note, with separate previews for the melody and selected harmony.
- Live Tonnetz Follow chords and individual notes on a tone network during progression playback, making fifths, major thirds, minor thirds, and changing harmonic shapes visible.
- Ear Training Interactive quizzes to improve your ability to recognize intervals and chords by ear. Practice with different difficulty levels and audio examples.
- Chord Intervals Analyze the interval structure of chords with detailed fretboard visualization and theoretical explanations.
- Fretboard Shapes Explore common guitar patterns and shapes across the fretboard, including movable shapes and position playing techniques.
- Arpeggio Patterns Practice arpeggios with selectable patterns and playback options for different chord types.
- Strum Patterns Choose from various strum patterns to accompany your chord progressions and playing.
- Travis Picking Learn and practice Travis picking techniques with interactive patterns and audio guidance.
- Audio Playback Listen to chords, scales, progressions, and patterns using realistic sampled guitar audio. Play individual notes, chords, or sequences with adjustable tempo and octave.
- Interval Display View note relationships and intervals in multiple display modes (notes, intervals, pitch classes). Understand music theory through visual fretboard representations.
- URL Sharing Share your fretboard selections and discoveries via URL. All chord finder configurations are bookmarkable and shareable.
- Responsive Design Works seamlessly on desktop, tablet, and mobile devices with touch-friendly controls.
Find your way around
How to Use
Start with the tool that matches your question, then move between the shared fretboard, theory, and playback views.
Chord Names Use the interactive chord finder to select notes on the fretboard. The app automatically detects chord names, shows inversions, and provides audio playback. Experiment with different tunings and display modes.
Chord Shapes Browse chords organized by type (maj, m, 7, etc.). Each chord page shows multiple voicings with fretboard diagrams, fingerings, and listen buttons.
Scales Select a scale type to view its pattern on the fretboard. Choose different roots, adjust playback settings, and study scale construction with detailed interval information.
Scale Info Explore the complete scale database with descriptions, technical details, and preview diagrams. Use the filter to find specific scales or browse by category.
Progressions Use the progression generator to create sequences of chords. Choose between literal mode (chord names) or roman numeral mode (scale degrees). Play back progressions with adjustable tempo, strum patterns, and arpeggio options.
Voicing Routes Open the voicing finder in the progression generator, choose the fretboard and voice-leading constraints, and compare the Easiest, Smoothest, and Most colourful routes. Apply a route to use its shapes for playback and sharing.
Harmonise a Melody Switch to the chord-melody workspace and capture notes by typing, clicking the fretboard, or using a MIDI keyboard. Set the key, harmony, fret limit, stretch, and movable-position preference, then preview or replace the chord selected for each melody note.
Tonnetz Watch the live tone network beneath the progression controls while playing chords. Horizontal connections show fifths, while diagonal connections show major and minor thirds.
Ear Training Test your musical ear with interval and chord recognition quizzes. Listen to audio examples and select the correct answer from multiple choices to improve your listening skills.
Chord Intervals Select a chord to see its interval composition and how it relates to the root note. Understand the theoretical structure of different chord types.
Shapes Browse different fretboard shapes and patterns to understand position playing and movable chord forms. Practice common guitar patterns across the neck.
Intervals Study musical intervals with visual fretboard representations. Learn to identify and play intervals in different positions.
Under the hood
Technology
Reliable theory calculations and sampled guitar audio power every interactive view.
Music theory calculations are powered by the tonal library, with custom chord detection algorithms for advanced pitch-class analysis. Audio playback uses Tone.js with high-quality sampled guitar recordings for realistic sound.
The app features a comprehensive database of chord shapes and scale patterns, all presented through an intuitive fretboard interface. Some chord shapes are sourced from open databases such as tombatossals's chords-db and adapted for this application.