Chord Finder
Root
Chord type
How to use
- Pick a root note from the 12-button grid on the left.
- Pick a chord type — major, minor, 7ths, sus, extensions, and more.
- Switch between piano, guitar, and ukulele diagrams.
- Hit Play chord to hear all notes together, or Strum to hear them rolled out from low to high.
- Click any note on the diagram to play just that note.
How chord names work
Chord names tell you two things: the root note and the chord quality. The root note (the letter) is the foundation of the chord — the note around which everything else is built. The quality (the suffix — major, minor, 7, sus4, etc.) describes the relationship of the other notes to that root.
A major chord stacks a major third (4 semitones) and a perfect fifth (7 semitones) above the root — bright, stable, the default sound of "happy." A minor chord lowers the third by a half-step (3 semitones), giving it the slightly sadder character we associate with minor keys. A seventh chord adds a fourth note seven steps above the root for tension that wants to resolve. A sus chord replaces the third with either the second or the fourth — neutral, unresolved, common in rock and folk.
This finder shows the same chord across piano, guitar, and ukulele so you can connect what you're hearing on one instrument to what you'd play on another. Click any note on the diagram to play it on its own — useful for ear-training your way through the chord.
FAQs
What's the difference between major 7 and dominant 7?
Both are four-note chords built on a major triad, but the seventh is different. Major 7 adds the natural seventh (just a half-step below the root); dominant 7 lowers it by another half-step. Major 7 sounds dreamy and stable; dominant 7 sounds tense and wants to resolve to another chord — that's why it's the V chord in classic harmony.
Why doesn't the guitar voicing match what I learned?
Most chords have many valid voicings — different positions, different fingerings, with or without the root in the bass. This finder shows one common voicing per chord. If you learned a different shape, both can be correct.
How do I read a fretboard diagram?
The vertical lines are strings (lowest pitch on the left), the horizontal lines are frets, and the dots are the notes you press. The thick line at the top is the nut. A dot labeled "R" is the root of the chord — usually the lowest note you'd play.
What's enharmonic spelling?
The same pitch can have two names. F♯ and G♭ are physically the same note on a piano, but are spelled differently depending on the key signature. The Sharps/Flats toggle switches between spellings.
Will inversions and slash chords be supported?
Yes — they're on the roadmap. For now this finder shows root-position voicings.