WHAT CHORD IS THIS?

Guitar chord namer app

𝄞 Choose the tuning & a sharp/flat key

𝄞 Enter your fret numbers

Chord name:

𝄵

Your notes:

♫

Chord notes:

𝄫

Chord intervals:

𝄢

Chord tendency:

𝅘𝅥𝅯

Equal chords:

♪

Scale degrees that build :

    NOTES

    How to use the app

    If all you need is the chord name then you do not need to look at the rest of the page. However, I do output a lot of useful information related to your chord. Below describes how to use the app and describes all the information related to y our chord.

    1. The page by default is set to Standard Tuning (E-A-D-G-B-E). I include 12 common altered tunings in the select list below standard tuning. Select the tuning you want but make sure to click the Set Tuning button. I am working on setting the tuning to local storage so it remains when you click RESET, as well as a Custom tuning option.
    2. Enter the fret numbers for your chord. Leave the field empty for any strings that do not have a note. Use your keyboard # keys or the arrow controls in each input field to enter a number. If you are fine with Standard Tuning, then you do not have to hit the Set Tuning button.
    3. The fret number fields are set to a minimum of 0 for open strings, and a maximum of 16. For any chords past the 12th fret, just subtract 12 from each fret number to get the chord information.
    4. The page by default is set to sharp keys. If you are working with a chord from a flat key them make sure to select the Flat keys radio button. If in doubt, leave it set to Sharp keys. FYI, The flat MAJOR keys are F, B♭. E♭, A♭, D♭, and G♭.
    5. Click the SUBMIT to geet the chord information, and the RESET button to try another chord.

    Scales used

    I only include chords that are built from the following scales:

    1. Major scale and modes
    2. Minor pentatonic scale and modes
    3. Blues scale and modes
    4. Harmonic minor scale and modes
    5. Melodic minor scale and modes
    6. Augmented scale
    7. Whole Tone scale
    8. Diminished scale
    9. Major Bebop scale and modes
    10. Minor Bebop scale and modes

    If you are a Country or Bluegrass player, you must be wondering why I did not include the Major Pentatonic or Country Blues scales. They are both modes of the Minor Pentatonic and Blues scales respectively. Or vice versa: the Minor Pentaonic and Blues scales are modes of the Major Pentatonic and Country Blues scales.

    Country Blues scale

    I have not found a definitative name for the Major Pentatonic scale with the addition of the ♭3 note. I decided to go with the name Country Blues scale since it seems the the best name for those notes.

    Also, the 2nd mode of the Major Bebop scale is the Dorian Blues scale, while the 5th mode of the Minor Bebop scale is the Dominant Bebop scale.

    NR, N3, N5, NR/N5

    You may see some chord names followed by either NR, N3, N5, or NR/N5. That is my abbreviation for omitted chord tones:

    • NR = omitted chord root, e.g. G7♯9 NR is missing the root note G.
    • N3 = omitted major 3rd root, e.g. G7 N3 is missing the major 3rd B. I do not recommend voicing a chord without the major or minor 3rd unless it is a suspended chord. The one exception is 7 N3 which has an interesting hollow sound. You will not see N3 for suspended chords since the 3rd is suspended.
    • N5 = omitted perfect 5th, e.g. G7 N5 is missing the perfect 5th note D. The perfect 5th (P5) is the most commonly omitted chord tone.
    • NR/N5 = omitted chord root and perfect 5th, e.g. G13♭9 NR/N5 is missing the root note G and the perfect 5th note D. There are only 2 chords that can have both the root and 5th ommitted: 13♭9 NR/N5 and 13♯9 NR/N5.

    Equal chords vs. Unique chords

    I used the term equal chords to describe a chord that has the same notes as a chord with a different name. For example, C6 has the notes C-E-G-A, while the chord Am7 has the notes A-C-E-G. Both contain the same notes and so they are equal.

    The opposite of equal chords are unique chords which refer to chords that do not equal any other chord regardless of the chord inversion.

    Chord tendency

    How do I use these chords?

    The tendency of a chord refers to where it wants to resolve to - where it comes to rest. The easiest way to understand the tendency of a chord is to look at the V7 chord from the major scale. If you strum a G7 it naturally wants to resolve to C major, or some C major chord (C6, Cmaj7, etc.) Since C is the perfect 4th in relation to G, a G7 chord has the tendnecy of IV.

    Scale degrees

    The major scale has 7 scale degrees, the minor pentatonic has 5, and the blues sale has 6. If you enter a chord like C add 9, then you will get the 1st, 4th, and 5th scale degrees for the major scale. That means that the 1st, 4th and 5th notes in C major build an add9 chord, (C add9, F add9, and G add9).

    Or you can think of it as bulding a C add9 chord on the 1st scale degree of C major, the 4th scale degree in G major, and the 5th scale degree in F major.

    Enharmonic equivalents, double sharps, and double flats

    I do not list double sharps or double flats. For example, the ♯9 in an E7♯9 chord is techincally F♯♯, however, I list it as G. Similarly, the ♭5 in E♭7♭5 is technically B♭♭, as is the ♭9 in an A♭7♭9 chord but I list them both as A.

    The ♭9, ♯9/♭3, ♯11/♭5, and ♯5/♭13 are the intervals that create a problem when it comes to naming chords. I prefer to keep things simple and not confuse people with double sharps and double flats, or notes like B♯ or F♭.

    The chord names are correct but the notes are a little “off”. Keep that in mind if you are discussing a chord with someone who knows music theory better than you do!