Chord Library
Pick a root and a chord type to see the notes, a piano and guitar diagram, and hear it.
Root
Chord type
Chord
C
C major
- Root (1)
- C
- Major 3rd (3)
- E
- Perfect 5th (5)
- G
Formula: 1 – 3 – 5
Guitar
Piano
How to read the chord
- 1
Root
The note the chord is named after and built on. It is the lowest note in the guitar shapes shown here.
- 2
Formula
Each note's distance from the root, counted on the major scale. 1 3 5 is a major chord; 1 ♭3 5 is minor.
- 3
Guitar diagram
Strings run low E (left) to high e (right). × means do not play the string, o means play it open. A number like 5fr is the fret the diagram starts on.
- 4
Piano diagram
The root key is bright lime. The other chord notes are a lighter green. Play them together with one hand.
What each chord type sounds like
Major and minor
The two basic triads. Major sounds bright and settled; minor sounds darker. The only difference is the third: a major third (4 semitones) or a minor third (3).
7, maj7 and m7
Add a fourth note on top. The dominant 7 (♭7 on a major chord) wants to resolve to the chord a fifth below. Maj7 sounds soft and open. M7 is common in R&B, neo-soul and lo-fi.
sus2 and sus4
The third is replaced by the 2nd or 4th, so the chord is neither major nor minor. Sus4 often resolves back to the major chord.
dim and aug
Diminished stacks two minor thirds and sounds tense. Augmented stacks two major thirds and sounds unresolved. Both are used as passing chords.
add9, 9 and m9
Add the 9th (the 2nd an octave up). Add9 has no 7th; 9 and m9 include the ♭7. On guitar the 5th is often left out of these shapes.
6 and m6
Add the major 6th. Common in jazz, old pop and as a softer ending chord than maj7.
Using chords in a song
Stay in one key first
Chords from the same key always fit together. Use the scale library to list the chords of your key.
Change one note at a time
Moving from C to Cmaj7 to C7 changes only the top note. Small moves like this sound smooth.
Try a sus chord before a major one
Playing Dsus4 then D creates a short pull and release, which works well at the end of a line.
Questions about the chord library
How does the tool spell the notes?
Notes are spelled by letter, so each note of a chord uses the right letter name. For example, the minor third of F is A♭, not G♯. For black-key roots the tool picks the spelling with fewer sharps or flats, so you see D♭ major and C♯ minor.
Why does the guitar shape leave out some notes?
Five-note chords such as 9 and m9 do not fit comfortably on six strings, so standard shapes drop the 5th. The 5th adds little to the sound of these chords. Every note in the shape is still a chord tone, and the root is the lowest note.
Are the guitar shapes open chords or barre chords?
Common open chords such as C, D, G, E, A, Am, Em, Dm, G7 and D7 are shown open. Other chords use the standard E-shape or A-shape barre chord, whichever sits lower on the neck.
Is a dominant 7 the same as a major 7?
No. A dominant 7 (written C7) adds the minor 7th, B♭ on C. A major 7 (Cmaj7) adds the major 7th, B. They sound very different.
Is the chord library free?
Yes. It runs in your browser with no account and no download. The sound is made with the Web Audio API on your device.