What's with all the colors? Find out.
Click :
Click in text box or on the arrow to display the possible selections of
your choice, then move mouse cursor arrow to desired choice and click on
it.
save | display | new | title :
Anytime you find a chord you like click "save". When you have all the chords you want
click "display" and you'll be able to print or save the page. To start over or make
a new page... click "new" and it will reset and clear all. You can change anything
you want in between/during saves but it's best to leave the tuning and righty/lefty
the same for every individual page (or else you'll get mixed up). Got it? If you want
DADGAD tuning, ...fine, just leave it DADGAD for the whole chord chart display page.
Here's a
sample chord chart. If you want your
name or a title on the page click ...
title
KEY :
Key is the chord letter, sharp or flat of the chord in question.
A = A , Eb = E flat ,
C# = C sharp
Fret Checker
New tool to check if your neck and frets are nice and straight
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CHORD : Chord is the variety
min = minor ,
maj = major ,
m7 = minor7th ,
b5 = flat5 ,
5 = no3rd , Dsus4 = Dsus
11th = 1, 5, b7, 9, 11
11xt = 1, b7, 9, 11 --- ( xt means extra, as in extra variation )
m11th = 1, b3, 5, b7, 9, 11
m11xt = 1, b3, 5, b7, 11
13th = 1, 3, 5, b7, 13
half diminished=Ø7 = m7b5
Although this program finds and adds ever possible note to whatever chord you're trying to find, it's fine to play an "A" like this
[ x, 0, 2, 2, 2, 0 ] with the "A" as the lowest note even if the program might show you something like
[ 0, 0, 2, 2, 2, 0 ]. Players usually try and use the root note as the lowest note in the chord. There isn't any set rule on how to play a chord other than including at least one of all the needed notes in it.
Alternate / bass note : If you ever see a chord like D/C# in sheet music or tabs it means to play a D chord with a C# bass note (for instance)
[ x, 4, 0, 2, 3, 2 ] ...it's usually best to leave out the original (D) bass note
[ x, 4, x, 2, 3, 2 ] if it's close in pitch to the new (C#) bass note (just make sure there's another D somewhere else in the chord). It's relatively easy to figure these out on your own. Just find the chord you want then find a place to add the bass note...
Generator Six
handles this automatically and you'll also see what the actual chord name of all the notes might be.
VARY :
There aren't any actual complete chord diagrams stored anywhere in this program (except on this page). Every chord and variation is generated via an algorithm. Some variations work great for some types of chords but might not even give a result for others, so you might have to check all the chord variations to get a chord that you feel comfortable fingering.
If a chord gets computed and has all the needed notes included in it but, it's not using all of the strings (like diagram), it is still a valid playable chord, just don't use the x'd out strings (or increase the span). If a chord gets computed and doesn't have all the notes included in it, it will get the six XXXXXX zap and won't be displayed, and although there is an increased chance of this happening sometimes in alternative tunings, it is quite rare because the program automatically runs through all the different variations if it doesn't find something at the variation you have tried.
FRET :
When the chord is being displayed in an open position the space
on the top of the diagram will be void of any string lines, any selected string in this position means to play the string open. When you select any higher fret the top space will become the chosen fret position, it will include string lines. The diagram on the left is an E open chord, the diagram on the right is a seventh chord on any fret above open.
OPEN :
"Find open strings" when turned on (checked) will add open strings (if possible) to the chord at any fret position, it will give you some nice sounding completely unique chords with open ringing notes.
The top row of the diagram is still the selected fret but the strings that show an open circle and a blue string are meant to be played open. The diagram on left is of for instance an "A" chord at the fifth fret with the "A" and "high E" strings being played open.
SPAN :
Span is the amount of distance the chord will span on the fret board.
Q3: means in the open or any fretted position any other possible notes
included will be within range of three more frets.
Q6: will give a huge six fret, sometimes impossible stretch.
TUNING :
Tuning changes the whole tuning of the guitar, making it easy to use chords
in alternative tunings.
New! ...
ATM7, alternative tuning machine 7
BEADGBE ... Standard tuning
BEBEG#BE ... Open E
AEAEAC#E ... Open A
AEADGBE ... Jazz tuning
BEADF#BE ... Lute tuning
BEADGCF ... Blues tuning = Fourths tuning
ADADGAD ... Jimmy Page tuning.
CDGCGCD ... Rain Song tuning.
ADADF#AD ... Open D
ADADGBE ... Drop D Drop A
BDGDGBD ... Open G
DGBDGBD ... Russian
DBGDCGD ... Russian Gypsy (Ukrainian Kobza)
CEGCGAE ... C 6th
BD#BD#F#BD#... Open B
EAbCEAbCE ... Major 3rds
GDAEBGbA ... modified "Robert Fripp New Standard Tuning"
New! E 55545 ...
Joni Mitchell Fans
Capo and Drop... Capo with change the tuning to what the guitar would be as if you have a capo on whatever fret number you chose.
Drop1 will give you E flat tuning (like jimi, eddie, kurt cobain, robin trower etc).
Drop2=DGCFAD
HANDED :
If you are a right handed player leave the select on right. If you area
left handed player, change the select to left, this will reverse the way
the strings are strung on the guitar thereby reversing all tunings and
chord patterns.
NUMBER OF CHORDS : 3,919,104
There are
12 different notes,
27 chords, 12 frets ...zero (open) through eleven (12th fret same as open unless using open strings..., including open strings would multiply grand total by two or=7,838,208 ),
4 stretch's, 9 variations
...(average out of possible 24, some more, some less),
2 ways to string it
(righty, lefty),
14 tunings. Multiply everything together and you get...
12 x 27 x 12 x 4 x 9 x 2 x 14 = 3,919,104
Playing Tip :
Make sure your right hand (or the one you hold a pick with) is never balled up in a fist like shape when you're playing. Your hand should be in a shape like it is when you make the O.K. hand signal, with the thumb and first finger in a circular shape holding the pick, and fingers 2, 3 and 4 just about straight (especially when strumming). If you're picking individual notes you can also use your pinky as a support or stabilizer by resting/holding the tip of it against the guitar body. You will/can be much more articulate with your playing this way. The right hand in a fist is just bad.
Song Writing Tip :
There's nothing wrong with writing a song that has only 3 basic chords ( here's one I made up using only E, F, G chords and some kind of India scale...
india rumpus mp3 ), but if you really want something creative and unique... try to think of something in your head while driving or at work or just sitting around etc. then remember the way it goes or write it down in a way you'll be able to remember it later (they might be chords you've never used or heard before, but that doesn't matter). Then when you actually have a guitar in your hands and can piece together (figure out) what the correct chords for the song were, you might just have a hit.
New! Chords for
Soliloquy (the guitar1.mp3)
entire guitar tuned down one whole step to "D"
|| Bm ~ ~ ~
|| E ~ ~ ~
|| A ~ C#Ø7 ~
|| F# ~ ~ ~ ||
|| G ~ ~ ~
|| E7th ~ ~ ~
|| A ~ C#Ø7 ~
|| F# ~ ~ ~
|| G ~ ~ ~ ||
Beatles: John, Paul, George, Ringo
Please please Help! the
Beatles get back into their proper order, if you click on the Beatles link then move your mouse over any Beatle it will change/advance the picture of all the beatles in that row and column in this order, John, Paul, George, Ringo. And in the end the idea is to get all the Beatles showing in their proper order... or something.
