How to identify guitar chords with this tool
The guitar chord identifier works in reverse from a chord chart. Instead of looking up a name to get a shape, you give it the shape and it gives you the name. That makes it a reverse chord finder for anything you can fret, from a basic open chord to a strange voicing you found by accident.
- 01
Enter frets on the virtual fretboard
In Frets mode, choose your instrument and tuning, then tap a fret on each string, or mark it Open or Mute (X). Use the fret window to reach higher positions, or pick exact frets from the dropdowns below.
- 02
Or enter the notes directly
Switch to Notes mode to pick note names, for example from a piano part or sheet music, then choose which note is in the bass.
- 03
Read the chord name
The closest name appears at the top, with alternate names under "Chord matches". Press Play chord to hear it and see the notes on the keyboard.
The result tells you the chord's root, its quality (major, minor, 7, maj7, sus, dim, and so on), and the bass note when it differs from the root. You also see the exact pitches, like C3 · E3 · G3 · C4 · E4, which helps when you are writing a part down. To see standard diagrams and fingerings for a named chord, visit the Guitar Chord Library.
The tool does not take audio uploads. Entering frets or notes is slower than recording, but it is exact, and it names the voicing you are actually playing rather than a guess at what a recording contains.
When to use a chord identifier
Learning songs by ear
You found a shape that matches the recording but do not know what to call it. Enter it and you get a name you can write in your chart and look up later.
Checking unusual voicings or jazz chords
Chord books name the same grip in different ways. The identifier lists every valid name, so you can see why a chart says Em7/G where you expected G6.
Verifying chords from tabs or AI transcriptions
Tabs and auto-generated chord sheets often mislabel chords, especially slash chords and sevenths. If a tab shows the frets, type them in and check the name. Compare unfamiliar grips with the diagrams in our barre chords guide.
Example identifications
Three shapes in standard tuning, with the names the chord finder returns. Frets read from the low E string to the high E string; X means muted, 0 means open. Numbers in the dots are suggested fingers (1 = index, 4 = pinky).
C major
| O | 2 | 3 | 4 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| × | ||||
| 5 | 3 | |||
| 4 | 2 | |||
| 3 | O | |||
| 2 | 1 | |||
| 1 | O |
- Frets
- x32010
- Shown as
- CM
- Also
- Em#5/C
The first chord most people learn. The alternate name is technically correct but you will almost never see it written.
D minor 7
| O | 2 | 3 | 4 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| × | ||||
| × | ||||
| 4 | O | |||
| 3 | 2 | |||
| 2 | 1 | |||
| 1 | 1 |
- Frets
- xx0211
- Shown as
- Dm7
- Also
- F6/D
A common open shape with two correct names. Because D is the lowest note, Dm7 is the name to use.
G6
| 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 | 2 | |||
| × | ||||
| 4 | 1 | |||
| 3 | 4 | |||
| 2 | 3 | |||
| × |
- Frets
- 3x243x
- Shown as
- G6
- Also
- Em7/G
A jazz-style shell with the A string muted. Behind a bass player playing E, the same grip works as Em7.
Try one more: keep the C shape and add your pinky on the 3rd fret of the G string (x32310). The identifier returns C7no5, a C7 without its fifth. That is the standard open C7 most players use without knowing the fifth is missing.
Reverse chord finder FAQs
Can this identify barre chords and jazz voicings?
Yes. The fretboard covers frets 1 to 24 through the fret window, so barre chords anywhere on the neck work. It names sevenths, sixths, suspended chords, add9s, diminished and augmented chords, slash chords, and chords with missing notes such as C7no5. Jazz shells often have more than one valid name, so the guitar chord identifier lists every match, not just one.
Does it work for open tunings?
Yes. Pick a tuning before you enter frets: Drop D, DADGAD, Open G, Open D, Open E, and more for guitar, plus bass and ukulele tunings. Strum all six open strings in Open G and the tool names it G major over D (shown as GM/D), which is exactly how that tuning is voiced.
How accurate is audio-based chord detection?
This tool does not listen to audio. You enter the frets or notes, so the chord name is exact for the notes you give it. Apps that name chords from a recording are useful for a rough guide, but they often miss bass notes, confuse major and minor under distortion or vocals, and drop extensions like 7ths and 9ths. A good workflow is to use an audio app or your ear for a first guess, then check the exact voicing here.
Why does my chord have two or more names?
Some note sets really are two chords. D, F, A, and C is Dm7 with D in the bass, and the same notes with F in the bass are F6. The first result is the closest common name; the rest are alternate names you might see in a chart or a songbook.
What if it says "No exact match"?
Your notes may be a partial chord, a cluster, or a voicing with no standard name. Check for a wrong fret first, then try muting one string at a time. Two notes on their own only get a name when they are a root and fifth, which is a power chord.