Fretboard Studies · v2.2
What chord is this?A free Reverse Guitar Chord Finder & Guitar Chord Identifier
This free reverse guitar chord finder identifies any guitar chord from the notes you're playing. Tap one note per string on the fretboard below to build any chord shape — open chords, barre chords, partial chords, dyads, even jazz altered voicings — then hit Submit and the tool tells you what chord it is, including inversions, alternate names, and whether you're playing a standard open shape.
01 — Tap
One note per string
Each string starts muted with an X above the nut. Tap any fret on a string to play that note there. The X disappears and a glowing dot marks your choice. Tap the dot to mute the string again, or tap a different fret to move the note.
You can play between 1 and 6 strings. The tool needs at least 3 notes to attempt a chord identification.
02 — Submit
Identify the chord
Once you've built the shape, click Identify Chord. The tool calculates the actual pitches of every played note, finds the bass note (lowest pitch), and matches the pitch class set against 17 chord types to find every plausible name.
03 — Inversions
Bass note matters
When the chord's root is not your lowest played note, the tool detects an inversion. C major with E in the bass becomes C/E (first inversion). The bass note influences which interpretation is most likely when notes are ambiguous.
04 — Multiple Names
Why some chords have alternates
Some pitch class sets can be named more than one way. {A, C, E, G} is both Am7 (root A) and C6 (root C) — same notes, different root. The tool shows all reasonable interpretations and ranks them based on your bass note. Then jump straight into the Arpeggio Finder or Scale Over Chord to drill or solo with the chord.
How do I use this chord identifier?+
Tap one note per string on the fretboard above (up to six total) to build the chord shape you want to identify. Each string starts with an X marker indicating it's muted. Tap any fret on a string to play that note. Tap the played note again to remove it and mute the string. Once you've built the shape, click Submit to see the chord name.
What do the X marks above the strings mean?+
The X marks indicate muted strings — strings you do not play as part of the chord. By default all six strings are muted (X). When you tap a fret, the X for that string disappears and a note appears at the fret you chose. This matches standard guitar chord chart notation where X above a string means do not play it.
Why does my chord show multiple possible names?+
Some sets of notes can legitimately be named more than one way. For example A, C, E, G is both A minor 7 (Am7) and C major 6 (C6) — same notes, different root. The tool shows all reasonable interpretations and prioritizes the one where your lowest played note matches the chord's root, because that's usually the most natural reading.
What is a chord inversion?+
A chord is in an inversion when its root note is not the lowest sounding note. For example, C major in root position has C as the bass note. If E is in the bass instead, it's a first inversion, written C/E. If G is in the bass, it's a second inversion, written C/G. The tool detects inversions automatically using your lowest played note.
How do I enter a barre chord?+
Just tap the actual fret where each string would be held down. For an E-shape barre A major at the 5th fret, you'd tap fret 5 on low E, fret 7 on A, fret 7 on D, fret 6 on G, fret 5 on B, and fret 5 on high E. The tool reads the resulting pitches and identifies the chord regardless of how you're physically fingering it — barre, open, or any other voicing.
What does it mean when my notes form a dyad?+
A dyad is two notes played together. Some dyads strongly imply a chord type: a minor 3rd interval (like A and C) implies a minor chord, a major 3rd (like A and C♯) implies a major chord, and a perfect 5th (like A and E) is the classic power chord used in rock and metal. Other intervals are just named for what they are without a chord implication.
Why doesn't it recognize my chord?+
Either the combination of notes does not form a known chord type in the tool's database, or you may be missing a note that would complete a recognized chord. Try adding or removing notes to see if a chord is recognized. The tool covers all common chord types including major, minor, sus, dim, aug, 7ths, major 7ths, minor 7ths, half-diminished, diminished 7th, 6th chords, add9, 9th, and 13th chords.
Guitar Lick Lab
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