Chord maps

Overview

Chord maps help you discover and compare chord voicings for any root note and chord quality. Whether you're learning a new chord, finding a specific voicing for a song, or exploring what's possible on your instrument, chord maps show you the options.

Think of it like a chord dictionary that adapts to your actual instrument and tuning.

When to use it

• Learning new chords: See fingerings for chords you haven't played before
• Finding voicings: Compare different positions for the same chord
• Transcribing: Figure out what chord you're hearing by exploring options
• Preparing charts: Find the right voicing before writing it into a song

Instrument + tuning

The maps adapt to whatever you're playing:

• Switch instruments: Guitar, bass, ukulele, banjo, mandolin — diagrams update immediately
• Pick a tuning: Standard, drop D, open tunings, and more
• Custom instruments: If you've created custom instruments, they appear here too

The tuning you select affects which voicings are available and how they're fingered.

Reading the diagram

Each diagram shows:

• String/fret positions: Where to put your fingers
• Fingerings: Suggested finger assignments (when available)
• Root notes: Highlighted so you can see the chord's foundation

Tips for reading:

• Start with comfortable shapes — you can explore exotic voicings later
• Look for common finger patterns that appear across multiple chords
• If a shape feels awkward, try a different position or tuning

Exploring voicings

Use the root + chord type controls to navigate:

1. Pick a root: C, C#, D, etc. (or flats: Db, Eb, etc.)
2. Pick a quality: Major, minor, 7th, diminished, etc.
3. Browse the diagrams: See all available voicings

Some chords have many voicings; others have just a few. This depends on the instrument and tuning.

Sharing and bookmarking

The URL updates as you explore. This means:

• Bookmark a specific chord/tuning combo for later reference
• Share the URL with a bandmate so they see the same diagrams
• Link to a specific voicing from your notes or chat

Just copy the URL from your browser — it encodes your current selection.

Use cases

Learning a song in an unfamiliar key

Say you're playing in Gb major and need a Gb major 7 voicing:

1. Select Gb as the root
2. Select "maj7" as the quality
3. Browse available voicings
4. Find one that fits your hand and the song's register

Finding a specific color

You know the chord is some kind of C, but you want something darker:

1. Select C as the root
2. Try different qualities: minor, m7, dim, etc.
3. Listen (on your instrument) and compare

Preparing for a session

You're recording and want options ready:

1. Map out the chords in the song
2. For each, find 2-3 voicings that work
3. Note the positions or bookmark the URLs

Next steps

Ready to turn a voicing into a chart?

• Learn about songs — write charts with ChordPro
• Arpeggio maps — explore chord tones across the neck
• Open chord maps — start exploring now