Song Chart Maker

Enter your tuning and a song's chord progression to see playable chord diagrams, with fingerings and scale degrees.

StringsPick an instrument and tuning to fill in the tuning field, or type your own tuning there: Preset then shows Custom, or the matching preset if you type one. The reset button beside the field goes back to the last preset. Strings run from lowest (left) to highest (right). A number after a note is that string's first fret, e.g. G5DGBD for bluegrass Banjo. Spaces are optional. The settings button beside the field sets the octave each string plays in; changed octaves make the tuning Custom until reset.
SongChords in song order, separated by spaces or new lines. Type b or ♭ for flat and # or ♯ for sharp, such as Bb or B♭; ° works for dim and ⁺ for aug. Add | to start a new row of diagrams, including in copied and saved images (for example, G C | D G). Add a section header in square brackets, such as [Chorus], to start a new section with its title above the following chord. Section titles also appear in copied and saved images. Supported: major, m, aug or +, dim, 7 or dom7, maj7, 9, 11, 13 or dom13, sus2, sus4, add9, and slash bass notes such as D/F# (the bass note is played on the lowest sounding string). Mode names work too: Gdor, Amix, Cphr.

Layout
Display size How large the chord charts are drawn on this screen. As many as fit share each row, and the chord names grow with the charts. Saved with your settings.
Image columns How many chord charts share a row in copied and saved images and in the text chord sheet. It doesn't change the charts on screen. Saved with the song.6
Chart
Sets the number of fret spaces shown in each diagram, from 3 to 6. More frets show a wider section of the neck and allow wider chord shapes.
Shows fret numbers above fretted strings on the selected chord diagrams and exported images. Numbers are relative to the capo. The numbers inside note markers remain chord degrees.
Shows suggested left-hand finger numbers below the strings on the selected chord diagrams and exported images: 1 is the index finger, 4 the little finger and T the thumb.
RootHow the chord's root is marked in the note dots: 1, its chord degree like the 3 and 5 beside it, or a star. Saved with your settings when you're signed in.
Also tries capo positions 0 to 7. Moving the capo away from its current fret costs a little, so it only moves when that makes the song clearly easier.
Prefers neighbouring chords that sit close together on the neck and share fingering, so fewer fingers lift and land at each change.
Prefers songs that stay in a tight range of the neck. A steady climb or descent is better than jumping up and down.
Guide

How to build a chord chart

From a chord progression to a chord sheet you can play, print or share in about a minute.

  1. Pick your instrument and tuning

    Choose Guitar, Mandolin, 5-String Banjo, Tenor Banjo or Ukulele, then a preset tuning, or type your own with the lowest string first, such as DADGAD. If you play with a capo, enter its fret. The Nut field shows what the open strings sound like with the capo on.

  2. Type the song's chords

    Enter the chord progression in the order you play it, such as G Em C D. Add | to start a new row of diagrams, and a label in square brackets, such as [Verse] or [Chorus], to mark a section. The ♯ and ♭ buttons beside the field transpose every chord up or down a semitone.

  3. Read the diagrams

    Each chord shows the most playable shape for your tuning and capo. The number in each dot is its chord degree: 1 is the root (or a star, if you choose that under Diagram), so you can see at a glance which note is the 3rd, the 5th or the 7th. Hover over or tap a diagram to see other voicings for the same chord, from open chords to barre chords up the neck, and pick the one you like.

  4. Let Suggest smooth out the changes

    Suggest looks for a set of shapes that are easy to play one after another, for smooth chord changes: close together on the neck, sharing fingers, without jumping up and down. It can also try other capo positions. Step through the suggestions, pin the charts you want to keep, and accept the one that suits you.

  5. Hear it, save it, share it

    Play strums through the song so you can check the sound. Copy or save the whole chord chart as a PNG, JPG or SVG image or as a plain-text chord sheet (hover over Copy or Save to pick the format), or copy a link to the chart.

  6. Save it and share it

    Sign in to Save your song and reopen it from My songs. To share it, press the lock button to make the song public, then copy its Song link from the link button. Others can view it and make their own copy to edit. For a quick share without saving, copy a Snapshot link instead.

Reference

Chord names you can use

Type b or ♭ for flat and # or ♯ for sharp: Bbm and B♭m both work. Chords are shown with music symbols.

Triads and power chords
Major (G), minor (Em), augmented (Caug, C+ or C⁺), diminished (Bdim or B°) and power chords (E5).
Sixths and sevenths
C6, Am6, dominant 7th (D7 or Ddom7), Fmaj7, Am7, diminished 7th (Bdim7) and half-diminished (Bm7b5).
Extended and altered chords
E9, Am9, Cmaj9, A11, G13, C6/9, and E7b9, E7#9, C7#5, C7b5.
Dominant chords
Write a dominant chord with or without dom: Gdom7 is the same as G7, and Gdom9, Gdom11 and Gdom13 are the same as G9, G11 and G13.
Suspended and added notes
Dsus2, Asus4, A7sus4, Cadd9.
Slash chords
D/F#, C/G and G/B. The bass note goes on the lowest sounding string.
Modes
A mode name gives that mode's chord: Gdor (dorian), Amix (mixolydian), Cphr (phrygian), Flyd (lydian), Bloc (locrian). The Reference page lists each mode's notes.
Chord library

Chord charts by instrument

Every common chord, with its easiest shapes and fingering.

Guitar chords
Standard tuning (EADGBE): major, minor, seventh, sus, diminished and augmented chords in every key.
Ukulele chords
Standard tuning (GCEA): major, minor, seventh, sus, diminished and augmented chords in every key.
Mandolin chords
Standard tuning (GDAE): major, minor, seventh, sus, diminished and augmented chords in every key.
5-String Banjo chords
Open G (Bluegrass) tuning (G5DGBD): major, minor, seventh, sus, diminished and augmented chords in every key.
Tenor Banjo chords
Standard tuning (CGDA): major, minor, seventh, sus, diminished and augmented chords in every key.
Reference

Instruments and tunings

Strings are listed from lowest to highest. You can also type any tuning of your own.

Guitar
Standard EADGBE · Drop D DADGBE · Double Drop D DADGBD · DADGAD DADGAD · Open G DGDGBD · Open D DADF♯AD · Open E EBEG♯BE · Open A EAC♯EAE · Open C CGCGCE · Open D Minor DADFAD · Half Step Down E♭A♭D♭G♭B♭E♭ · Full Step Down DGCFAD · All Fourths EADGCF · New Standard CGDAEG · Baritone BEADF♯B
Mandolin
Standard GDAE · Sawmill (Modal) GDAD · Open G GDGB · Cross G GDGD · Cross A / Calico AEAE · Mandola CGDA
Banjo 5-String
Open G (Bluegrass) G5DGBD · Double C G5CGCD · Sawmill (Mountain Minor) G5DGCD · G Modal G5DGB♭D · C Tuning G5CGBD · Open D F♯5DF♯AD · Double D A5DF♯AD
Banjo Tenor
Standard CGDA · Irish GDAE · Plectrum CGBD
Ukulele
Standard GCEA · D Tuning ADF♯B · Bb Tuning FB♭DG · Slack Key (Open C) GCEG · Baritone DGBE
Questions

Common questions

How does it choose the most playable shape?

It tries every shape within a few frets, at every position up the neck, that sounds the chord. It drops shapes that need more than four fingers or leave out the notes that define the chord. The rest are ranked to favour the shapes found in standard chord books: few fingers, a comfortable stretch, the root in the bass and a full sound.

What do the numbers on a diagram mean?

The number inside each dot is its chord degree: 1 for the root, 3 for the third, 5 for the fifth, and so on. Diagram settings can mark the root with a star instead. A circled degree above a string is an open string, and × is a muted one. Optional fret numbers appear above the strings, and finger numbers below them: 1 for the index finger through 4 for the little finger, and T for the thumb.

How does the capo work?

Set any capo fret from 0 to 12. Diagrams are drawn relative to the capo, so a G shape with the capo on 2 is still drawn as a G shape and sounds as an A. The Nut field shows the pitch each open string sounds with the capo on. Suggest can also try capo positions 0 to 7 to find the easiest key to play in.

How do I transpose a chord progression?

Press the ♯ or ♭ button beside the Song chords field to move every chord up or down a semitone, slash chords included. To keep the same shapes but play in a higher key, set a capo instead.

Can I use an alternate or custom tuning?

Yes. Pick one of the presets above, such as Drop D, DADGAD or an open tuning, or type your own notes, lowest string first. For a string that starts above the nut, add its first fret after the note: G5DGBD is the open G Banjo tuning with its short fifth string.

How do I play slash chords like D/F#?

The note after the slash is played on the lowest sounding string, so D/F# gives a D chord with F# in the bass. On Ukulele and Banjo, the lowest-numbered string counts as the bass even when it is a high drone string.

Can I print or share a chart?

Copy or save the whole chart as a PNG, JPG or SVG image, with section labels and rows as you typed them, or as plain text that lists each chord's frets, such as Bm - X24432. The link button copies a Snapshot link, which reopens the page with your tuning, capo, chords, chosen shapes and settings. Signed in, with the song saved, it can copy the Song link instead: make the song public with the lock button and anyone with that link can view it, read only, as last saved.

Is it free?

Yes. Song Chart Maker and the chord pages are free to use and need no account or download. It runs in any modern browser on a computer, tablet or phone.

My songs

    String octaves

    Slide the tuner up or down to adjust the string octave.

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