What the chord finder shows
| Result | How to read it |
|---|---|
| Chord timeline | Each box is one chord with the time it starts; the one playing is highlighted |
| Now / Next | The current chord large, and the next chord with its start time |
| Key and tempo | Estimated key (such as C major) and about how many beats per minute |
| Transpose ± semitones | Shifts every chord up or down, up to six semitones |
| Capo and easiest shapes | The shapes to play with a capo, and the capo fret with the most open chords |
| Chords as .txt | A plain chart with timestamps to print or paste into notes |
Which chords it can name
It matches each moment of the song against seven chord types: major, minor, dominant 7th (G7), minor 7th (Dm7), suspended 2nd and 4th (Csus2, Csus4) and diminished (Bdim). That covers most pop, rock, folk and worship songs.
It does not name 9th, 11th, 13th, added-note or slash chords (C/E). A Cadd9 will usually come out as C, and a jazz voicing as its nearest simpler chord. Treat the output as a lead-sheet starting point, not a transcription of the exact voicings.
How accurate is automatic chord detection?
Approximate. Chord detection from audio is a hard problem, and no tool gets every chord right on every song. Steady, harmonic music (acoustic guitar, piano, pads) works well; busy mixes, heavy distortion, drums-forward tracks and songs that change chords mid-bar are weaker. Expect to fix a few chords by ear.
| Song type | Typical result |
|---|---|
| Acoustic guitar or piano, slow to mid tempo | Good: most chords right, changes close to the beat |
| Pop or rock full mix | Fair: right key and main chords, some wrong 7ths and sus chords |
| Heavy distortion, power chords | Fair: root notes right, major/minor often a guess |
| Fast jazz with rich voicings | Poor: simplified to nearest triads and 7ths |
| Rap or spoken word with sparse harmony | Not suitable |
Tuning matters too: a song recorded a quarter-tone off standard pitch may be read as the wrong neighbour. If the chords look one semitone off, use Transpose by one.
Get cleaner chords by splitting first
Drums and vocals add noise to chord detection. Splitting the song and analysing the guitar or piano stem on its own usually gives steadier chords than the full mix.
| If the chords are played by | Split with | Then |
|---|---|---|
| Guitar | Guitar extractor | Drop the guitar stem here |
| Piano or keys | Piano extractor | Drop the piano stem here |
| Anything, or you are unsure | Stem splitter | Try the "other" or instrumental stem |
Private, free and fast
Chord detection is plain signal processing, so it runs on your device in seconds for a normal song and the file never leaves your computer or phone. There is no free-minute limit like the one on some AI pages: the limit is 8 minutes per file for browser memory.
Frequently asked questions
How do I find the chords of a song?
Drop the song file into the chord finder, press play and watch the highlighted timeline. You can also download the chords as a text file with timestamps.
Is the chord finder free?
Yes. There is no sign-up, no card, and no free-minute cap. Files can be up to 8 minutes.
Is my song uploaded?
No. The analysis runs in your browser on your device. You can check the Network tab in developer tools: no request carries your audio.
How accurate is it?
It is approximate. It is usually right about the key and the main chords on guitar or piano music, and less reliable on busy mixes and rich voicings. Check by ear and use a stem for better results.
Does it detect 7th, sus and diminished chords?
Yes: major, minor, 7, m7, sus2, sus4 and diminished. It does not name 9ths, 11ths, 13ths or slash chords, and it prefers a plain triad when unsure.
Can I use a YouTube link?
No. You need a file on your device, such as an MP3 or WAV. Nothing is fetched from other sites.
Does it show chord diagrams or lyrics?
No. It shows chord names and times only, without finger diagrams or lyrics.
Why are the chords one semitone off?
The recording may be tuned slightly away from standard pitch, or the key is a close neighbour. Use Transpose to shift every chord by one semitone and listen.