Guitar Chord Trainer
Stop memorising shapes. Start understanding chords.
Start PlayingHow This Chord Trainer Works
This trainer takes you from "I memorise shapes from the outside" to "I understand shapes from the inside." Starting with open chords you already know, it uncovers the recipe behind every chord, so you can recognise, build, and modify any shape on the fretboard.
There are five exercise types inside this trainer:
- Chord ID: you're shown a chord shape on the fretboard and you name it: works for both open shapes and moveable barre chord shapes.
- Chord Builder: you're given a chord name and you tap the notes to build the shape. Sometimes you fill in a few missing notes, sometimes you build the whole thing from scratch.
- Chord Modifier: you're shown a shape and asked to change it into something else: turn C major into C minor, or A major into A7, by moving or adding notes.
- Chord Tone Quiz: identify the root, third, fifth or seventh inside a shape, or tap the note that plays a specific role. This is how you learn to see chords in terms of their ingredients.
- Chord Ingredient: the most analytical exercise: break down a full chord shape into its intervals and chord tones. Builds deep understanding of why a shape looks the way it does.
The learning path combines all five as you progress through open chords to shapes that you can move all over the fretboard. You'll start with major and minor chords, but progress to seventh chords and beyond. You can complete every level by tapping on screen: no guitar required.
Why This Chord Trainer Is Different
Most chord tools are reference tools. They show you a shape, maybe play it back, and leave the learning to you. This learning path makes it so you don't need reference tools anymore. But it won't throw a pile of shapes at you and ask you to memorise them. Instead, it teaches chords from the inside out. Starting with open chords you already know, it explains how chords are constructed using a 'chord recipe' with fixed ingredients. Everything is applied to the fretboard immediately, so you'll see how different shapes connect and make sense together.
Why I built this guitar chord trainer
Most guitarists learn chord shapes the way you'd learn phone numbers: by rote. That's a good approach for your first bunch of chords, but to get to the next level you want to understand how chords work on the fretboard. It's actually pretty simple once it clicks!
Frequently Asked Questions
Is this free?
You can start playing right away for free, no account needed. The first levels of the learning path are completely free. A Game Pass unlocks all levels and features.
Do I need my guitar?
No, not for this one! The entire trainer is tap-based, so you can complete every level on a phone, tablet, or computer without ever picking up a guitar.
Do I need to know music theory already?
There are a few entry requirements. You need to know the note names on the low E and A strings, and be familiar with the most important intervals: thirds, fifths, sevenths and the octave. You can learn all of that in our note name and interval games!
Is this the same as learning to play chords on guitar?
No, this trainer focuses on understanding chords: what's in them, how they're built, and how to modify or move them. If you want to practice playing chords cleanly and switching between them, that's a different skill. Check out Guitar Chord Bootcamp: Open Chords.
Does this work on my phone?
Yes. The trainer is designed to work on phones, tablets, and computers. The fretboard fits on a phone in landscape mode.