Tools
Chord Identifier
Found a shape you like but don't know what it is called? Pick the notes on the piano, on a guitar fretboard or by name, and the chord identifier lists the possible chord names, including inversions and slash chords. It also shows the intervals from the root so you understand why the chord has that name. Free, in your browser.
How to use it
- Choose an input: piano keys, guitar fretboard or note names.
- Select the notes of your chord.
- Read the best match and the alternative names.
- Mark the bass note to see slash-chord names like C/E.
- Click a result to open the chord page with diagrams.
How chord naming works
A chord is named by its root and by the intervals of the other notes above that root. C–E–G is a C major triad because E is a major third and G a perfect fifth above C. When the lowest note is not the root, the chord is an inversion and is often written as a slash chord: C/E means a C chord with E in the bass.
The same set of notes can have more than one valid name. A–C–E–G is an A minor seventh, but with C in the bass it can also be heard as C6. Which name is right depends on the bass note and the musical context. That is why the identifier shows alternatives instead of a single answer.
Tips
- Enter the bass note correctly. The lowest note matters for naming inversions and for choosing between alternatives.
- Duplicates don't matter. Doubled notes (for example the root played twice on guitar) don't change the chord name.
- Missing fifth is fine. Many voicings omit the fifth; the identifier still recognises the chord.
- Look at the intervals. If you see a b3 the chord is minor; a b7 means a dominant or minor seventh; a b5 means diminished or half-diminished.
Related
The lessons on triads, seventh chords and chord inversions explain the naming rules. Practise spelling and naming chords with triads worksheet 2 and the seventh chords worksheet. The chord formulas chart is a handy reference, and you can browse all chords.