Chord finder apps?

ShiroKuro · 2025-10-23T21:49:22+00:00

Does anyone use a chord finder app that they recommend? Preferably one that handles jazz chords well? I would be happy paying, it doesn't have to be a free a...

Simonb

iternabe BTW I am amazed how my teacher can see complex chords and harmony at a glance. He has convinced me working on such ability will pay huge dividends in the long run.

This is what I taught myself to do when I was about 19/20 (so about 45 years ago!). It was not a quick process, and took me years of work, but now unless the music is in a difficult key or very atonal I see chords instantly. In fact I was saying on a PW thread only a few weeks ago that my reading of music and my analysis of chords are forever linked. I have to make a conscious effort to only read the notes on the page rather than analyse the harmony as I read. This has improved my classical reading, as I no longer read the individual notes in 'vertical' music. I just see a C9 chord (or whatever) and my fingers play it. I equate this to reading words rather than reading individual letters.

And in non-classical playing understanding chords was my way into improvising.

Cheers

ShiroKuro

@Simonb re "knowing how the chord names are arrived at" .... I think I have enough (rudimentary) know to understand how the chord names are arrived at. I've studied chord theory a bit, here and there at different times in the past. But I pretty much always play from a written score, and btw to answer some of @rsl12 's questions... in this particular instance, I am not trying to play from a lead sheet, nor am I trying to learn a piece by ear or from listening to a recording.

I have a score that I'm learning that has a lots of jazz (or jazz-adjacent) style chords, and I'm kind of stuck in my progress, where every chord, I'm sort of reading all the individual notes every time I try to play it. (That's an exaggeration, I'm a more proficient reader than that, but this piece is challenging for me in a way that other pieces are not).

I was thinking that if I had chord names and could write them in, I could start putting a name to each chord that I see, and stop needing to look at each individual note in each chord.

Maybe I can share part of the score, so you can see what I'm looking at....

ShiroKuro

Simonb

Hi ShiroKuro

Sadly I can't see the image you posted as it's another case of "Content not viewable in your region".
Looking at rsl12's lead sheet and knowing that tune pretty well there aren't really any difficult chords in it.

This score is probably similar to what you're looking at and may assist:
https://sheetsfree.com/sheets/S/Sade%20-%20Smooth%20Operator.pdf

If you're struggling to work out what the chords are to this song from a full score, then you should really spend some more time on understanding how they are constructed, rather than getting an app and working backwards. That's my honest opinion, as in my view this is a straightforward song.

But I haven't seen your score and maybe you're looking at a very complicated Jazz arrangement of the song?

Cheers

rsl12

Since it's a popular song, it's easy to find a lead sheet to it, which has the chords listed. "D-7" = D Minor 7th

ShiroKuro

Hmmm, is that in the same key, I guess it looks like it is, but it just doesn't have the key signature written in?

Anyway, I am learning it from the score I posted above, so I'd like to be able to write the chord names in for this specific arrangement as written in the score I'm using, for each chord (not just for each chord change, which is what that lead sheet looks like to me).

rsl12

Feel free to use it as you like! Personally I would opt to write D-7, A-7, and G-7, except where the extensions (like "DMin7Add9" on the first chord) are important and I might forget. (Do you know extensions? Basically it's whatever you write after writing "DMaj7", "DMin7", "D7". The chord tones that aren't the most important, but add color.)

As for key signatures, one could make the case that this is in D Dorian (equivalent to C Major) and not D Minor. Also, in this case, there are no Bbs in the melody. So the reader doesn't really need to think of a key signature other than in terms of what scales are associated with A-7, D-7, and G-7.

ShiroKuro

rsl12 Feel free to use it as you like!

That's just it, I don't want to use it at all. 😃

Simonb If you're struggling to work out what the chords are to this song from a full score, then you should really spend some more time on understanding how they are constructed, rather than getting an app and working backwards. That's my honest opinion, as in my view this is a straightforward song.

I have a score for an arrangement (that is exactly what's in the YT video I linked above). I can learn it from the score, and that's what I'm doing, but some parts ares taking me longer than I would like, and I would like to be able to write the chord names in on the score so I can use the chord names as an additional learning tool. I'm not going to be improvising or playing from a lead sheet or doing anything other than playing this score, as written.

@Simonb re images, is it only imgur that is the problem? I'll post these to post image dot org, and hopefully you can see them.

So for reference, here's the first part of the score and these first four measures are where I want to write the chord names in.

On the other hand, the part where the first verse starts (measure five) is easy for me, so I don't need to (or want to) write in the chord names.

rsl12

Simonb The youtube video @ShiroKuro linked is of the same score. I hear nothing beyond D-7, A-7, G-7. (Oh, is the youtube video also geoblocked?? I'm so sorry for all the UK people!)

ShiroKuro

@Simonb I forgot about the image problem!

I will come back and write more later, but you should be able to see page one here:

https://www.musicnotes.com/sheetmusic/neil-archer/smooth-operator/MN0218465

rsl12

The chords for the first four measures is below, which I've covered up in case you want to work it out on your own.

Hint 1: Most of the song really is just D-7 A-7 G-7 A-7, repeated over and over. But there are extensions added sometimes.

Answer: D-7Add9 A-7Add9 G-7Add9 A-7 / D-7Add9 A7sus4 (briefly, resolving to A-7) G-7 A-7Add11 / D7sus4 (briefly, resolving to D-7Add9) A-7Add9 G-7Add9 A-7 / D-7 A-7Add9 A-7Add9 G-7 A-7

ShiroKuro

rsl12 this awesome, thank you!!

So I think maybe those “add 9”s there (e.g., the E in the middle of the very first chord, or B natural in the second chord) are part of what’s throwing me off.

It’s really helpful to see those names written out like that, thank you so much!!!

I am going to write them in and try to identify the “extra” notes in each chord. And then hopefully move away from “reading the notes” to “reading the chords” or chunks…

rsl12

When the chord changes are that fast, I find the detailed names too cumbersome to use as a reading crutch. I'll be curious to hear if writing out that level of detail is helpful to you.

PS. I had a brain fart. "D-7Add9" can just be written as "D-9"!

ShiroKuro

rsl12 I'll be curious to hear if writing out that level of detail is helpful to you

Hmm good point. I think I’m going to print out just that section, larger, and write it in by hand (rather than on my iPad).

I have a feeling just looking at the chord and being able to label all the parts (e.g., “that note is the 9th” etc) will help.

Simonb

Hi @ShiroKuro

I think @rsl12 has answered everything. The arrangement is a little more complicated.

I'm going to be pedantic now - sorry. Just taking the first chord as an example. This isn't Dm7add9, as there isn't a 7th (the note C) in the chord, and as the note E is adjacent to the D in the chord it's a 2nd not a 9th. So that first chord is Dmadd2. If the D (above middle C) wasn't there and you only had the bass D note then it would be a 9th.

That's the joy of music!

Cheers

rsl12

Simonb thanks. I knew I would mess up a few times!

ShiroKuro

Simonb The arrangement is a little more complicated.

So you mean, it’s not just me?😅

Anyway, I haven’t written in the chord names yet (it’s 7am where I am right now 😃 ) but later I will and my goal will be to write the names in in a way that helps me internalize the chords. So whether is a 2nd or a 9th is less important to me than remembering to get my finger on that note.

Yesterday while practicing, I played HS (RH) and noticed that I can play through that passage (and through to about page 3 actually) at very close to the ultimate tempo I want to play it at. (With the correct rhythm and notes etc.)

So I’m not sure why I get so totally slowed down when adding in the LH, but I think it’s because I’m really reading each note, and HS, I can do that (obviously), but when I play HT, it’s just a little too much and I have to slow waaaaay down.

I think that also means I don’t have the LH part in my fingers and that I’m actively reading that part as well.

Hmm, I probably need to think a little bit more about my practice strategy for this piece….

Simonb

Hi rsl12

Easy to assume that it would be a 7th chord as it's got that smooth Jazz feel.
And sometimes you'll see a 7th even when it's not there!

Cheers

Simonb

Hi @ShiroKuro

ShiroKuro So whether is a 2nd or a 9th is less important to me than remembering to get my finger on that note.

My thinking would be the same. I think (it's always difficult once you've already seen the music) that I'd just see that as a Dm chord with an added E and I wouldn't think about it being a 2nd or 9th.

Cheers

ShiroKuro

Simonb I'd just see that as a Dm chord with an added E

This comment reminded me....

I have very little problem -- wait, ok, let's not say "very little," let's call it "less.... Anyway, I have less problems with chords in the LH, and it's easier for me to recognize chord inversions, like when the root is not the lowest note.

But for whatever reason, these four measures are tripping me up and the chords felt unrecognizable to me.

But I think it's going to be easier, having @rsl12 's chord names...

BTW that's why I started this thread to ask about a reverse chord look-up app... I still think it would be beneficial for me/for my purposes.

Anyway, I'm at my office now ~~because I have no work/life balance~~ so I will have to wait until this evening to see how it goes...