Quick Explanation

Begin with a blank guitar fretboard (you can blank the board by clicking the CLEAR button). Choose notes in the checkboxes and they pop up instantly, allowing you to see over 12 frets of that configuration. You can use this for any chord or scale as long as you know which notes make up that chord or scale formula. If you don't know the formula, you can call it up with the pull down lists. Select which key you want, then which chord or scale and click the SUBMIT button for your formula.

For example, if you want a G Major chord, you select the key of G and then select maj in the MAJOR CHORDS section of the Chords and Scales pull-down box. Then click the SUBMIT button and you'll see your formula. Now you know the notes G, B and D make up a G Major chord. Now if you click on G, B and D in the checkboxes, you will see every option for playing a G Major chord. As long as you use at least one of each note in the formula (it's ok to double-up on notes as much as you like), you have a G Major chord.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Do you have a chord and scale finder that works by intervals instead of note names?
• What if I don't know the note names on my guitar?
• What are the "Formulas"?
• How do I use the "Formulas"?

Do you have a chord and scale finder that works by intervals instead of note names?

Yes! Just click over to the Interval Finder. The appearance and operation is very similar. All the diagrams there are moveable. For instance, if you call up a Major scale, that diagram would represent any Major scale.

What if I don't know the note names on my guitar?

Go to the top of this page and click on all the natural notes plus all of the sharps (or flats), and you'll have a chart of all the note names on the guitar. Be aware that each of the sharps has a flat name, and vice versa (that is, C# is the same note as Db, F# is the same note as Gb, etc.).

You can get the same effect from the Chart Maker by clicking on all the frets. Alternately, you can go to the Charts page and simply copy the ready-made chart.

What are the "Formulas"?

Formulas are the configurations for each chord or scale. For instance, if you want a C Major scale you check intervals C, D, E, F, G, A, B, and you'll see more than twelve frets of that Scale. With that, you can see every possibility or option for playing the C Major Scale over the entire guitar! (because the fretboard repeats every 12 frets).

How do I use the "Formulas"?

1. Click on the key you want from the Key pull-down list.
2. Go to the Chord or Scale pull-down list and choose which chord or scale you want to see.
3. Click the SUBMIT button to see the formula you chose.
4. Click on those notes in the checkboxes to see your chord or scale.
5. Choose a configuration which fulfills the formula. You will have several options available to you. Remember: you must have at least one of each note in the formula, but you can double-up and triple-up on notes if you want to.