Chord Spelling Calculator

Pick any root note and chord type to see exactly which notes are in the chord, how it’s built, and how to play it on piano, guitar or ukulele. Tap play to hear it.

How to Use the Chord Spelling Calculator

Start by choosing a root note. All 17 note names are here, including sharps and flats like C♯ and D♭, so your chord is always spelled the way you’d see it written in music. Then choose a chord type: triads, 6th and 7th chords, or extended chords like 9ths, 11ths and 13ths.

The calculator instantly shows the notes in the chord, each note’s role (root, 3rd, 5th, 7th and so on), the chord formula, and the chord on a piano keyboard and a guitar or ukulele diagram. You can also flip through the inversions to see which note ends up in the bass.

For example, choose A and m7 to see that A minor 7th is spelled A – C – E – G, with the formula 1 – ♭3 – 5 – ♭7.

Why Chord Spelling Matters

Every chord is built by stacking notes in a pattern above its root. Knowing a chord’s spelling helps you:

• Read and write chords correctly in sheet music
• Find new voicings and inversions on your instrument
• Understand why progressions sound the way they do
• Communicate clearly with bandmates and teachers

Spelling also follows letter names. A C major chord in the key of D♭ isn’t spelled with an E♯; a D♭ major chord is D♭ – F – A♭, not C♯ – F – G♯. The calculator always uses the correct letters, which is exactly what music theory exams and lead sheets expect.

Chord Spelling FAQ

What’s the difference between a chord’s formula and its spelling?

The formula is the pattern (like 1 – 3 – 5 for a major chord) and works in every key. The spelling is the actual notes you get when you apply that formula to a specific root, like C – E – G.

What is a chord inversion?

An inversion is the same chord with a different note in the bass. C major in root position is C – E – G; first inversion puts E on the bottom (C/E), and second inversion puts G on the bottom (C/G).

Why does the guitar shape leave out a note on big chords?

Chords like 11ths and 13ths have more notes than you can comfortably play, so guitarists usually leave out the 5th (and sometimes other notes). The calculator does the same to give you a playable shape.

What does ♭ or ♯ in the formula mean?

It compares each note to the major scale. ♭3 means the 3rd is a half step lower than in the major scale, which is what makes a chord minor.

Want to put chords together? Try our free Chord Progression Builder to create, hear and print your own progressions. For a full breakdown of scales and chords, see the Music Theory Guide for Guitar, or learn with a teacher in our music lessons in Canton.