Chords, Chords, Chords

Release 2026.03.10

Chords Screen

The new Chords screen shows chords that are diatonic to your selected key. They include chords from multiple chord families: triads, suspended 4 chords and 7th chords. Just like all other StringTheoryPRO chord diagrams, the chords can be viewed in any of the 5 CAGED positions (CAGFD for Ukulele).

Use this screen to see different options of the chords you can play, while remaining in key with your current song.

Chord Book

The Chord Book is still used for looking up chords by their root note (A, B, C, etc). It shows chords of all chord families and chord types. Use the chord book when you want to lookup specific chords, not specific to any key.

Diatonic vs Non-Diatonic Chords

Diatonic chords are chords that consist only of notes shared by a musical key. For example, the key of G major consists of the notes C, D, E, F#, G, A, B. Therefore chords that are diatonic to the key of G major will only use those notes. This causes the chords in a key to have differing types (major, minor, diminished).

Non-diatonic chords (sometimes called spice chords, flavor chords or color chords) contain notes that are not shared by a songs musical key. This could be due to moving a single note (like playing a dominate 7 chord in a key that calls for a major 7 chord instead), or playing entire chord that is "out of key" (perhaps a chord borrowed from an adjacent mode to add color).

Chord Families and Chord Types

Support has been added for the suspended 4 chord family which includes chord types: sus4, sus♯4 and sus♭5.

Support has been added for the seventh chord family which includes chord types: major 7, minor 7, dominate 7 and half diminished (m7♭5).