This guide will walk you through the basics of using the chord finder to explore and learn ukulele chords. To begin, click on the CHORDS link in the top navigation bar.

1. Choose Your Ukulele Tuning

Start by selecting the tuning that matches your instrument. Available options include:

• High G (standard tuning)
• Low G
• Baritone
• Canadian
• Hawaiian

If you’re unsure how your ukulele is tuned, High G is the most common choice for soprano, concert, and tenor ukuleles.

2. Select a Chord

To select a chord, choose a Root Note (e.g., C, D, E) and a Chord Quality.

By default, you’ll see common options under Triads & Power Chord. To access more types of chords, click on the headings:

• Basic 7th Chords
• 7th Variations & Add Chords
• 5+ Note Chords

Each section expands to reveal additional chord qualities.

3. Understand the Tuning & Chord Info Panel

After selecting the tuning and the chord, an information panel appears with:

• The specific notes of each (open) string in your chosen tuning
• The chord's name and symbol
• A list of chord notes, using correct enharmonic spelling
• The scale degrees that define the chord (e.g., 1–3–5 for a major triad)

4. View the Interactive Fretboard

Once you've selected a tuning, root, and chord quality, an interactive horizontal fretboard appears.

• Each horizontal line represents a string
• Circles show finger placement. Circles at the left edge indicate open strings.
• Inside each circle, you can display either:
• Note names
• Scale degrees
• Suggested fingers (1=index, 2=middle, 3=ring, 4=pinky)
Use the buttons to choose your display preference.

5. Explore Chord Diagrams and Voicings

Below the fretboard, you’ll see a set of chord diagrams, each showing a different voicing of the selected chord — including inversions and variations.

Diagrams are grouped by voicing type to separate full voicings and partial voicings.

Each diagram includes:

• The chord symbol (e.g., C, Dm, F7)
• Slash notation for inversions (e.g., C/G)
• Notes or scale degrees under each string
• Suggested fingerings

6. Interact with the Diagrams

Click any chord diagram to:

• Update the fretboard above with the selected voicing
• Hear an audio demo of the chord — either strummed or played as an arpeggio, depending on your selected playback mode

You may encounter these terms in the tool:

• Tuning - The pitch of each open string on your ukulele. Different tunings (like High G, Low G, etc.) change the layout of notes on the fretboard and affect how chords are played.
• Root Note - The note a chord is built on. It gives the chord its name and serves as the tonal center. For example, C is the root of a C major chord.
• Chord Quality - Describes the type or "flavor" of a chord, such as major, minor, diminished, or dominant 7th. It defines the emotional feel of the chord — bright, sad, tense, etc.
• Chord Symbol - The standard shorthand used to write chords, such as Cmaj7, Dm, or F♯dim. It combines the root note with the chord quality.
• Scale Degrees - Numbers that show each chord note's position relative to the root, based on the major scale. For example, a major triad uses scale degrees 1–3–5.
• Voicing - A specific way of arranging the notes in a chord. Different voicings of the same chord can sound fuller, brighter, softer, or more open.
• Full Voicing - A chord voicing that includes all the notes that define the chord, with each note played once.
• Partial Voicing - A voicing that omits one or more chord tones (often the fifth or root) but still implies the full chord. These voicings can sound lighter or more open.
• Doubled Voicing - A voicing where one or more chord notes are repeated on different strings, potentially in different octaves, creating a fuller or more resonant sound.
• Suggested Fingerings – Numbers that show which fingers to use when playing a chord (1 = index, 2 = middle, 3 = ring, 4 = pinky). These suggestions offer an efficient starting point for playing chords smoothly, but feel free to adjust them based on nearby chords or whatever feels most natural to you.
• Inversion - A chord voicing where a note other than the root is played as the lowest note. On the ukulele, inversions can make certain chords easier to play and allow for smoother transitions between shapes, especially in tight fretboard spaces.
• Slash Notation - A way of writing chord inversions using a slash. For example, G/B means a G major chord with B in the bass.
• Arpeggio - Playing the notes of a chord one at a time instead of all together. Arpeggios can be used for melodic playing or picking patterns.
• Enharmonic Spelling - The choice of note name based on context. For example, D♯ and E♭ sound identical but are spelled differently depending on the key and chord structure.