This tool will help you calculate the length of a chord in a circle based on its radius and the central angle.
How to use the chord calculator
Select the root note of the chord from the “Select Root Note” dropdown menu. Then, select the type of chord you want to calculate from the “Select Chord Type” dropdown menu. After making your selections, click the “Calculate” button. The resulting chord notes will be displayed in the “Result” field.
How it calculates the results
The calculator uses predefined intervals for different types of chords. For example, a major chord consists of the root note, a major third, and a perfect fifth. By adding these intervals to the root note’s index in the chromatic scale, the other notes in the chord can be derived. This approach is extended to support various chord types like minor, diminished, augmented, and seventh chords.
Limitations
This chord calculator operates within the 12-tone equal temperament tuning, which is standard in Western music. It does not account for microtonal variations or alternative tunings. Additionally, the output is theoretical and may not always correspond perfectly to practical fingerings on instruments like guitar or piano.
Use Cases for This Calculator
Calculate Major Chord
To find the major chord of a root note, input the root note into the calculator. The major chord consists of the root note, the note 4 half steps above, and the note 7 half steps above the root note.
Calculate Minor Chord
If you want to determine the minor chord for a specific root note, simply enter the root note into the calculator. The minor chord includes the root note, the note 3 half steps above, and the note 7 half steps above the root note.
Calculate Diminished Chord
To calculate the diminished chord based on a chosen root note, enter the root note into the calculator. The diminished chord consists of the root note, the note 3 half steps above, and the note 6 half steps above the root note.
Calculate Augmented Chord
If an augmented chord is what you seek, input the root note into the calculator. The augmented chord consists of the root note, the note 4 half steps above, and the note 8 half steps above the root note.
Find Seventh Chord
To find the seventh chord for a specific root note, input the root note into the calculator. The seventh chord includes the root note, the note 4 half steps above, the note 7 half steps above, and the note 10 half steps above the root note.
Find Suspended Second Chord
If you wish to determine the suspended second chord based on a chosen root note, enter the root note into the calculator. The suspended second chord consists of the root note, the note 2 half steps above, and the note 7 half steps above the root note.
Find Suspended Fourth Chord
To calculate the suspended fourth chord for a specific root note, input the root note into the calculator. The suspended fourth chord includes the root note, the note 5 half steps above, and the note 7 half steps above the root note.
Find Major Seventh Chord
If you want to find the major seventh chord based on a chosen root note, simply enter the root note into the calculator. The major seventh chord consists of the root note, the note 4 half steps above, the note 7 half steps above, and the note 11 half steps above the root note.
Find Dominant Seventh Chord
To calculate the dominant seventh chord for a specific root note, input the root note into the calculator. The dominant seventh chord includes the root note, the note 4 half steps above, the note 7 half steps above, and the note 10 half steps above the root note.
Find Half-Diminished Seventh Chord
If you are looking to find the half-diminished seventh chord based on a chosen root note, input the root note into the calculator. The half-diminished seventh chord consists of the root note, the note 3 half steps above, the note 6 half steps above, and the note 10 half steps above the root note.