Get chords from any audio — or your own playing
Import a song or record your guitar or piano, and OtoTheory detects the chord progression, key, and sections — entirely on your iPhone, with no upload and no account.
Then analyze, edit, and hear it play with the groove you choose.
Download on the App Store — FreeiOS only (iPhone / iPad) · Fully on-device
OtoTheory detects chord progressions, key, and song sections from your own audio files or a live recording of your playing — entirely on-device on iPhone with no upload. DRM-protected streaming tracks from Apple Music or Spotify cannot be analyzed.
- Detects: chord progression, key, and sections
- Inputs: your music library, audio files, or a live recording (guitar / piano)
- On-device: runs on iPhone, no upload, no account
- Not supported: DRM streaming (Apple Music / Spotify)
- Export: recordings only — Audio (free), MIDI / PDF (Pro); imported songs can't be exported
- Platform: iOS (iPhone / iPad), available in OtoTheory v3.6.0+ · as of 2026-07
Two ways to get chords
1 · From an audio file
- In Get Chords, pick a song from your music library or files
- Chord progression, key & sections are detected automatically
- Edit any chord freely and analyze it by theory (degrees / function)
- Hear it play with the groove you choose
For your own audio, purchased songs, or CD rips. Streaming tracks (Apple Music / Spotify, DRM) can't be analyzed, and imported songs can't be exported.
2 · From your playing (recording)
- In Get Chords, choose Record
- Play solo along with the count-in for higher accuracy (optional)
- Chord progression, key & sections appear automatically
- If the highlight drifts, just tap along with the beat to fix it
- Export your recording as Audio, MIDI, or PDF (MIDI / PDF are Pro)
No audio file needed — capture an idea and analyze it on the spot.
It doesn't stop at detection
Analyze by theory
See degrees, function, and key for the detected chords — understand why they work.
Edit freely
Re-enter any chord and fine-tune the beat and tempo by hand.
Play with grooves
Pick from a range of grooves (backing styles) and hear your progression come alive.
Export MIDI → your DAW
For your recordings, export MIDI and finish the idea in your DAW (Pro). Imported songs aren't exportable.
At a glance
| Input | Music library / audio files / live recording (guitar, piano, etc.) |
| Detects | Chord progression · key · sections |
| Processing | Fully on-device (no upload) |
| After detection | Theory analysis (degrees / function / key), chord editing, beat tap-fix, tempo ×2/÷2, time signature |
| Playback | Play with the groove you choose |
| Export | Recordings only: Audio (Free) / MIDI · PDF (Pro) → DAW. Imported songs can't be exported (copyright). |
| Not supported | DRM streaming tracks (Apple Music / Spotify) |
| Platform | iOS (iPhone / iPad) |
| Price | Free · Pro (¥500/mo, ¥5,000/yr) unlocks unlimited detection & recording, unlimited saves, and MIDI/PDF export |
Accuracy & limitations
Apple Music / Spotify tracks can't be detected. DRM-protected streaming songs are out of scope. Use your own audio files, purchased songs, CD rips, or a live recording.
Imported songs can't be exported. For copyright reasons, songs imported from a file can't be exported as Audio/MIDI/PDF. Export is available for your own recordings.
Recording accuracy depends on how you use it. Solo playing with the count-in is accurate; recording an existing song through the mic is a draft you fine-tune with tap-to-fix and chord editing. Basic chords are reliable; dense tensions may be missed.
FAQ
Can OtoTheory detect chords from Apple Music or Spotify?
No. DRM-protected streaming tracks from Apple Music or Spotify cannot be analyzed. OtoTheory works with your own audio files, songs you've purchased, CD rips, and live recordings of your own playing.
How accurate is chord detection when recording?
Playing your own instrument solo with the count-in is highly accurate. Recording an existing song through the microphone from a speaker is better treated as a draft you then fine-tune — you can fix the beat by tapping and edit any chord by hand. Basic chords are detected reliably; dense tensions like add9 may be missed.
Is my audio uploaded anywhere?
No. All analysis runs entirely on your iPhone (fully on-device). Your audio is never uploaded and no account is required.
What's the difference between Find Chords and Get Chords?
Find Chords is a free web tool that shows the diatonic chords for a key and scale. Get Chords is the iOS feature that detects the actual chords from audio — either an imported song or a live recording of your playing.
Can I edit the detected chords?
Yes. You can re-enter chords, fix the beat by tapping, and adjust tempo (×2 / ÷2) and time signature by hand. Detected chords are also analyzed by theory — degrees, function, and key.
What can I export?
Exports (Audio for free; MIDI and PDF with Pro) are available for your own recordings. Songs you import from a file cannot be exported, for copyright reasons — importing is for analyzing, practicing, and editing.
Is there an Android or web version?
Chord detection is an iOS feature (iPhone and iPad). OtoTheory also offers free web tools for building progressions and finding chords by key.
Looking for chords by key instead? Try Find Chords — a free web tool for diatonic chords. Want to write your own progression? Use the Chord Progression Builder.
Get the chords of any song you can play or own
Free to try · no account · fully on-device.
Download on the App StoreWhat is Get Chords?
Get Chords is OtoTheory's chord detection feature for iPhone. It figures out the chord progression, key, and sections of a song from your own audio file or a live recording of your playing — all on-device, with no upload and no account. Chord detection helps you learn or cover a song, while OtoTheory's composing tools let you write your own progressions.
How it works
Pick a song from your music library or files, or record your guitar or piano on the spot. OtoTheory detects the chords and key, analyzes them by music theory (Roman numeral degrees, function, and key), and lets you edit anything by hand. Play the result back with the groove you choose. For your own recordings you can export Audio, MIDI, and PDF (MIDI and PDF are Pro); imported songs can't be exported for copyright reasons.
What it can't do
DRM-protected streaming tracks from Apple Music or Spotify can't be analyzed — Get Chords works with your own audio files, purchased songs, CD rips, and your own recordings. Recording an existing song through the microphone is best treated as a draft you refine by tapping the beat and editing chords.