Chord ai

Chord ai is an Android and iOS app that recognizes chords and beats in songs so listeners can follow along or learn to play. Songs can come from YouTube, SoundCloud, audio files, or the device microphone. The app detects chords, tracks beats and downbeats, displays tempo and song structure, and infers a song’s key. It also provides chord diagrams for guitar, piano, and ukulele. Microphone input can identify chords in real time from music played nearby. The maker describes its analysis as using on-device deep learning. Basic features are available with unlimited free use. Chord ai Pro adds recognition of more than 700 chords, voicing and position suggestions, unlimited saved songs, PDF transcription export, score editing, and WAV export of stems such as bass, drums, and vocals. Other Pro tools include pitch shifting, alternate tunings, smart capo suggestions, and processing audio or video up to one hour at once. Pro costs $9 a month or $69 a year; prices depend on App Store country. The maker says it does not provide API access to the technology.

Chord ai combines chord and beat recognition with diagrams for three instruments and a free-use option. Pro adds editing, export, and extended recognition tools for users who need them.

The maker describes the free features as suited to beginners and casual users, and says the app is intended to help amateur musicians improve their skills. Pro tools may suit players who want extra chord recognition, editing, and export options.

Overview

Chord ai is a mobile app for turning songs into chord and beat guides. It is best suited to amateur musicians who want help following or learning songs, rather than developers seeking chord recognition for their own products. Its strength is pairing chord detection with beat tracking and instrument diagrams; users who need to edit or export their work will find the fuller toolkit in Pro.

Key features

You can bring in songs from YouTube, SoundCloud, or audio files, or use the phone microphone for live recognition of played music or nearby audio. Chord ai identifies chords and tracks beats and downbeats to indicate tempo and song structure. It also infers the key and supplies guitar, piano, and ukulele diagrams, making the results more useful for practicing on those instruments than a chord sequence alone.

Pro recognizes more than 700 chords and suggests voicings or positions, a meaningful advantage when basic chord labels do not show how to play a passage. It also adds score editing, unlimited saved songs, PDF transcription export, and WAV export of bass, drums, vocals, and other stems. Pitch shifting, alternate tunings, smart capo suggestions, and audio or video processing up to one hour at a time round out the paid tools. Chord charts are supported; tablature output is not.

The maker says Chord ai uses on-device deep learning. Its iOS privacy policy says the app currently gathers no user information and Apple handles payment transactions. Android users can optionally back up and sync playlists and saved songs through Google Drive. The app can load from YouTube and SoundCloud, but it is not an embeddable recognition service: the maker provides no API.

Pricing

The Free plan costs nothing and provides basic features with unlimited free use stated. It is a sensible place for beginners and casual players to see whether chord and beat guides fit their practice, but it does not include Pro's advanced recognition, editing, and export tools.

Chord ai Pro costs $9 a month, billed monthly, or $69 a year, billed yearly. Both plans include advanced features, and the annual option costs less than paying the monthly rate for a full year. The price depends on App Store country. Pro is the better fit for users who need the expanded chord vocabulary, editing, saved-song capacity, or audio exports; occasional players who only need basic recognition can stay with Free.

Platforms

Chord ai is available on iOS and Android. Audio and video processing supports files up to 60 minutes, and microphone recognition provides a way to work with nearby or played music. The maker describes on-device processing, which also supports use with audio files and microphone input on the phone.

Who it's for

Choose Chord ai if you are learning songs, want to follow their beats and structure, or need chord diagrams for guitar, piano, or ukulele. Its free-use option makes it accessible to beginners and casual users, while Pro is aimed at players who want to refine, edit, save, or export their results. It is a poor fit if you need tablature, a desktop or web version, or API access.

Pros and cons

• Pros: Multiple audio sources, including live microphone recognition, let players work with both imported songs and music around them.
• Pros: Beat tracking, inferred key, and diagrams for three instruments make the output useful for learning and following music.
• Pros: Pro combines editing and several export formats with extended chord recognition and practice tools.
• Cons: Score editing, PDF and stem exports, unlimited saved songs, and expanded recognition require Pro.
• Cons: There is no tablature output, so players who rely on tab need another tool.
• Cons: The app is limited to iOS and Android, and its recognition technology is not offered through an API.

Alternatives

For a different emphasis, consider Drum2Notes, which offers repeatable free demo transcriptions of the first 20 seconds and supports Android, iOS, and web. Ivory has a free 30-second Performance MIDI preview, quantized MIDI, MusicXML, and PDF outputs, and supports API, iOS, and web. Klangio Transcription Studio offers unlimited free demo transcriptions up to 20 seconds, PDF download, and Android, iOS, and web support.

Matra Studio has an invite-only early-access plan, while Melody Scanner offers YouTube import and a free recording limit of one minute. Piano2Notes provides unlimited demos limited to the first 20 seconds per transcription, and Violin2Notes offers unlimited demo transcriptions of the first 20 seconds. Wind2Notes provides repeatable free demos up to 20 seconds without signup. These are alternatives to compare if their transcription focus better matches your instrument or workflow.

For broader browsing, see AI Music Transcription Software, Chord Finder Software, and Music Transcription Software.

Verdict

Chord ai is a strong choice for mobile learners who want song chords, beat guidance, and diagrams in one practice aid, with useful basic features available free. Choose Pro if editing, expanded recognition, or exports are central to your work; look elsewhere if you need tablature, web access, or API integration.