# ChordLab

> Advanced tool for modern four-part voice leading and chord exploration. (iPhone/iPad app by RoGame Software.)

- Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chordlab/id315157583 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`)
- Developer: [RoGame Software](https://appshunter.io/developer/285831223)
- Category: Music, Education
- Price: $3.99 with in-app purchases
- Rating: 5.00/5 from 1 App Store ratings · 23 written reviews indexed
- Age rating: 4+
- Requires: iOS 12.1 · 40 MB
- Languages: American English, Danish, Dutch, French (France), German (Germany), Italian, Japanese, Korean, Norwegian Bokmål, European Portuguese and 4 more
- Released: 2009-05-08
- Data updated: 2026-08-01
- Monetization: paid
- User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chordlab/id315157583/reviews.md

## What is ChordLab?

ChordLab is a specialist tool and calculator of sorts for modern four-part voice leading. Everyone has heard these colors in the arrangements of Big Bands - the horn riffs in the Jetsons carton song for example. With ChordLab we can in a way flip through all possible permutations of these chords. More theoretical background is available in the documentation. This is not a general chord app for beginning instrumentalists. To the intermediate player, however, ChordLab can be a source of great inspiration and introduction to many new color choices.

Four-part harmony may feel restrictive on instruments capable of more than 4 voices, but for a small choir for example it is a basic fact of life. It has become a staple in modern music as well as it allows the accompanist to declutter the spectrum in a sense by playing fewer notes. Root and fifth substitutions are applied automatically when dialing up a chord in ChordLab. Simply like that. Once the quality of a chord has been set it can then be viewed and listened to in all standard and not so standard drop voicings and moved through its inversions. This is of particular importance to guitar players as quite a few voicings are impossible to play and one may be left with rather few options. Chord spelling is also the main feature of ChordLab's Apple Watch app.

ChordLab has an interactive Circle of Fifths. With it we can look up key signatures for major and minor scales as well as all other modes derived of the major scale. So it is possible for example to display key signatures for all mixolydian scales  and simultaneously highlight the other degrees for that mode. Additionally ChordLab displays degree structures for a key in standard Roman numerals. This is extremely useful when putting together chord progressions. Roots of the current harmonic domain are highlighted in white and can be tapped to audit the associated chords.

The chord finder feature in ChordLab allows you to search its database for 3 or 4 note structures to determine their harmonic quality. To find a chord in its database ChordLab uses the enharmonically simplest solution and does not require you do know whether a note is called G# or an Ab. This is especially useful for guitarists that seldomly encounter chords in root position due to the tuning of the instrument.

Features include:
• Chord spelling for all common chords
• Notation and textual representation of chord tones
• Chord finder for triads and seventh chords
• Alto, bass, tenor, treble clefs, TAB and grand staff
• All inversions and standard voicings
• Virtual piano and guitar instruments
• Chord tone labeling in instrument views
• All common open and alternate tunings presets (guitar)
• Automatic root and fifth substitution
• Apple Watch app

There is a lot of functionality built into ChordLab, but as with any tool it is what we make of it. If chord spelling is a term in your vocabulary ChordLab should be of interest. Or maybe you want to grow your chord reportoire. Putting music theory into words often makes it sound overly complex yet nobody would say that orange or purple are complicated. ChordLab lets you play and work with colors in a sense and shows you how to play them on your instrument. It is very a unique tool for musicians, song-writers, professionals and music students and one that you will find yourself coming back to again and again.

## Key features

- Four-part voice leading calculator
- Chord finder for triads and seventh chords
- Interactive Circle of Fifths
- Virtual piano and guitar instruments
- All inversions and standard voicings
- Apple Watch app for chord spelling

## Pricing and in-app purchases

Base price: $3.99.

**One-time purchases**

| Purchase | Price | Type |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 01 Keyboard Pack | $0.99 | one-time |
| 02 Guitar Pack | $0.99 | one-time |
| 03 Bass Pack | $0.99 | one-time |
| 04 Strings Pack | $0.99 | one-time |
| 05 Mallets Pack | $0.99 | one-time |
| 06 Winds Pack | $0.99 | one-time |
| 07 Synths Pack | $0.99 | one-time |
| 08 Folk Pack | $0.99 | one-time |
| 09 Winds Pack 2 | $0.99 | one-time |
| 10 Folk Strings Pack | $0.99 | one-time |


## Recent user reviews (10 of 23)

All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chordlab/id315157583/reviews.md

### 1/5 — Estafa

*2015-11-28, version 3.6.0*

No merece la pena. Errores en los acordes. Dinero tirado

### 1/5 — Pas terrible!

*2015-02-27, version 3.6.0*

Trés cher pour ce que c'est et en plus fais payer les mises à jour, il y en a qui n'ont peur de rien...

### 3/5 — ORA FUNZIONA!!!

*2013-02-26, version 3.0.2*

Dopo l'ultimo aggiornamento a ripreso a funzionare.IPhone 4S

### 1/5 — Actualizacion

*2013-01-28, version 3.0.0*

Acabo de actualizar la aplicacion y no me abre. Que puedo hacer antes funcionaba perfectamente, con iphone4 y ahora con el iphone5, despues de esta actualizacion no funciona, porque?  Espero vuestra respuesta gracias.

### 2/5 — Some missing things, overall a great idea

*2011-07-02*

This app has some issues. I spell out a c-7 using the dials and it insists that it's a eb6/c. Sure, I guess that technically correct but I am specifying c as the root! But when I punch in a c-7 explicitly the dials are set to the same notes. So how do get exactly what I want and how do I trust what the app is telling me? 

This app still needs to be able to display more than four notes.

It does have some nice thing about it - the ability to see drop voicings and all inversions is wonderful. 

Overall I feel like for the price this was a waste of money.

**Developer response:** Thank you so much for taking the time to review ChordLab. It has been many years of course, but we are only now allowed to respond. Returning more than one search result may be a way to alleviate your search concern. Other than that, however, this tool is all about 4-part voice leading - a technique in modern arrangement. So, there can't be more than 4 voices. We might do better, however, in emphasizing the truly specialist nature of this tool. ChordLab is not a beginner's chord app, but rather a specialized tool for modern arrangement.

### 1/5 — 音が酷くて買う価値なし

*2011-06-09, version 1.6.6*

ギターとピアノと音色を選択出来るのに違う楽器の音が出てくる、という脱力もののミスから始まり、コードを同時に鳴らしても音質が悪すぎて、全くコードの勉強にはなりません。
お金を返して欲しいです。

### 5/5 — Cool program

*2010-11-24*

The chord finder feature alone would be worth the price of admission. I can't count the number of times I have been wrecking my brain to figure out a chord I found on the guitar so I could write it down somewhere. The other thing is that I actually needed something for piano and guitar. Also the circle of fifths is very cool. You definitely want to get this if you're into anything like alternative or jazz or want to move past power chords.

### 1/5 — 音が違うのでは理論も何もありません

*2010-10-11, version 0*

鳴る音と五線に表示される音が違っています。これでは使い物になりません。
サポートへ報告してすでに何度もバージョンアップを重ねていますが、まったく直す気がないようです。

### 3/5 — 2x zahlen für dasselbe Programm???

*2010-05-31*

Ich will mich gar nicht über die Qualität des Programms beschweren, die finde ich durchaus in Ordnung.
Dass RoGame jedoch die Käufer der iPhone-Version noch einmal mit demselben Preis zur Kasse bittet, wenn diese sich auch für die iPad-Variante entscheiden, finde ich schon unverschämt. Warum gibt es keine Universal-App?
Bitte noch einmal darüber nachdenken ...

### 2/5 — chord lab

*2010-05-21*

A little sorry I paid $10. I have other chord programs and for some reason I thought it would show more than four notes per chord. (I should have read the fine print. Example...it would be nice to see all the notes in an 11th or 13th. Also, there seems to be no logic on the keyboard that let's you choose four notes for a chord. When you press a new key, it's hard to tell which note is going to go away. A least the circle of fifths part was okay.

## Frequently asked questions about ChordLab

### What is ChordLab primarily used for?

ChordLab is a specialist tool for modern four-part voice leading, helping users explore chord permutations and discover new voicings. It's designed for intermediate musicians to expand their harmonic understanding and repertoire.

### Does ChordLab have ads?

No, ChordLab does not contain advertisements. It is a paid application, offering an ad-free experience for its users.

### What devices does ChordLab support?

ChordLab is available on Apple Watch, iPhone, iPad, and iPod. This broad compatibility allows users to access its features across multiple Apple devices.

### How often is ChordLab updated?

ChordLab was last updated on October 16, 2021, with version 3.6.9. While the exact update frequency isn't specified, this indicates ongoing development and support for the application.

### What is the price of ChordLab?

ChordLab is available for a one-time purchase of $3.99. This price grants users full access to all its features without recurring subscription fees.

### Is ChordLab suitable for beginners?

ChordLab is not a general chord app for beginning instrumentalists. It is geared towards intermediate players and those interested in the theoretical background of modern four-part voice leading.

### What is the age rating for ChordLab?

ChordLab has an age rating of 4+. This indicates that the content is generally suitable for all ages, with no mature themes or potentially offensive material.

### Can ChordLab help with guitar playing?

Yes, ChordLab is particularly useful for guitarists. It offers presets for common open and alternate tunings, and its voicings are presented with guitar players in mind, addressing the instrument's limitations.

## Version history (last 5 releases)

### 3.6.9 — 2021-10-16

Version 3.6.9 includes some graphic updates and improves overall performance.

### 3.6.8 — 2020-06-28

This version updates appearance on iOS 13 and some view animations.

### 3.6.7 — 2019-07-30

This version includes bugfixes, ui updates and improved support for iOS 12.

### 3.6.6 — 2018-08-06

This version includes several general updates and improves support for iOS 11.

### 3.6.5 — 2016-11-08

This version improves support for iOS 10 and fixes a minor graphic issue.

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All apps by RoGame Software: https://appshunter.io/developer/285831223

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*Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-08-01.*