Chord Alchemy 3.3

• License:

  Free to try; $9.95 to buy

• Editor's Rating:

  4.0 stars

• Average User Rating:

  3.0 stars (out of 2 votes) Rate it!

• Downloads:

  10,723

• Operating Systems:

  Windows 95, Windows Me, Windows XP, Windows 2000, Windows NT, Windows 98

• Additional Requirements:

  Windows 95/98/Me/NT/2000/XP, MIDI enabled soundcard

• Limitations:

  30-day trial

• Date Added:

  September 27, 2004

• Previous Versions:

  Select a version Chord Alchemy 3.0

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Publisher's description of Chord Alchemy

From Tonal Alchemy:

ChordAlchemy offers a rich, robust set of capabilities for looking up chords, determining what chords you are playing and hearing, and how they sound. Chord variations are easily handled by Chord Alchemy s powerful, Advanced Chord Theory and Chord Diagram Engines. Coupled with an easy-to-use interface, you can generate chord diagrams anywhere on the fret board, in any tuning, across any number of strings, spanning two to six frets. The application's abilities include superior chord lookup for any chord, an interactive instrument fingerboard, predefined or custom tunings, and a powerful and easy-to-use chord generation interface. It also has real-time, dynamic chord formula modification, outstanding chord diagram creation control, the ability to create chord collections on chord pages, advanced reverse chord lookup capabilities including no root and added bass. It also supports notes, intervals, and scales.

Version 3.3 features the ability to save chord diagrams as bit maps; instrument specific support for 14 instruments including guitar, mandolin, five-string banjo, ukelele, bass, tenor guitar, baritone ukelele, and four-string Banjo. A left-handed diagram is supported.

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Editor's review of Chord Alchemy

• 4.0 stars

• "Chord Alchemy"

• Reviewed by: CNET Staff
• Version reviewed: Chord Alchemy 3.3

This very handy program provides a comprehensive database of guitar chords and scales. Chord Alchemy's interface initially appears crowded and intimidating, but you can choose from two other display modes if the default Advanced look is over your head. The application gives you just about every piece of chord information you'd ever need to know. You can choose from many tunings beyond standard, including stalwarts such as Drop D and Open G. After you choose the chord root, you select different degrees and modes, including a wide variety of sevenths, ninths, elevenths, and thirteenths. Scale options include everything from the standard blues-based pentatonics to odder ones such as the flamenco scale. You can add bass notes, remove certain notes, and specify whether the app returns complete chords or only ones with tonal essentials. No matter what kind of chord or scale you're looking for, the application returns tablature diagrams and plays them with a simple mouse click. We really like the reverse-lookup tool, which tells you what that wild chord you thought you made up actually translates to in music-theory speak. In our analysis, just about any guitarist will benefit from Chord Alchemy if they spend enough time learning how to navigate the interface.

User reviews

• Average user rating: 0 stars Not yet available
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  This software version | All versions

• 1 stars

  Version: Chord Alchemy 3.3

  "may help beginners, not suitable for advanced players"

  by kenworthg on June 15, 2008

  Cons: Using the find a chord is a waste of time. The chords inaccurate and/or incomplete. Most of the inversions are unplayable. Sorry, but this product needs a lot more work before I would consider purchase.

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• 5 stars

  Version: Chord Alchemy 3.3

  "Great for showing the structure of the Guitar Fretboard"

  by rcwis02 on November 30, 2008

  Pros: If you want to play parts of chords, how do you easily find (and memorize) where all the C major 3rd (part of a major chord) intervals are everywhere on the fretboard ?

  Cons: Can't comment on one users complaint about the chords being too hard to play or inaccurate. I have not found any problems.

  Summary: Great tool for learning the fretboard and where chords/scales and intervals are played.Just plug the root in and select the interval and you've got them displayed right in front of you. It is only $12.99.

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