Paste a chord progression to get an estimated difficulty score, useful for gauging how hard a song will be to learn.
Each chord is scored by type: simple major and minor triads score lowest, chords like 7ths and sus chords score higher, and diminished, augmented, or extended chords (9th, 11th, 13th) score highest; chords built on roots that usually require a barre shape add an extra point. The average across all chords maps to an Easy, Moderate, Hard, or Very Hard estimate.
Chords (space or comma separated):
How the Score Is Estimated
Each chord is scored by type: simple major and minor triads score lowest, chords like 7ths and sus chords score higher, and diminished, augmented, or extended chords (9th, 11th, 13th) score highest; chords built on roots that usually require a barre shape add an extra point. The average across all chords maps to an Easy, Moderate, Hard, or Very Hard estimate.
How to Use This Calculator
- Type or paste the chord progression, separated by spaces or commas.
- Click Score It to see the per-chord breakdown and an overall difficulty estimate.
This is a rough estimate based on chord shape complexity, not a substitute for actually trying the progression; a simple chord played at a fast tempo or in an awkward strumming pattern can still be difficult in practice.
Did You Know?
- Many hit songs use only three or four simple open chords, which is part of why they’re approachable for beginning guitarists.
- A capo can turn an otherwise barre-chord-heavy progression into an open-chord-friendly one in a different key.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does this account for strumming pattern or tempo?
No, this scores chord shapes only. A song with easy chords but a fast or syncopated strumming pattern can still be challenging.
What chord formats does this recognize?
Standard chord names like C, Am, G7, F#dim, Bbsus4, and similar; use the root note followed by any quality (m, 7, sus, dim, aug, 9, etc.).