Free · Guitar tab tools
Tab to chords converter
Paste guitar tab to see the chords in it, or paste chord names to get the tab. A diagram for every chord, and one click to open the result in the editor.
Chords in this tab
Paste a tab with one line per string, highest string on top. Notes stacked in the same column are read as a chord.
How the converter reads tab
- One line per string
- ASCII tab writes each string on its own line, highest string on top, with dashes for time and numbers for frets. Labels such as e| or E| are optional.
- Stacked notes are chords
- Wherever two or more strings have a fret number in the same column, the converter reads a chord and names it from its notes. Two-digit frets such as 10 count as one note.
- Riffs and picked chords
- Notes played one after another, as in a riff or an arpeggio, share no column, so they are not named. Write the chord shape as a stacked column to name it.
- Choose the tuning
- The same frets make different chords in another tuning. If the tab is in Drop D or DADGAD, choose that tuning so the names come out right.
Why one chord can have two names
The same notes can be named more than one way: C, E, G, and A make both C6 and Am7, depending on which note you hear as the root. The converter shows the most likely name first, preferring the lowest note as the root, and lists the others under it.
From a chord sheet to tab
Paste a song's chord sheet with the lyrics still in. Lines that are mostly chord names are read and the lyric lines are skipped, so a lyric that starts with "A" is not taken for an A chord. Each chord gets its most common open or first-position shape. Open the result in the editor to change shapes, add rhythm, or export to Guitar Pro, MIDI, or PDF.
Only have the recording?
Upload the song or paste a YouTube link, and Tabtify writes the tab for you to play along with and edit.
Turn a song into tabTab to chords FAQ
How do I find the chords in a guitar tab?
Paste the tab into the converter. Every column where two or more strings are played together is named as a chord with a diagram, and the chords are listed in order at the top.
Why does the converter name a chord differently from my song sheet?
Many chords share notes: C6 and Am7 are the same four notes, for example. The converter shows its first choice and lists the other names under the diagram.
Can it convert chords to tab?
Yes. Switch to Chords to tab and type chord names or paste a chord sheet. You get ASCII tab to copy, a diagram for each chord, and a button that opens it all in the editor.
Does it work with bass or ukulele tab?
For reading tab, yes: paste a tab with four or five lines and choose a bass or ukulele tuning. Chords to tab writes guitar shapes.
Can it find the chords of a song from a recording?
Not this tool, which reads text. To turn a recording into tab, use the converter: upload the song and edit the tab it writes.