How to Figure Out the Chords of a Song by Ear
Share
You hear a song and think: I want to play those chords. Maybe you want to make a beat with the same vibe, record a cover or just understand why that hook hits so well. But there's no sheet music and the chord sites don't have the song. No problem: with a simple method you can figure out the chords yourself, even if you don't know much music theory yet.
Short answer
Find the key of the song first. Write down the seven chords in that key. Then listen to the lowest note (the bass) and note which note it plays every time the harmony changes. That bass note is usually the root of the chord. Pick the chord from your list that starts on that note, play along and let your ears decide.
What you need
- Something to play notes on. A keyboard, a guitar or just the piano roll in FL Studio, Logic Pro or any other DAW.
- The song as audio, so you can repeat sections. In your DAW you can loop four or eight bars.
- A little patience. Your first song takes time. After that you'll recognize the same patterns faster and faster.
Step 1: find the key
The key tells you which chords "belong" in the song. That saves a lot of time: instead of trying every possible chord, you're down to seven.
- Fast: drop the audio file into Beat Lab, the free BPM and key finder. You get a key estimate, and your audio stays on your own device. It's an estimate, so always check it by ear. Beat Lab doesn't detect individual chords, that's what the steps below are for.
- By ear: find the note where the song feels "resolved", like coming home. That's often the root of the key. If the song sounds dark or sad overall, you're probably in minor. If it sounds open and happy, it's often major.
You'll find more methods in how to find the key of a song. Not sure if it's major or minor? Read major vs minor explained.
Step 2: write down the chords in that key
Every key has seven chords you can build using only the notes of its scale. Here are two examples that share exactly the same notes:
| Key | The seven chords |
|---|---|
| C major | C, Dm, Em, F, G, Am, Bdim |
| A minor | Am, Bdim, C, Dm, Em, F, G |
If the song is in a different key, the pattern just shifts along. On chords by key you'll find the list for every key, for example chords in G major. To understand how the pattern works, read which chords go together.
Step 3: listen to the bass
This is the most important step. In most songs the bass (a bass guitar, synth bass or 808) plays the root of the chord. Find the bass note and you've almost got the chord.
- Loop the first section, for example the chorus.
- Hum the lowest note you hear. Humming low helps your ear let go of the melody.
- Find that note on your keyboard or in the piano roll. Play along until it lines up exactly with the bass.
- Write it down and move on to the next bass note.
Tip: put an EQ on the song and temporarily cut the highs. The bass line becomes much easier to hear.
Step 4: count when the chord changes
You don't need a new chord under every note. In most pop, hip hop and R&B the chord changes once per bar or once every two bars. Count along with the drums (1, 2, 3, 4) and make a mark every time the bass jumps to a new note and stays there. You can ignore quick passing notes in the bass line for now.
Step 5: turn it into a chord
You now have a row of bass notes. For each note, find the chord from your step 2 list that starts on that note. In A minor and the bass plays a D? It's probably Dm. The bass plays an F? Then it's F.
Play the chord along with the song. If it sounds right straight away, great. If it clashes, try the major or minor version of the same chord. You'll usually hear the difference instantly: major feels lighter, minor feels heavier.
Step 6: check against the melody
Sing or play the melody over your chords. Important melody notes (on the beat, or held for a while) usually belong to the chord underneath. If one note keeps clashing, the chord is probably slightly different. Prefer working the other way around, from melody to chords? Then read how to find chords for a melody.
Example: a chorus in A minor
Say Beat Lab estimates A minor and that sounds right by ear too. You loop the chorus and the bass plays these notes, one per bar: A, F, C, G.
- Bar 1, bass A: Am
- Bar 2, bass F: F
- Bar 3, bass C: C
- Bar 4, bass G: G
Result: Am, F, C, G. A progression you'll hear in tons of songs and beats. Play it along, check the melody and you're done.
Patterns you'll run into a lot
Many songs use the same building blocks. Once you recognize them, figuring out chords gets a lot faster. The Roman numerals show the position in the key: uppercase is major, lowercase is minor.
| Pattern | In C major / A minor | Where you hear it |
|---|---|---|
| I, V, vi, IV | C, G, Am, F | Lots of pop and sing-alongs |
| vi, IV, I, V | Am, F, C, G | Pop, emotional hooks and melodic rap |
| i, VI, VII | Am, F, G | Dark pop, trap and drill |
| ii, V, I | Dm, G, C | Jazz, neo soul and R&B |
For more examples to practice with, check out pop chord progressions.
Still not right? This is usually why
- The bass isn't playing the root. Sometimes the bass plays another note from the chord, like a C under an Am chord. You write that as Am/C. Learn how slash chords work in how to read chord symbols.
- A chord falls outside the key. Lots of songs borrow a chord from another key, like an Fm in C major. If you hear a chord with a slightly different color, read borrowed chords explained.
- It sounds richer than your triad. R&B, neo soul and lo-fi often use seventh chords like Am7 or Fmaj7. Your root is right, but there's an extra note on top. See seventh chords explained.
- The song changes key. A final chorus that moves up a bit is common. Find the key again for each section.
- The 808 glides. In trap and drill the 808 sometimes slides between notes. Focus on the note where it lands and stays, not on the glide itself.
Now what? Put the chords to work
Once you have the chords, you can do all kinds of things with them. If the song doesn't suit your vocal range, transpose the chords to another key. Want your own beat with the same vibe without replaying the song? Open the free chord progression generator, choose the same key and a mood, and download the MIDI. You get the chords plus a bass line on the root notes, a solid starting point for your 808.
Chords done? Finish your beat with drums and 808s from the NameOnTheBeat sample packs.
FAQ
Can I figure out the chords of a song without music theory?
Yes. All you need is the key, the list of seven chords and your ears. The theory comes naturally as you practice.
Are there tools that detect chords automatically?
Yes, there are apps and sites that try. They're a handy starting point, but with busy productions or rich chords they're often off. So always check the result by ear, using the steps in this article.
Which part of the song should I start with?
Start with the chorus. It repeats a lot, it's easy to hear and it usually uses the same chords as the rest of the song. The verses are often similar or use a variation.
Can I use the chords of an existing song in my own track?
Common progressions like Am, F, C, G show up in countless songs. If you take more than that, like the melody, the lyrics or part of the actual recording, it's a different story. Read sampling and copyright explained first. This isn't legal advice; if you're unsure, check with a specialist.