ChordViz icon

ChordViz

ChordViz is a standalone visual workspace for music teachers and creators on Mac and Windows. It turns live MIDI and audio into chord names, notation, theory visuals, and audio-reactive meters, and can record video, audio, or MIDI from inside the app.

ChordViz

Overview

ChordViz is a standalone visual workspace for music teachers and creators on Mac and Windows. It turns live MIDI and audio into chord names, notation, theory visuals, and audio-reactive meters so you can see what you are playing while you play it.

The app combines dashboard-style widgets, instrument hosting, and built-in recording. You can arrange a layout, save it, reopen it later, and capture video, audio, or MIDI without leaving the app or loading it into a DAW.

Core features

Real-time chord detection

Identify chords as you play, including extensions, inversions, and slash chords. The page gives examples such as Cmaj9#11, Eb/G, and Gsus4.

Customizable visual workspace

Arrange up to 18 widgets on a snap-to-grid dashboard, with free placement available while editing. Layouts can be saved and reopened later.

Mixed visual widgets

Combine theory visuals, meters, and performance tools in one view, including keyboard, grand staff, circle of fifths, chromatic strip, oscilloscopes, spectrum, spectrogram, waveform, VU, LUFS, stereo correlation, metronome, beat bar, and webcam.

Native capture and export

Record video, audio, or MIDI directly in the app. Video captures include the audio mix, audio exports can be stereo WAV up to 32-bit float, and MIDI exports include tempo and time signature.

Use your own instruments

Load VST3 instruments on Mac and Windows, or Audio Units on Mac. Instruments are scanned in separate helper processes and the chosen instrument and patch are saved with the layout.

Theme and preset controls

Choose dark or light mode, accent colors, glow, background images, and fonts, then save whole setups as presets and set a default on launch.

Common use cases

  • Teaching harmony and theory

    Teachers can show chord names, staff notation, the circle of fifths, and a keyboard view while demonstrating a progression. The interface is meant to keep theory visible alongside the notes being played.

  • Live performance visuals

    Performers can use fullscreen or focus mode to hide controls and keep only the visual widgets on screen. This is aimed at stage use and second-screen display.

  • Quick content capture

    Creators can record video, audio, or MIDI without opening another app. ChordViz also saves every take and copies it to the clipboard, which makes it easier to move clips into a DAW or editor.

  • Personal practice rigs

    Players can load their own VST3 or Audio Unit instruments, save the patch with the layout, and reopen the same setup later. The source says ChordViz scans plugins in separate helper processes for stability.

Pros and Cons

Pros

  • Runs as a self-contained app on Mac and Windows, with no DAW required.
  • Shows chord names with extensions, inversions, and slash chords in real time.
  • Lets you record video, audio, or MIDI natively from the same workspace.
  • Supports custom layouts with saved presets and persistent instrument patches.
  • Includes built-in sounds and also lets you load your own VST3 or Audio Unit instruments.

Cons

  • Linux support is only described as in development, not available to download yet.
  • Video recording requires macOS 12.3+ or Windows 10 (1903)+, and capture from other apps needs macOS 14.4 for Apple's audio-capture API.
  • ChordViz supports one loaded instrument at a time; the source describes VST3 and AU instruments, not audio effects.

FAQ

How does the free trial work?

You download ChordViz and open it. The 7-day trial starts on first launch, and the source says there is nothing to sign up for and no payment information to enter.

Does the trial require a credit card?

No. The source states that you can use ChordViz free for 7 days without a credit card.

What can I record or export from ChordViz?

ChordViz exports video, audio, and MIDI from inside the app. Video can be saved as .mov or .mp4 on Mac and .mp4 on Windows; audio is exported as stereo WAV up to 32-bit float; MIDI is exported as a standard MIDI file with tempo and time signature included.

Does ChordViz require a DAW?

ChordViz is a standalone app for Mac and Windows, so it runs on its own without a DAW. The source also says Linux support is in development.

What pricing information is shown on the site?

The pricing page is not available, but the home page states ChordViz Founder License is $29 USD one time, includes permanent updates, and activates on 2 devices.

Quick Facts

Category
Music software / visual workspace
Primary users
Music teachers and creators
Platforms
macOS and Windows; Linux support in development
App type
Standalone desktop app
Trial
7-day free trial, no credit card required
Pricing shown
ChordViz Founder License: $29 USD one time

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