Frequently Asked Questions

Fretscape scores every possible transition between two chord fingerings using dozens of weighted factors. It looks at which fingers stay anchored, which ones slide vs lift, how far each finger travels, whether the hand has to reposition entirely, and much more. The voicing path with the lowest total movement cost wins.

The difficulty score considers fret span (how far your fingers have to stretch), whether a barre is needed, finger stretch between strings, string skips, awkward finger assignments, how many fingers are required, and whether open strings are involved. Each factor is weighted to reflect how guitarists actually experience difficulty. See how our fingering analysis breaks it all down.

An anchor finger is one that stays on the same string and fret between two chords. When you change from G to C and your ring finger doesn't have to move, that's an anchor. Anchors are the single biggest factor in smooth chord changes because they keep your hand stable while other fingers rearrange. Fretscape actively prioritizes voicing paths that maximize anchor fingers across your entire progression.

Enter your chord sequence - like Am → F → C → G - and Fretscape evaluates every possible combination of voicings and fingerings across the whole progression. It uses an algorithm that finds the path with the lowest total transition cost, considering anchor fingers, finger travel distance, hand repositions, and more. Sometimes it picks a slightly harder voicing for one chord because it makes the transitions before and after it dramatically easier. Try the Progression Builder to see it in action.

Absolutely. Fretscape has 20+ filters you can combine: avoid barre chords, set a maximum fret span, prefer open strings, limit finger count, exclude specific fingers (like the pinky), require certain strings, filter by inversion, set difficulty level, and more. You control what's comfortable for you.

Yes. Fretscape uses standard music theory for chord naming, following conventional notation for extensions, alterations, slash chords, and inversions. It supports everything from basic triads to complex jazz voicings like F#m7b5, Cmaj9, or Bb13#11.

Because the same set of notes can be interpreted as different chords depending on context. For example, the notes C-E-G-A could be called C6 or Am7 (first inversion). Fretscape shows you all valid interpretations so you can pick the one that fits your musical context.

Nothing's wrong - and you're not alone. Most chord charts teach fingerings designed in isolation, without considering what chord comes before or after. That means you may be working harder than you need to. Fretscape chooses voicings based on your full progression, not just single chords. A slightly different fingering for one chord can share a finger position with the next, making the switch dramatically smoother. It's not always about practicing harder - sometimes it's about practicing smarter shapes.

Yes. Fretscape has a barre chord toggle that hides all barre voicings from your results. But it goes further - it often finds alternative voicings that contain the same notes without needing a full barre. Many chords that seem to "require" a barre actually have open or partial alternatives that sound just as good, especially in the context of a progression where the right voicing choice matters more than the traditional shape.

That's exactly the problem Fretscape was built to solve. The "right" voicing depends entirely on context - specifically, what chord you're coming from and going to next. Fretscape scores every voicing based on how it flows with the chords around it, not just how it sounds alone. Enter your progression and it picks the voicing path that minimizes hand movement and maximizes anchor fingers across the whole sequence. Explore the Chord Explorer to see for yourself.

Absolutely. Fretscape's filters let you set a maximum fret span (how far your fingers need to stretch), limit the number of fingers required, exclude specific fingers like the pinky, and filter for open chord shapes that don't require long stretches. These constraints are applied before voicings are scored, so every result you see fits your physical capabilities. Learn how Fretscape adapts to every hand.

Fretscape includes 16 preset tunings: Standard, Drop D, DADGAD, Open G, Open D, Open E, Open A, Half-Step Down, Full-Step Down, Double Drop D, Open C, Open Em, Nashville, All Fourths, New Standard Tuning, and Rain Song. You can also create your own custom tunings with any combination of notes.

Yes. You can place a virtual capo on any fret from 1 to 12. All voicings automatically adjust, and you can choose to view chord names as they sound (concert pitch) or as the shape you're physically playing.

Fretscape is currently built for 6-string guitar, which is our core focus. We're exploring support for other fretted instruments in the future, but we want to make the 6-string guitar experience exceptional first.

Yes! Open Settings and toggle Left-Handed in the Diagram section. All chord diagrams will mirror so the low E string appears on the right.

Yes. Fretscape works in any modern browser on desktop, tablet, and mobile. There's also a dedicated Fretscape Android app available on Google Play. An iOS app is coming soon.

Yes. Enter your chord progression and Fretscape finds the voicing path that flows best. Sometimes it suggests a slightly different voicing for one chord because it makes the transitions before and after it dramatically easier. It's a great tool for songwriters who want their progressions to feel as good under their fingers as they sound. Try the Progression Builder to get started.

Yes - that's the reverse chord lookup. Tap the fret positions on a virtual neck and Fretscape instantly identifies the chord, including inversions, slash chord names, and alternative interpretations.

Yes. You can hear any voicing before committing to learning it. Fretscape lets you strum all notes at once, arpeggiate them, or hear a combination of both.

Yes. You can save voicings and progressions, and your saved content syncs across any device where you're signed in.

Even experienced players tend to reach for the same familiar shapes. Fretscape evaluates voicings you might never have considered - not because they sound different, but because they flow better in context. It does what you already do mentally when optimizing fingerings, but faster, more thoroughly, and across longer sequences. Think of it as a second opinion that's checked every possible combination.

Yes! Fretscape is live and ready to use. Create a free account to start exploring chords, or visit our pricing page to see what's included in each plan.

Yes. The free tier gives you access to the chord explorer with chord lookup, a curated selection of voicings per chord, basic filters, standard and Drop D tunings, playback, and short progressions. Pro unlocks the full experience: unlimited voicings, transition scoring, full progression optimization for any length, advanced filters, and all 16+ tunings. Visit our pricing page for full details.

Yes. When you create an account, your saved voicings and progressions will be available on any device where you're signed in.

Pro is a one-time purchase with a 30-day money-back guarantee. If you're not happy with Fretscape within 30 days of purchase, contact us at help@fretscape.com and we'll refund you - no questions asked. Full details are available in our Terms of Service.

Yes. We use essential cookies to keep the site working, and analytics tools - Google Analytics and Microsoft Clarity - to understand how people use Fretscape so we can improve it. This helps us see things like which features get used most, where people get stuck, and how we can make the experience better. You can manage your preferences through our cookie consent manager, and our Cookie Policy has the full details.

We collect account information (name, email), your saved chords and progressions, and usage data including IP address, device information, browser details, and general location. Our Privacy Policy also covers microphone access because we're building audio features (like real-time chord detection) for a future update - but your browser will always ask for your explicit permission before we can access your microphone, and we can't technically bypass that. Payment data is handled entirely by our third-party payment processor - we never see your full card number. Full details are in our Privacy Policy.

No. We do not sell your personal data. We do share some information with service providers who help us run Fretscape - including analytics, payment processing, and performance monitoring - but only as needed to provide and improve the service. Our Privacy Policy lists the categories of third parties we work with.

Billing is handled by a secure third-party payment processor. We never see or store your full credit card details. All transactions are encrypted.

You can delete your account from your account settings, or contact us at help@fretscape.com and we'll take care of it. We will deactivate your account and remove your information from our active databases. Some data may be retained as required by law or for fraud prevention, as outlined in our Privacy Policy.

Yes. You must be at least 18 years old to register for and use Fretscape, as required by our Terms of Service. We do not knowingly collect data from anyone under 18.

Depending on where you live, you may have the right to access, correct, or delete your personal data, withdraw consent, object to processing, or request a portable copy of your data. EU, UK, and Swiss residents have rights under GDPR; US residents in certain states have rights under laws like the CCPA. You can exercise these rights by contacting us at help@fretscape.com or through the data subject access request link in our Privacy Policy.