ChordSequence vs Open—Shape
ChordSequence
chordsequence.comOpen—Shape
openshape.appSide by side
| Figure | ChordSequence | Open—Shape |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | Free | Free |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Open source | — | — |
| Web | Yes | Yes |
| iOS | — | Yes |
| Android | Yes | — |
| Plans published | 1 | 2 |
| Spec score · Chord Finder Software | 7.8 (#8) | 7.7 (#11) |
| Privacy | The maker says saved songs are private unless shared, and the Android app stores songs on the phone without uploading them. | The privacy policy says custom tunings and progressions are stored in browser local storage, and tuner audio is analyzed in the browser and not recorded or transmitted. |
| Support | The maker lists [email protected] for contact and invites bug reports and feature ideas. | Support is by email, and the site says replies usually arrive within a day or two. |
| What it does | ChordSequence is a free suite of browser-based music tools for songwriters, producers, and students. | Open—Shape is a guitar chord and progression tool that finds playable chord voicings across the fretboard in different tunings. |
Plans
In their own words
ChordSequence
ChordSequence is a free set of browser-based music tools for composing and exploring chord progressions. Its player performs chords selected by the user with drums, bass, piano, guitar, and synth, drawing on 548 rhythms that include pop, rock, salsa, and reggae. You can reorder chords, arrange them into sections, loop those sections, and edit individual instrument parts. The mixer offers volume, pan, mute, solo, EQ, and compression controls for each instrument, plus reverb for the overall mix. Songs can be exported as WAV audio or MIDI notes for use in a DAW. Other tools include a chord finder, transposer, key detector, Circle of Fifths, tuner, metronome, guitar and bass tabs, and a drum machine. The browser player is stated to work in Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Edge. An Android app works offline, needs no account, and supports Android 8.0 or later; iPhone users can use the browser player. The Free plan is free, with all features, no usage limit, and WAV and MIDI export.
Open—Shape
Open—Shape helps guitarists find playable chord voicings across the fretboard, including in different tunings. Its chord engine searches for shapes, filters them by note count, and supplies difficulty labels and fingering details. Users can chain and reorder chords, play progressions, and save them. The Free plan includes the full chord engine, every voicing, 33 built-in tunings, real acoustic guitar playback, a microphone tuner, and up to three saved progressions. Pro costs $9.99, paid once, billed one-time, and adds unlimited custom tunings and saved progressions. The tuner identifies strings in alternate and custom tunings; capo settings update chord voicings and progressions. A visual Canvas board for connecting chords, tuning, and capo runs in a desktop browser. Open—Shape is available on iOS and the web, and an account is not required. Saved tunings and progressions are stored in browser local storage, with backup export and import in Settings. Its privacy policy says tuner audio is analyzed in the browser and is not recorded or transmitted.