Chord names on the beat
A chord is the same chord on every instrument. Read the name and play the shape you know.
Mandolin chords
Mandolin chords for any song
Chord Suno finds the chords of a song and lines them up with the music. The chord names are the same on a mandolin, and the common shapes are on this page.
- Chords of any song
- Free mandolin tuner
- Transpose to your key
- Free to start
How it works
How to play a song on mandolin with Chord Suno
- 01
Get the chords
Search for the song or paste a YouTube link and see every chord in order, with the key and tempo.
- 02
Pick a friendly key
Transpose the song to a key that sits well on a mandolin, such as G, D or A, where the chord shapes are close together.
- 03
Play along
Follow the chords as they scroll with the music. Slow it down and loop the part you are learning. Tune up first with the free tuner.
What you get
What helps a mandolin player
Transpose
Move a song to the key that suits your playing or your fiddle-tune friends. The whole chart changes at once.
Free mandolin tuner
A tuner with a string-by-string display for mandolin (G D A E), with other instruments and tunings too.
Metronome
A free metronome with tap tempo, subdivisions and a speed trainer for building up chop and tremolo speed.
Slow down and loop
Half speed and a loop on the part you cannot get yet.
Sections and bars
Verse, chorus and bridge are marked, in bars you can count.
Chord shapes
Common mandolin chords
In standard tuning (G D A E, low to high; each string is a pair on a real mandolin, and the same shape is played on both strings of a pair). Each number is the fret to press on that string; 0 is an open string.
| Chord | G string | D string | A string | E string | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| G | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3 | G B D |
| C | 0 | 2 | 3 | 0 | C E G |
| D | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | D F♯ A |
| A | 2 | 2 | 4 | 5 | A C♯ E |
| E | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0 | E G♯ B |
| Em | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | E G B |
| Am | 2 | 2 | 3 | 5 | A C E |
The chord diagrams in the player are drawn for guitar today. Mandolin shapes in the player are on our list; until then the chord names and timing work for any instrument, and the shapes above cover the chords of many songs.
Playing any song on mandolin
A chord has the same name and the same notes on every instrument, so the chords Chord Suno finds for a song are the chords you play on a mandolin. The mandolin is tuned in fifths, like a violin, so chord shapes are compact and the same shape moves up the neck to give other chords.
Songs in G, D and A are the most comfortable, because their chords use open strings. If a song is in another key, transpose it before you start, or move the shape up the neck.
Rhythm on the mandolin
Mandolin players often "chop": a short, sharp chord on the off-beats, which gives bluegrass its drive. Use the metronome from the Toolkit and the slow-down control to build up the chop before you try it at full speed.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
Does Chord Suno show mandolin chord diagrams?
Not yet. The chord diagrams in the player are guitar diagrams. The chord names and their timing are right for a mandolin, and the common shapes are on this page. Mandolin diagrams in the player are planned.
Can I find the chords of a song for mandolin?
Yes. Search for the song or paste a YouTube link and you get every chord on the beat. The names are the same on a mandolin.
What is the standard mandolin tuning?
G D A E, from the lowest pair of strings to the highest, the same as a violin. The chord shapes on this page are for that tuning.
Can I change the key of a song for mandolin?
Yes. Use transpose to move the song to a key such as G, D or A, where the chords are close and use open strings.
Is there a mandolin tuner?
Yes. The free tuner has a mandolin setting with a display for each string. It uses your microphone, and the sound stays on your device.
Is it free?
It is free to start, with a daily allowance of new songs. See the plans for what the paid ones add.
More from Chord Suno
Keep exploring
YouTube to chords Turn any YouTube song into chords Guitar chord finder Find the guitar chords of any song Chord detector A chord detector for songs and for your instrument Ukulele chords Ukulele chords for any song Free guitar tunerTune guitar, ukulele, mandolin and more by ear. Free metronomeTap tempo, time signatures and a speed trainer. SongsChord charts for popular songs.
Play your next song on mandolin
Get its chords in about a minute, then move it to a key you like.
Find chords for a song