smartChord provides about 40 stringed chromatic instruments such as guitar, banjo, bass, mandolin, and ukulele. Each of them with a more or less large list of predefined tunings. It is also possible to create custom instruments and custom tunings.

Instrument selection

In smartChord, one instrument is always selected. Most functions refer to the selected instrument. The chord feature shows the chords and voicings for the selected instrument. Also, the tuner uses the tuning of the selected instrument as do the scales, arpeggio or the circle of fifths.

But please note: Some features allow you to save items like the songbook, the chord progression or the fretboard trainer. These features save the instrument together with the item like a song. So every song or chord progression refers to the instrument that was selected during their creation. The instrument name and tuning are saved with the item and they stick to the instrument and tuning. This means that you have the same tuning with the same chords and fingerings in a song, every time you open it. But you can change the tuning/instrument for a song or chord progression in the menu. Then the fingerings are changed too and the new tuning is stored in the item.

In every feature, where the instrument or the tuning is relevant, it is possible to change the instrument as well as the tuning easily and quickly by the menu. To keep it clear, only the favorites are displayed then.

Be aware, that every instrument does have its own settings like the number of frets or the tuning. Also the ‘Chord’ settings like ‘max. number of frets per chord’, the sort order or the skill level is specific to the instrument. If you switch the instrument, you’ll automatically get the settings of the new instrument.

Skill levels

As smartChord has a large set of instrument-specific ‘instrument and chord settings’, a useful preset is done for the different skill levels. If you change the skill level for the instrument, the settings will change accordingly. The Basic skill level for example provides a preselection of common chords. You will just see simple types of chords and fingerings. The expert mode offers many more chords and fingerings for ambitious amateur musicians as well as for professionals.

Instrument favorites

You can define your favorite instruments on the “Choose instrument’ screen. Just check the ‘Favorite’ checkbox for the instrument.

If you have more than one favorite instrument, you’ll get a menu item to change the instrument easily and quickly by the menu. At least in every feature, where the instrument is relevant.

The list of favorite instruments is used when you change the instrument by the menu of the feature.

Custom instruments

You can create additional instruments with their own ‘instrument’ and ‘chord’ settings. These settings are very important to get the best results. Please refer to the most important settings. Custom instruments give you the possibility to change all the instrument settings (more than 20) at once. They are seamlessly integrated and available in all features and do not differ from the ‘build-in’ instruments.