Theorytab search by chord (beta)

@Ryan wrote:

The Theorytab search bar now allows users to search for tabs by chord progression. While this functionality has already been available in a graphical form (hooktheory.com/trends), we are experimenting with putting it directly into the search bar.

Right now the functionality and scope of this search is very limited:

• Chords must be entered in a specific format, outlined below
• Chord durations are not supported
• Chord progressions must be entered in relative notation
• Chord progressions are limited to progressions containing 4 chords or less.
• Certain types of chords are not yet supported, like chords with adds, omits, suspensions, alterations, and chords borrowed from supermodes, although these will be added soon.

We eventually envision building a broader “search by chord progression” tool that will do away with these limitations and have lots of advanced search features, but as this will require a significant development effort, we are putting this off for the time being.

In the meantime here is a brief guide for entering chord progressions:

Chord progression search notation

The basic form of a query is:
[mode: (optional)] [chord], [chord], [chord], [chord]

Where mode specifies the mode of the tab, and can be: major, minor, dorian, lydian, mixolydian, phrygian, or locrian. If mode is left blank, it is assumed to be major.

Chords are entered in the notation outlined below. Chord progressions must be between 1 and 4 chords in length. Chords after the 4th chord in the progression will be ignored.

Chord notation

Chords have the following form:

[borrowed mode: (optional)] [root] [figured bass (optional)] [/ applied chord target (optional)]

Note that the root is entered in plain numbers (Arabic numerals, i.e.: 1 2 3 not Roman numerals: I ii iii).

Chord examples:

I : 1
ii : 2
vii^o : 7
I⁶ : 16
V¹¹ : 511
V⁴₂ : 542
V/vi: 5/6
V⁴₂/IV : 542/4
iv (min) : minor:4
bVI (min) : minor:6
#iv^ø7(lyd) : lydian:47

Search Examples

To search for tabs in major containing the progression I → V → vi → IV, use the search term:

1 5 6 4

To search for tabs in minor containing the progression i⁷ → VI → VII, use:

minor:17 6 7

To search for tabs in major containing the progression I → V⁴₂/IV → IV⁶ → iv⁶ (min), use:

1 542/4 46 minor:46

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