Mazmazika
All topics Scales & Chords

Scales & Chords — User Manual

What is Scales & Chords?

The Mazmazika Scales & Chords visualizer lets you see and hear any scale or chord. Pick a root note and a type, and the tool engraves it on a real musical staff, lists the note names, and plays it back on the instrument of your choice. It's a fast way to learn how music is built — perfect for studying theory, checking a fingering, or finding the notes of a scale or chord. Everything runs in your browser; no account needed.

The two tabs

Open Scales & Chords from the sidebar. At the top is a toggle between two modes:

  • Scales — build and hear any scale or mode.
  • Chords — build and hear any chord, in any inversion.

Scales

On the Scales tab, set four things and the staff updates instantly:

The Scales tab: a hero 'See how music is built', a Scales/Chords toggle, dropdowns for Root Note (C), Scale Type (Major / Ionian), Direction (Ascending) and Instrument (Piano), a Play Scale button, the engraved 'C Major (Ionian)' staff, and a row of note chips (C D E F G A B C).
  • Root Note — the note the scale starts on (C, C♯/D♭, D … B).
  • Scale Type — choose from 80+ scales and modes: Major (Ionian), Natural/Harmonic/Melodic Minor, the church modes (Dorian, Phrygian, Lydian, Mixolydian, Locrian), pentatonics, blues, and many world and exotic scales.
  • Direction — play it Ascending, Descending, or Both.
  • Instrument — the playback sound (Piano, Electric Piano, Harpsichord, Organ, Guitar and more).

The notation panel shows the scale engraved on a staff with its proper spelling, and the Notes row lists every note in order. Press Play Scale to hear it.

Chords

The Chords tab works the same way, for chords:

The Chords tab: dropdowns for Root Note (C), Chord Type (Major Triad), Inversion (Root Position) and Instrument (Piano), a Play Chord button, the engraved 'C Major Triad' staff, and the chord's note chips.
  • Root Note — the note the chord is built on.
  • Chord Type — 25+ types: major / minor / augmented / diminished triads, suspended (sus2, sus4), sixths, sevenths (maj7, m7, dominant 7, dim7, m7♭5), extended and altered chords.
  • Inversion — Root Position, 1st Inversion or 2nd Inversion.
  • Instrument — the playback sound.

Again, the chord is engraved on the staff, its notes are listed, and Play Chord sounds it out.

How to use it

  1. Choose Scales or Chords at the top.
  2. Pick a Root Note and a Type.
  3. For scales, set the Direction; for chords, set the Inversion.
  4. Read the notes on the staff and in the Notes row.
  5. Pick an Instrument and press Play to hear it.

The first time you press Play, click anywhere on the page so your browser allows audio.

Great for

  • Learning theory — see exactly how a scale or chord is spelled on the staff.
  • Practising — find the notes of any scale or chord before you play it on your instrument.
  • Songwriting — try chord types and inversions and hear how they sound.
  • Teaching — a clear, audible visual for lessons.

Tips

  • Compare modes — keep the same root and switch Scale Type (Ionian → Dorian → Phrygian…) to hear how each mode differs.
  • Hear inversions — keep a chord and step through Root → 1st → 2nd inversion to learn how the bass note changes the colour.
  • Switch instruments — the same notes on guitar vs piano can help your ear connect notation to sound.

Troubleshooting

  • No sound? Click anywhere on the page once (browsers only allow audio after you interact), then check your device volume.
  • The staff didn't update? Give it a moment — the notation is engraved live in your browser; change any dropdown to refresh it.

Related tools

Go deeper with the Music Theory lessons, train your ear with Ear Training, try the shapes on the Virtual Piano, or find a real song's chords with the Chord Analyzer.

Still need help? Contact support