If you’ve ever played from sheet music and seen something like Cmaj7, F#m, or G7 above the staff, you’ve encountered chord symbols. These little annotations are small in size but huge in function. They tell you the harmonic structure of the music and guide players (especially guitarists, pianists, and arrangers) on what chords to play.
At Tunescribers, chord symbols have always been part of the custom sheet music experience by default. But here’s the thing: many customers didn’t know that!
Why Chord Symbols Matter
Chord symbols serve a few key purposes:
- They let rhythm section players improvise: Guitarists and pianists can comp without reading every note.
- They help with quick harmonization: If you’re writing a horn arrangement, for example, you can build voicings directly from the chords.
- They simplify music for learners: Beginners can focus on chord shapes rather than notation.
- They’re essential for lead sheets: When the melody and chords are the whole song.
What We’ve Changed (and Why)
To help clarify things, we’ve added a new question to our order form asking for your chord symbol preference:
✅ Chord text (default)
🎸 Chord text + guitar diagrams
❌ No chord symbols
We were already including chord symbols by default, but many customers didn’t realise this—so we added this question to make the option more visible and give you more control.
When Should You Use Chord Diagrams?
Guitar chord diagrams are perfect when:
- You’re arranging for beginner or intermediate guitarists
- You’re creating educational materials or songbooks
- You want to make performance easier at a glance—especially for visual learners
They’re not ideal if you’re writing for piano, ensemble, or professional musicians who may find them unnecessary or cluttered.
What Happens If You Choose “No Chords”?
We’ll omit all chord symbols and diagrams from your sheet music—great for projects where harmony is already notated in full (e.g. orchestral scores or classical arrangements), or where you simply don’t want them.
Small Change, Big Impact
This minor update makes it easier to:
- Know what you’re getting
- Customize your chart exactly how you want it
- Avoid back-and-forth emails
We’re always working to improve the ordering process, and small tweaks like this are all part of making your custom sheet music as smooth as possible.
📥 Want Custom Sheet Music Your Way?
Whether you’re a guitarist, composer, teacher, or just someone chasing down that perfect lead sheet—we’ve got you covered.
👉 Place your order now and tell us exactly how you want your chords!