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New Released in April 2026
Five Ways to Practice Music Theory on Guitar
The best way to practice music theory on guitar is to never separate the two: every idea gets played the moment you learn it. These five exercises take ten minutes a day and turn theory into shapes and sounds you recognise.
No account, no download. The demo has limited content. Advanced features are in ChordRunner Premium.
- MIDI keyboard
- Digital or acoustic piano
- Guitar
- Computer, phone or tablet
The five exercises
- Root finder: say the note name of the 6th string at every fret from 0 to 12, then the 5th string. Check yourself with the dots on the neck.
- Chord builder: play C major, then flatten the 3rd to get C minor. Hear the one-note difference on every chord you know.
- Chords in a key: in G major play G, Am, Bm, C, D, Em, then say I, ii, iii, IV, V, vi out loud.
- Number a song: take any chord chart and write the Roman numeral over each chord.
- Ear check: someone plays a chord, you say major or minor before looking.
Why play instead of read
Theory read on a page becomes a fact you forget. Theory played becomes a habit: after a week of saying chord roots as you play, you will notice them in every song without trying.
Five Ways to Practice Music Theory on Guitar
ChordRunner is a browser game that teaches piano and guitar chords: a chord appears on screen, you play it on a real instrument, and your runner jumps.
Play the demoA weekly plan
- Monday and Thursday: root finder and chord builder.
- Tuesday and Friday: chords in a new key each time.
- Wednesday and Saturday: number one song chart.
- Sunday: ear check and a game round.
Let a game check you
ChordRunner turns two of these drills into a game. It can send only the chords of the key you pick, and it has ear training where you hear a chord and play it back. It listens through the microphone, so every answer comes from your real guitar.
The levels in ChordRunner
- Beginner: major, minor, augmented and diminished chords.
- Intermediate: adds sus2 and sus4.
- Advanced: adds 6th, 7th and 9th chords.
- Pro: adds 11th, 13th and altered chords; an adaptive mode adds the next family when you are ready.
Common questions
How do I practice music theory on guitar?
Play every idea as you learn it: name notes on the low strings, build major and minor chords, play the chords of a key and write Roman numerals over song charts.
What music theory should a guitarist learn first?
Notes on the 6th and 5th strings, major and minor chords, and the chords of a major key. They explain most songs you will play.
How much time should I spend on theory?
Ten minutes a day is enough if it is played, not only read. Mix it into your normal practice.
Which instruments work?
A USB MIDI keyboard, detected automatically, or a piano or guitar through the microphone. Everything runs in Chrome or Edge on a computer, tablet or phone.
How is this different from apps where you tap the screen?
Tapping trains your eyes and fingers on glass. Here you press real keys or fret real strings, and the game hears the actual notes, so what you practise is exactly what you will play on your instrument.
Is everything in the demo?
The demo has limited content. Advanced features are in ChordRunner Premium.
Your instrument is the controller.
ChordRunner is a browser game that teaches piano and guitar chords: a chord appears on screen, you play it on a real instrument, and your runner jumps. MIDI keyboard or microphone, both work.
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