Comparison27 October 2026 · By Charles-Antoine Pouliot
A ChordieApp alternative: ChordViz compared
Like ChordieApp, ChordViz names the chords you play on a MIDI keyboard and shows them on a keyboard and a staff. It goes further on theory: spelling that follows your key, Roman numerals, scale degrees, a circle of fifths and chord names you can change yourself. It adds layouts you design, any aspect ratio, built-in sounds, a transparent overlay for OBS and video recording. ChordieApp costs less and shows a guitar fretboard, which ChordViz doesn't.
| Feature | ChordViz | ChordieApp |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $29 one time, 30-day free trial | $25 one time per platform, no trial |
| Runs on | macOS 11+, Windows 10 (1903)+. One license covers 2 devices, Mac or Windows. | macOS 10.12+, Windows 10/11. Mac and Windows are sold separately, one computer per license. |
| Chord names | Live, from any MIDI input and channel | Live, from MIDI channel 1, with alternative names |
| Your own chord names | Rename any chord: from then on, that chord always shows your name, in every key | No. It lists every alternative name at once |
| Spelling and theory | Notes spelled for your key (Db in F, C# in A), Roman numerals, scale degrees, letters or solfège | Chord name plus its alternative names, note letters on the staff |
| Staff | Grand staff, with your key signature | Grand staff with note letters |
| Circle of fifths | Yes | No |
| Guitar fretboard | No | Yes |
| Layout | Add, delete and arrange any of 19 widgets; save as many layouts as you want | One fixed window; the fretboard can be hidden |
| Window shape | Any size, or locked to 16:9, 9:16, 1:1, 4:5 or 4:3 | No. One fixed window |
| Sound | Built-in pianos, or your own VST3 instrument (Audio Unit on Mac) | None — it only reads MIDI |
| MIDI files | Built-in player, with falling notes | No player; play the file from a DAW into it |
| OBS | Transparent background: Syphon on Mac, Window Capture on Windows | Window Capture, cropped in OBS |
| Recording | Video at up to 60 fps, WAV and MIDI | Not offered |
The short version
ChordieApp does one thing well: you play a MIDI keyboard and it shows the chord name, the notes on a staff and a guitar fretboard. It's $25 and simple. If that's all you need, and especially if you want the fretboard, it's a good choice.
ChordViz starts from the same place, naming what you play, and goes further on the theory: it spells everything for the key you're in, shows what each chord and note is doing, and lets you name chords the way you teach them. It's also built for when you want to show all that, in a lesson, on a stream or in a video.
More theory on screen
- Spelled for your key. Pick the key and every widget follows it. The same black key reads Db in F major and C# in A major, on the keyboard, the chord name and the staff at once.
- What each chord is doing. The chord readout shows its Roman numeral against your key, and scale-degree labels name each note by its job in the chord: 3, b7, #11. Letters or solfège.
- A circle of fifths that follows your key, next to the keyboard and the staff. ChordieApp doesn't have one.
- Your chord names, your way. ChordieApp shows a chord's alternative names all at once, so the screen fills up with labels. ChordViz shows one name, and you choose it. Unhappy with a label? Click the chord and give it your own name: Abm7(#11) instead of Abm7b5, or b13 instead of #5. From then on, every time you play that chord, in any key, your name is the one on screen. For a teacher that means the screen says what you say in the lesson, and nothing else.
Where else ChordViz goes further
- You design the screen. ChordieApp is one window. In ChordViz you add, delete and arrange widgets (keyboard, chord name, staff, circle of fifths, piano roll, audio meters and more) and save as many layouts as you want, one per lesson or per stream scene.
- It makes sound. ChordieApp is silent and needs a DAW or a keyboard with speakers. ChordViz has built-in pianos and loads your own VST3 instruments (or Audio Unit on a Mac).
- Any shape. Drag the window to any size, or lock it to 16:9, 9:16, 1:1, 4:5 or 4:3 so a YouTube video, a Short or a feed post comes out in format.
- A real overlay for OBS. Instead of capturing a window and cropping it, ChordViz draws a transparent background, so only the keys and chord names appear over your camera.
- It records. Video at up to 60 fps with the sound mixed in, plus WAV and MIDI, so you can send a student a clip or post a take without a screen recorder.
- It plays MIDI files itself, including falling notes onto the keys.
Where ChordieApp is the better pick
- You want a guitar fretboard next to the keyboard.
- You only ever need the chord name and staff, and want the cheapest option.
- You already run everything through a DAW and don't need sound or recording from the visualizer.
Switching over
There's nothing to migrate: plug in the same keyboard and play. Start from a layout with a Keyboard, a Chord Name and a Staff and you have the ChordieApp view. Then add what you were missing.
ChordViz at a glance
| Price | 30-day free trial, then $29 USD one time — no subscription |
|---|---|
| Runs on | macOS 11+ (Apple Silicon and Intel) · Windows 10 (1903)+ |
| Input | Any MIDI keyboard or controller, the on-screen keys, MIDI files, plus mic / interface audio for the meters |
| Visuals | Piano keyboard, chord name, grand staff, circle of fifths, piano roll, audio meters and more |
| Layouts | Unlimited — add, delete and arrange any of the 19 widgets, and save as many layouts as you want |
| Live output | Transparent feed to OBS, Resolume or TouchDesigner — Syphon on macOS, Spout on Windows |
| Recording | Video at 60 fps, WAV audio and MIDI files — no screen recorder needed |
Questions
- Is ChordViz a good ChordieApp alternative?
- Yes, especially if you teach or study theory. ChordViz names chords from a MIDI keyboard like ChordieApp does, then spells every note for your key, shows Roman numerals and scale degrees, has a circle of fifths, and lets you rename any chord. It also adds built-in sounds, layouts you design yourself, any aspect ratio, a transparent OBS overlay and video recording. If you need a guitar fretboard, ChordieApp has one and ChordViz doesn't.
- Can I change the chord names ChordViz shows?
- Yes. Unhappy with a label? Click the chord and give it your own name, like Abm7(#11) instead of Abm7b5. From then on, every time you play that chord, in any key, ChordViz shows your name and only your name, and the Roman numeral and degree labels change with it. ChordieApp lists all the alternative names at once instead.
- Can ChordViz show chords on a stream without cropping?
- Yes. ChordViz draws a real transparent background, so only the keys and chord names appear over your camera. On a Mac it reaches OBS through Syphon; on Windows through a Window Capture that keeps the transparency.
- Can I keep my ChordieApp workflow with a DAW?
- Yes. ChordViz reads any MIDI input, so a DAW can send it MIDI the same way. It also plays MIDI files itself, through its built-in pianos or your own instrument, so you may not need the DAW at all.
- Can I try ChordViz before buying?
- Yes. The 30-day free trial has every feature, needs no account and no card. After that it's $29 one time.