How to Find the Chords to a Melody on Guitar (and Why I Keep This Old Guitar)

Have you ever had a melody stuck in your head and wished you could play it? Learning how to find the chords for a melody is one of the most useful skills a guitar player can have. It lets you play songs by ear and turn your own ideas into real music.

Alvin, who writes and records the music for Rainfire, does this all the time. And he does it on one very special guitar. Watch the video to meet it.

What is the story behind this guitar?

“I’ve had this guitar for a long time,” Alvin says. “It’s kind of beat up.” It is hard to tune. Sometimes he thinks about getting rid of it. But he never does.

Why? Because it is like an old friend. He has had it for a long time, and it is always there when he needs it. He admits he can’t count how many times it has fallen over. It still works. It is still his starting point.

Why leave a guitar out of its case?

Alvin keeps this guitar out of its case on purpose. “If I have an idea, I use it to find the chords of the melody.” Ideas show up while he is in the living room watching TV or getting out of the shower. When an idea hits, he picks up the guitar and works it out right away.

That is a great songwriting tip. If your guitar is in a case in the closet, you won’t pick it up. If it is right there, you will.

How do you find the chords for a melody on guitar?

Here is a simple way to find chords for a melody by ear. You don’t need to read music.

Step 1: Find the first note of the melody

Hum the melody. Then play single notes on the guitar until one matches your first note. Go slow. Move up or down one fret at a time until it sounds the same.

Step 2: Find the home note

Hum the melody again and stop on the note where it feels finished, like it is home. That note is usually the name of the key. If the home note is G, the song is probably in G major or E minor.

Step 3: Try the main chords in that key

Every key has a few chords that show up in most songs. In the key of G, those are G, C, D and Em. Strum each one while you hum the melody. The chord that sounds right under each part of the melody is the one you want.

Step 4: Listen for clashes

If a chord sounds sour under the melody, try the next one. Your ear will tell you. A good match sounds smooth. A bad match sounds like two people talking at once.

Step 5: Check your key

Once you have a few chords, type them into our free Key Finder. It tells you the key and shows the other chords that belong in it. That makes it much easier to find the chords you are still missing.

What kinds of songs can you figure out by ear?

All kinds. Alvin uses this same guitar to figure out classical songs, rock songs, jazz songs and “everything in between.” The steps above work for any style. Rock songs often use simple chords. Jazz songs use more complex ones. Start simple and build up.

Why is an old guitar hard to tune?

Alvin’s guitar is hard to tune, and that is common with older guitars. Here are the usual reasons a guitar won’t stay in tune:

• Old strings. Strings stretch and wear out. Changing them often fixes tuning problems right away.
• Worn tuning pegs. If the pegs are loose or worn, the strings can slip.
• Changes in weather. Heat, cold and dry air make the wood move. That pulls the strings out of tune.
• Drops and bumps. A guitar that falls over a lot can get knocked out of tune or even bent.

How do you keep an old guitar in tune?

Put on fresh strings and stretch them gently after you put them on. Tune up every time you play. Keep the guitar away from heaters, windows and air vents. If it still won’t hold tune, a guitar shop can check the pegs and the neck.

Should you keep an old beat-up guitar?

If it still plays and it inspires you, yes. Alvin’s guitar is proof. It is not perfect. It has been knocked over more times than he can count. But it is reliable and always there when he needs it. That is worth more than a shiny new guitar that sits in a case.

What happens after the chords are found?

Once Alvin works out an idea on this guitar, it becomes a full Rainfire song. He records the music, brings in singers, then edits and arranges everything. See the full process in How to Make a Song: Behind the Scenes at Rainfire Music. And to learn more about the man behind the music, read What Does a Music Producer Do?

New to writing songs? Start with our songwriting tips for beginners.

Where can you hear the songs this guitar started?

Every Rainfire song starts as an idea on this old guitar. Hear where they ended up on our videos page or stream the music. You can buy songs in the Rainfire store and grab gear in the merch shop.

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RELATED TO: guitar won’t stay in tune, how to tune an old guitar, old guitar hard to tune, finding chords for a song