Free Web App for Looking Up Chords and Scales
I’m excited to share a new, free web app for musicians and educators: Improvisation Scale Library: a fast way to visualize, hear, and export common improvisation scales across piano, full-neck guitar/uke/bass fretboards, and standard notation.
This project is inspired by the Jamey Aebersold Scale Syllabus, a classic resource in jazz education. If you’re teaching or practicing improv, this will feel instantly familiar.
Pick any key + scale (e.g., Ab Mixolydian) → instantly see:
Keyboard diagram (1 octave highlighted in context), with live playback and in-time note highlighting.
Full fretboard diagram (16 frets) showing all notes in the scale across the neck, rendered with SVGuitar.
Standard notation via VexFlow (stemless noteheads, no key/time signatures, accidentals as needed), with playback.
Scale recommender: choose a chord, get recommended scales (based on Aebersold’s syllabus).
Download any diagram as SVG or high-res PNG for your slide decks, worksheets, or LMS.
Mobile-first UX: the app feels great on phones and tablets. Perfect for lessons and quick reference on the bandstand.
WebAudio API for playback
VexFlow for notation
SVGuitar for fretboards (full-neck, clear labels, root contrast)
A lot of careful work so playback highlights exactly the notes being sounded across each view.
This app was developed with hands-on help from OpenAI’s GPT-5 Thinking (aka “ChatGPT 5”) for scaffolding and debugging UI, WebAudio, SVG, and notation logic. I curated the feature set, design, and musical rules but GPT-5 Thinking helped accelerate the build.
The scale options and chord→scale recommendations trace back to the Jamey Aebersold Scale Syllabus. It’s a fantastic reference for players and teachers. Please support the original work and publishers if you find this helpful.
Pick Key and Scale.
Toggle note names if you want labels across all views.
Hit Play in Keyboard, Fretboard, or Notation to hear a one-octave ascent.
Use Download SVG/PNG to drop the diagram straight into your class handouts or slides.
If you use the app in lessons, rehearsals, or ensemble coaching, I’d love to hear what helps most and what you’d like added (modes you rely on, alternate tunings, TAB, etc.). Feel free to comment on this post or reach out by email.
Enjoy, and happy practicing! 🎶