Omnichord Keyboard Shortcuts
Every chord button and every string on the instrument has its own computer key, so you can play a whole song on a laptop without touching the mouse. This page lists the full map, explains the few special keys, and covers MIDI keyboards too.
The two-hand layout
The mapping copies the shape of the panel. Your left hand works the three letter rows, which match the three rows of chord buttons column for column. Your right hand takes the number row, which plays the 13 strings of the strum plate from low to high.
Left hand: chords
- Q W E R T Y U I O play the major row: E♭, B♭, F, C, G, D, A, E, B.
- A S D F G H J K L play the minor row with the same roots: E♭m to Bm.
- Z X C V B N M , . play the seventh row: E♭7 to B7.
Because each column is one root, a chord and its minor and seventh are always stacked vertically: R is C, F is Cm and V is C7. The three chords of a key sit next to each other too. In C, the home chord is R, with F major on E to its left and G major on T to its right.
Right hand: strings
Keys 1 to 0, then minus, equals and Backspace, play the 13 strings one at a time, lowest on 1 and highest on Backspace. Run your fingers along the row for an arpeggio, or tap a few keys together for a broken chord. Each string plays a note of the chord you pressed last, so every key is always in tune.
Omnichord keyboard shortcuts: the full key map
Every computer key the instrument listens to. This table reads from the same data as the instrument itself, so it always matches what you hear.
| Action | Keys | What it plays |
|---|---|---|
| Major chords | QWERTYUIO | E♭ · B♭ · F · C · G · D · A · E · B |
| Minor chords | ASDFGHJKL | E♭m · B♭m · Fm · Cm · Gm · Dm · Am · Em · Bm |
| 7th chords | ZXCVBNM,. | E♭7 · B♭7 · F7 · C7 · G7 · D7 · A7 · E7 · B7 |
| Strum plate, zones 1–13 | 1234567890-=Backspace | Lowest string to highest string |
| Strum the whole plate, bottom to top | Space | |
| Hold the chord with Memory on, just this once | Shift + chord key | |
| Show or hide the shortcut overlay | ? |
Try them right here: the instrument below responds to every shortcut on this page. Click it once to turn the sound on, then hold a letter key and run along the number row.
Tap a chord, then strum the plate
Special keys
Shift: Memory for one chord
Normally a chord sounds only while you hold its key. Hold Shift while you press a chord key and that chord keeps ringing after you let go, exactly as if Memory were switched on, but only for that press. Press another chord to replace it, or Shift and the same key again to stop it. This is handy when you want one long chord under a strummed passage without changing the Memory setting.
Space: strum everything
Space sweeps all 13 strings from bottom to top in one stroke. It only does this while the instrument is visible on screen; once you scroll down to read the rest of a page, Space goes back to scrolling the page as usual.
?: shortcut overlay
Press ? (Shift and the slash key on most layouts) to show or hide an overlay with every key drawn on the panel. On desktop the keyboard button in the top bar opens the same overlay.
When the keys stop listening
- While you type in a text field, search box or drop-down, the instrument ignores the keyboard, so typing never plays notes by accident.
- Keys pressed together with Ctrl, Cmd or Alt are left to the browser, so copy, paste and tab shortcuts keep working.
- Holding a key down does not retrigger it; a chord key simply keeps the chord sounding until you release it.
- If the window loses focus while you hold chords, for example when you switch apps, every held chord is released so nothing gets stuck.
Playing with a MIDI keyboard
A MIDI keyboard connected to your computer works in browsers with Web MIDI, such as Chrome and Edge. Press the MIDI button on the panel; the first time, your browser may ask for permission to use MIDI devices. The button then cycles through three settings: Off, Strum and Chords.
Strum mode
Each MIDI note plays whichever of the 13 strings is closest in pitch, using the chord currently on the plate. Glide up the keyboard for a harp run; how hard you hit the key sets how loud the string plays.
Chords mode
The MIDI keys become chord buttons. The octave from C3 to B3 plays the major row, C4 to B4 the minor row, and C5 to B5 the seventh row, with each note giving the chord of that root. A♭, D♭ and G♭ are ignored, because the panel has no buttons for those roots. Releasing the MIDI key releases the chord, just as with a computer key.
| Note | Octave 3 (C3–B3) → Major | Octave 4 (C4–B4) → Minor | Octave 5 (C5–B5) → 7th |
|---|---|---|---|
| C | C | Cm | C7 |
| D♭ | — | — | — |
| D | D | Dm | D7 |
| E♭ | E♭ | E♭m | E♭7 |
| E | E | Em | E7 |
| F | F | Fm | F7 |
| G♭ | — | — | — |
| G | G | Gm | G7 |
| A♭ | — | — | — |
| A | A | Am | A7 |
| B♭ | B♭ | B♭m | B♭7 |
| B | B | Bm | B7 |
A good setup is Chords mode on the MIDI keyboard for your left hand, with the number row or the strum plate for your right.
Frequently asked questions
Do the shortcuts work on any keyboard layout?
The keys are matched by their physical position, so on layouts such as AZERTY or QWERTZ the same positions play the same chords even if the letters printed on them differ.
Why does Space scroll the page instead of strumming?
Space only strums while the instrument is visible on screen. Scroll back up so the panel is in view and Space will sweep the strings again.
Why did my held chord stop when I switched windows?
When the browser window loses focus, every held chord is released on purpose, so no chord is left stuck on when you come back.
How do I keep a chord ringing without holding the key?
Hold Shift as you press the chord key. That chord stays on after you let go, until you press another chord. You can also switch Memory on so every chord behaves that way.
Which browsers support MIDI?
Browsers with Web MIDI, such as Chrome and Edge. If your browser has no Web MIDI, the MIDI button shows a dash and its tooltip explains that MIDI is not available.
Can I strum with a MIDI keyboard?
Yes. In Strum mode each key plays the nearest string of the current chord, and key velocity sets the volume.
Do the shortcuts fire while I type in a text field?
No. While a text field, text area or drop-down has focus, the instrument ignores the keyboard, so typing never triggers a chord or a string. Click anywhere outside the field and the shortcuts work again.
Do the shortcuts work with Ctrl, Cmd or Alt held down?
No. When Ctrl, Cmd or Alt is held, the key goes to the browser instead, so everyday shortcuts such as copy, paste or reload keep working while the instrument is open.