What is Chordbot and what does it actually do?
Chordbot is a songwriting tool and backing track generator. You add chords to a timeline, choose instrument patterns for piano, guitar, synth, bass and drums, then press play to hear a complete arrangement. It is built for sketching harmony and practicing, not for generating AI vocals or full produced songs from a text prompt, so think of it as a programmable band rather than a song-from-scratch generator.
Is Chordbot free to use?
There is a free version called Chordbot Lite that includes the full feature set so you can build and play anything you like. Saving songs and exporting MIDI or WAV are reserved for the paid Pro version. The recommended path is to try Lite first, confirm the workflow fits how you write, and upgrade only if you need to keep or export your work.
Can I export my chord progressions to a DAW?
Yes. The paid version exports MIDI and WAV, and supports Audiobus and background playback. MIDI export is the most useful path because you can drop the progression into Logic, Ableton, FL Studio or any sequencer and swap in your own instruments. Note that WAV audio export has historically been mono, so for stereo production the MIDI route is recommended.
Do I need to know music theory to use it?
No. You can browse more than 60 chord types by name, let Chordbot pick the smoothest inversion automatically, and use Song-O-Matic to generate a starting progression in pop, jazz or experimental styles. It is genuinely useful as a learning tool because you hear how chords move in context, but it does not require you to read notation or play an instrument.
What is Song-O-Matic?
Song-O-Matic is the built-in automatic song generator. You pick a profile such as pop, jazz or experimental and it produces a full chord progression with sections you can then edit. It is a fast way to break a blank-page block, after which you tweak chords, swap instruments and adjust the arrangement until it sounds like your own idea.
Who makes Chordbot?
Chordbot is developed by Contrasonic AB, an independent Swedish software studio. It has been on the App Store and Google Play for well over a decade, which is unusual longevity for a music utility. Updates are infrequent, but the core engine is stable and the developer responds to bug reports at the published support address.
What are the main limitations I should know about?
Honest trade-offs: WAV export is mono rather than stereo, updates are rare so newer feature requests can sit unanswered, the virtual instrument sounds are good but not on the level of professional sample libraries, and a small number of users have reported occasional crashes that lost unsaved work. Saving often and exporting MIDI to a DAW mitigates most of these.
How is Chordbot different from Suno or AI song generators?
Suno and similar tools generate finished audio, including vocals, from a text prompt. Chordbot does the opposite job well: it gives you precise, editable control over harmony and arrangement so you own every chord choice. If you want a song handed to you, use a generator. If you want a fast, controllable harmony sketchpad and practice band, Chordbot is the better fit.
Does Chordbot work offline and collect my data?
Chordbot works fully offline and requires no account to create and play music. According to the developer's store listing the app does not collect user data. As always, review the current privacy policy on the official site for the definitive and most recent statement before relying on this for sensitive use.