Practice studio for guitarists

Know the neck
Own the improv

A toolbox of practice instruments designed to help you internalise the shapes, sounds, and patterns across the fretboard — so when it's time to improvise, you're navigating, not guessing.

Learn the fretboard

Fret Maps

Explore the fretboard through two equally important lenses — CAGED positions and triad inversions. Pick any key and step through layered views of chord shapes, scales, pentatonics, and arpeggios, then see how triad voicings map independently across string sets. Each layer builds on the last so you can see how everything connects. A visual reference for building a complete mental map of the neck.

Visual reference

Chord Library

Browse practical, playable voicings for any chord type — major, minor, sevenths, extended, sus, add, diminished, and augmented. Each voicing is shown on the fretboard with interval labels so you can see the harmonic structure. Voicings are ranked by playability with unnecessary notes trimmed for compact, real-world shapes.

Chord reference

Note Navigator

A dot appears at a random position on the fretboard and you identify which note it is. This drills the fundamental skill of knowing where every note lives across all six strings — the foundation that lets you target chord tones, land on the right notes, and navigate the neck with confidence while improvising.

Fretboard knowledge

Interval Identifier

With a scale overlaid on the fretboard, a note lights up and you identify its interval — root, third, fifth, and so on. This trains you to see scale shapes in terms of their intervals rather than just note names, so when you're improvising you instinctively know which degree you're reaching for and what it will sound like over the chord.

Interval mapping
Put it to work

Triad Trainer

Random chord names flash on screen at a pace you control. Your job is to find and play each shape before the next one appears. This builds the muscle memory and instant recall you need to switch chords fluidly during improvisation — no more freezing when a progression throws you a curveball.

Chord fluency

Target Tones

A backing track plays a chord progression, and as each chord changes the fretboard highlights its chord tones — root, 3rd, 5th, and 7th. Your job is to improvise freely but land on a target tone at each chord change. Escalate the difficulty from full chord tones visible, to guide tones only, to no help at all. This is the direct bridge between knowing the fretboard and actually playing the changes.

Play the changes

Track Builder

Create or generate chord progressions and play them back with a full backing track — drums, bass, and rhythm guitar. Use it to practise soloing over real harmonic movement, test how different chord sequences feel, or just jam along to something you've built from scratch.

Jam & compose

Ear Exerciser

A chord progression plays and your job is to identify what you hear — first the key, then each chord in turn. This trains the most important skill in improvisation: listening. When you can hear a I–IV–V before anyone tells you, you stop reacting and start anticipating, which means your note choices land in the right places every time.

Ear training
Always available
E

Tuner

Uses your microphone for real-time pitch detection. Open it from the floating button in the bottom-left corner to tune up before a session.

Metronome

Accessible from any page via the floating button in the bottom-right corner. Keep steady time while you practise with any of the tools above.

How the tools fit together

A path from knowing the neck to owning the improv

Improvising on the guitar is a stack of skills, and the tools here are arranged to build that stack from the ground up. You start by learning the fretboard: the Fretboard Explorer maps out CAGED positions, scales, pentatonics, arpeggios and triad inversions in any key, while the Note Navigator and Interval Identifier drill the raw recall of where every note and interval lives across all six strings.

From there you put it to work. The Chord Library and Triad Trainer turn that knowledge into playable shapes and fast, reliable chord changes. Target Tones is the bridge to soloing: a backing track loops a progression and you practise landing on chord tones as each chord arrives — the classic exercise of playing the changes.

The Track Builder gives you an endless supply of chord progressions and full backing tracks to improvise over, and the Ear Exerciser trains the listening skill that ties everything together — hearing the key and the chords by sound so your note choices anticipate the music instead of chasing it. A built-in tuner and metronome are available on every page.

Frequently asked questions

Is The Improv Box free to use?

Yes. Every tool on The Improv Box is completely free to use in your web browser, with no account or sign-up required.

Do I need to install anything?

No. The Improv Box runs entirely in your browser on desktop, tablet, or phone — there is nothing to download or install.

What can I practise with The Improv Box?

You can learn notes across the fretboard, explore CAGED positions, scales, arpeggios and triad inversions, browse chord voicings, train your ear, build chord progressions with backing tracks, and practise playing the changes by targeting chord tones.

Will these tools help me improvise?

Yes — that is their purpose. The tools build from fretboard knowledge and ear training up to soloing over real chord progressions, so you learn to navigate the neck and target the right notes instead of guessing.

Chord Library

How to use Chord Library

A reference catalogue of chord voicings across the fretboard. Browse every common chord type by key, step through alternate voicings, and switch between interval and fingering views — your go-to dictionary for finding the right shape in the right place.
1
Pick a key
Select a root note from the Key dropdown. All chord voicings update instantly to that key.
2
Select a chord type
The Chord types panel lists every chord grouped by category — triads, sevenths, extensions, suspensions, and more. Tap any chord type (maj7, min9, sus4…) to display the first voicing on the fretboard.
3
Choose your view
Use the Display toggle to switch between Intervals (R, 3, 5, 7… — the harmonic function of each note) and Fingerings (1–4 — which finger plays which note). Intervals for understanding the chord; fingerings for learning to play it.
4
Step through voicings
Use the arrow buttons below the fretboard to cycle through alternate voicings for the same chord. The counter shows your position in the list, and voicings are ordered by playability — the most practical shapes appear first.
Practice tip
Pick one chord type and step through every voicing with your guitar in hand. Play each one and listen for the differences in colour and register — open vs barre, low vs high, close vs spread. Building familiarity with multiple voicings is what lets you choose the right one for any musical situation.
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
Voicing 1 of 1
Key
Display
Chord types

How to use Triad Trainer

A randomised chord drill for building fast, reliable chord changes. Set an interval, pick which chord qualities to include, and the trainer calls out chords at your chosen pace — your job is to play each one before the next appears.
1
Set the interval
Use the interval slider to choose how many seconds you get between chord changes. Start generous (8–10s) and shorten as your transitions get cleaner.
2
Choose chord types
Tick the chord types you want to drill — major, minor, dom7, maj7, min7, and more. Start narrow (just major and minor) and broaden as you go.
3
Pick accidentals
Choose Sharps / Flats for the full chromatic range, or restrict to Sharps or Flats only. Useful for focusing on keys you find harder, or for matching the convention of the music you're working on.
4
Optional voice callouts
Toggle Callout chord changes on to have each chord spoken aloud. Great for eyes-off practice — keep your eyes on the fretboard and let your ears tell you what to play next.
5
Press Start
Hit Start and play each chord as it appears. The progress strip shows time remaining for the current chord; the session timer tracks your total practice. Use Stop when you're done.
Practice tip
Pair this with the floating metronome for groove-locked chord-change drills. Start with a slow interval and prioritise hitting the first beat cleanly each time, even if the change isn't perfect. Speed and clean transitions come naturally once you've drilled the muscle memory of finding any chord from any other chord.
Triad Trainer
—
Press start to begin
0:00
Interval
5s
Callout chord changes
Callout chord changes
Present accidentals
Present accidentals
Chord types
Accidentals
Sharps / Flats
Sharps
Flats
Note Navigator

How to use Note Navigator

A focused drill for learning the names of every note on every fret. The trainer highlights a position on the fretboard and asks you to name it — the goal is instant recall, anywhere on the neck, with no hesitation.
1
Choose your strings
Use the string toggles to pick which strings to drill. Start with just one string at a time — the low E is the classic starting point — and expand once each string is solid.
2
Set the fret range
Use the Low and High sliders to narrow the range of frets in play. Frets 0–12 cover the full octave; restricting to 0–5 or 5–12 makes practice more focused and progressive.
3
Pick accidentals
Choose Sharps / Flats for chromatic notes, or restrict to Sharps or Flats only. Helpful if you want to internalise enharmonic equivalents one convention at a time.
4
Press Start and answer
A dot lights up on the fretboard. Tap the note button below that matches it. Right answers advance immediately; wrong answers show the correct note before moving on.
5
Track your progress
The Session panel tracks your Correct count, Accuracy, and Streak. Use Skip if you're stuck and want to keep moving, or Stop to end the session.
Practice tip
Short, frequent sessions beat long, occasional ones. Five minutes a day on one string is more effective than a half-hour binge once a week. As you improve, narrow the fret range to the spots you're slowest on and grind those alone — accuracy plateaus disappear fast when you isolate the weak link.
Session
0
Correct
—
Accuracy
0
Streak
0:00
Time
String and fret selection
Low 0
High 12
Accidentals
Sharps / Flats
Sharps
Flats

Guitar Interval Trainer

Learn to read intervals on the fretboard by sight — identify the distance from the root for any note in a scale and recognise shapes by their function.

Interval Identifier

How to use Interval Identifier

A drill for recognising intervals by sight on the fretboard. Pick a key and scale; the trainer highlights a root and a target note, and asks you to name the interval between them. The goal is to read distances on the neck like you read chord shapes.
1
Pick a key and scale
Choose a root note and a scale — Major, Natural Minor, the pentatonics, Blues, Dorian, or Mixolydian. The trainer pulls target notes from inside the chosen scale.
2
Set the fret range
Use the Low and High sliders to limit which area of the neck to drill. Narrower ranges are easier; wider ranges force you to read intervals across position shifts.
3
Read the dots
The orange root shows the reference note. The red target is the note you're identifying. The other coloured dots show the surrounding scale notes for context.
4
Press Start and answer
Tap the interval button matching the distance from root to target (R, m2, M2, m3, M3, P4, TT, P5, m6, M6, m7, M7). Right answers advance; wrong answers show the correct interval before moving on.
5
Track your progress
The Session panel tracks Correct, Accuracy, and Streak. Use Skip if you want to move on, or Stop to end the session.
Practice tip
Try to identify the interval by shape first — the spatial relationship between the two dots on the neck — before counting frets. Octaves, fifths, and thirds have visual signatures that become instant once you've drilled them enough. The faster you read intervals, the faster you can transpose, harmonise, and improvise.
Root
Scale note
Target note
Session
0
Correct
—
Accuracy
0
Streak
0:00
Time
Fret range
Low 0
High 12
Key & scale
Fret Maps

How to use Fret Maps

A visual, layered reference for building a complete mental map of the fretboard. Explore how chord shapes, scales, arpeggios, and triad inversions connect across the neck in any key.
1
Choose a key and mode
Select a root note and a mode — Major, Minor, or Dom7. Everything on the board updates to reflect your selection.
2
Pick a CAGED position
Each button (C, A, G, E, D) isolates a region of the neck based on the CAGED system. Hit All to see every position at once and watch how the shapes tessellate across the full fretboard.
3
Step through the layers
Use the step pills along the bottom to build up information progressively:
Chord → the basic shape
Scale → full scale overlay
Pentatonic → the five essential notes
Arpeggio → chord tones only
Arpeggio7 → with the 7th
Triads → triad inversions by string set
4
Explore triad inversions
On the Triads step, the position selector switches to string sets (E–A–D, A–D–G, etc.). This maps every inversion — root, 1st, and 2nd — across the fretboard for that group of three strings. These are the building blocks of chord-tone soloing.
5
Read the dots
Each dot shows an interval label (R, 3, 5, 7…) so you see harmonic function, not just note names. Roots glow brighter with an R marker. Hollow outline dots are context notes from outside the current layer to help you stay oriented.
Practice tip
Pick one position and step through each layer with your guitar in hand — play the shapes as they appear. Once you can see and feel how the chord, scale, and arpeggio overlap in that position, move to the next. Over time you'll build an interconnected map rather than isolated boxes.
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
Key & Mode
C
CAGED Position
Target Tones

How to use Target Tones

The classic “play the changes” exercise. A backing track loops a chord progression, and the fretboard highlights target tones for each chord as it changes. Improvise freely but resolve to a highlighted tone at each chord change.
1
Build your progression
Use Place a Chord to add chords bar by bar. Use + / − to resize. Click a filled bar to clear it.
2
Choose what to show
Chord-based views target the chord directly: Chord Tones (R–3–5 + 7th), Guide Tones (3rd & 7th), or Roots. Scale-based views show a whole scale — Pentatonic, Blues, or Full Scale (auto-matched to each chord) — with the chord tones lit up as targets and the rest of the scale dimmed. Ears Only hides everything.
3
Press Play and improvise
The progression loops and the fretboard updates in real time. Land on a target tone as each new chord arrives.
Practice tip
Don’t just play the target tone — resolve to it. Approach from a half-step above or below, bend into it, slide into it. Once you can do this over a ii–V–I, try a 12-bar blues.
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
Progression
4 bars
Place a Chord
Show on Fretboard
Chord
Chord Tones
Guide Tones
Roots
Scale
Pentatonic
Blues
Full Scale
Ears
No Help
Targets: R · 3 · 5 · (7)
Tempo 80 BPM
Groove
Low 0
High 18
Mode
Major
Minor
Both
Keys
Natural
Accidentals
Both
Session
0
Correct
—
Accuracy
0
Streak
Ear Exerciser

How to use Ear Exerciser

A three-step ear training drill. Listen to a randomly generated chord progression, identify what key it's in, then name each chord by its diatonic function. The goal is to train your ears to hear harmony in context, not just isolated chords.
1
Set your difficulty
Pick a mode — Major, Minor, or Both — to set the tonality of the progressions. Choose your keys pool — Natural keys only, Accidentals only, or Both. Start narrow and expand as your ears sharpen.
2
Press Play and listen
Hit Play to hear the progression. Listen for the tonic — the note that feels like home. Use the tempo slider to slow it down if you need more time, and replay as often as you like.
3
Step 2 — Pick the key
Choose the key you think you heard. Once locked, the diatonic chord palette unlocks for the next step. If you're stuck, replay and listen for the resolution.
4
Step 3 — Name the chords
Drag chord buttons from the diatonic palette into each bar of the progression. The palette only shows chords that belong to your chosen key. Hit Submit to check your answer.
5
Review and continue
After submitting, the correct chords are shown. Hit Next for a fresh progression. Use Give up if you want the answer revealed without scoring. The Session panel tracks your accuracy over time.
Practice tip
Don't just guess the chord — listen for the function. The I chord feels like rest; the V chord feels like tension; the IV chord feels like a step away from home. Once you can hear the functions, you can transpose any progression to any key by ear, which is the foundation of playing along with anything you hear.
Tempo 80 BPM
Groove
Step 2 · Pick the key
Step 3 · Name the chords
Place a Chord
Generate Random Progression
Load Classic Progression
4 bars
Track Builder

How to use Track Builder

A chord progression builder and backing track player. Place chords by hand, generate random progressions in any key, or load classic progressions from popular styles — then loop the result and improvise over it.
1
Place a chord manually
In the Place a Chord card, choose a root, quality (Major, Minor, Dom7, Maj7, Min7, Sus2, Sus4, Diminished, Augmented), and duration (1, 2, or 4 bars). Then drag or tap into a bar slot in the grid.
2
Generate a random progression
In Generate Random Progression, pick a key, a scale, and a style (Pop, Blues, Jazz, Folk, or Random). Hit Generate and a fresh progression fills the grid. Generate again for endless variations.
3
Load a classic progression
Use Load Classic Progression to drop in a well-known progression (12-bar blues, ii–V–I, doo-wop, and more) in any key. Perfect starting points for improvisation practice.
4
Edit the grid
Use the + / − controls above the grid to add or remove bars. Tap an existing chord to replace or remove it. Use Clear in the playback bar to start fresh.
5
Play and loop
Set the tempo with the slider, then hit Play. The progression loops continuously, giving you an endless backing track to solo over. Hit Play again to stop.
Practice tip
This is where the rest of the site comes together. Generate a progression in a key, then open Fret Maps in the same key to see the scales and arpeggios you can use, or open the Scale Explorer to study the relevant mode. Loop the progression and improvise — start with the pentatonic, then layer in chord tones, then full scales. Building improvisation skill is mostly about putting in hours over backing tracks like these.
Tempo 90 BPM
Groove