The Cello Chords Tool was created to give cellists something that guitarists, banjo players, ukulele players and other chordal instrumentalists have long relied on: a simple visual system of chord shapes.

Rather than writing out every note of every chord from scratch, users can enter notes into a clear cello fingerboard grid, create a chord shape, save it, and build a growing library of reusable chord fingerings.

The result is a practical reference that makes it possible to create virtually every playable cello chord with clear layouts and multiple fingering options where appropriate.

The project grew from Ilse’s experience performing in Irish sessions, where the cello can provide both melodic lines and rhythmic harmonic accompaniment. It also reflects her work with jazz, where complex chord structures, alternative voicings and voice leading need to be clearly understood and visualised.

Building on the ideas explored throughout her publications, the tool encourages practical chord playing, stable left-hand positions and cello-friendly voicings that work in real musical situations across a wide range of musical styles.

Developed in collaboration with ScoringWorld, the Cello Chords Tool provides an organised, visual approach to creating, storing and using cello chord shapes. It is designed for performers, arrangers, composers, teachers and students who want a practical way to explore and notate chordal playing on the cello with the same ease that chord diagrams have brought to other string instruments.