Chord Master

{{Short description|Automated chording device for the ukulele}}

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Chord Master (also rendered Visual Chord Master, chordmaster) is the brand-name for a type of automated chording device produced for the ukulele. Competing products were sold under labels such as Noteless Player by Ferry & Co.{{cite journal|author=Hearst Magazines|title=Popular Mechanics|journal=Popular Mechanics Magazine|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=KNsDAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA46|date=October 1925|publisher=Hearst Magazines|pages=46–|issn=0032-4558}}{{cite book|title=Billboard|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=pE0EAAAAMBAJ&pg=PT6|date=2 December 1950|publisher=Nielsen Business Media, Inc.|pages=6–|issn=0006-2510}} These devices allowed a ukulele player to easily play chords simply by choosing the mechanical button on the device labeled for the desired chord, and depressing it, causing mechanical levers to fret each string at the proper place to compose a chord.{{cite book|author=Jim Beloff|title=The Ukulele: A Visual History|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=6oeHJJ72LCIC&pg=PA107|year=2003|publisher=Backbeat Books|isbn=978-0-87930-758-5|pages=107–}}

The popular Chordmaster was produced by luthier Mario Maccaferri (known for designing plastic ukuleles) and his affiliated French American Reeds Manufacturing company; both his instruments and chord device are desired collectors' items.{{cite book|author=Daniel Dixon|title=Ukulele: The World's Friendliest Instrument|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=bdZNkZ0kJ8IC&pg=PA121|year=2011|publisher=Gibbs Smith|isbn=978-1-4236-1812-6|pages=121–}}

The term Chordmaster was also used for a guitar chord reference application for the iPhone OS in 2009.{{cite web |url=http://smokinapps.com/app/chordmaster/iphone-a-nifty-navigation-tool-and-library-for-guitar-players/ |title=Chordmaster: A Nifty Navigation Tool And Library For Guitar Players |accessdate=2009-11-02 |last=Fox |first=Amanda |date=2009-09-22 |work=Smokin Apps |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090925153534/http://smokinapps.com/app/chordmaster/iphone-a-nifty-navigation-tool-and-library-for-guitar-players/ |archive-date=2009-09-25 |url-status=dead }}{{cite web|url=http://www.technewsworld.com/story/67059.html?wlc=1257127825 |title=Chordmaster Gets Pickers Grinnin', Strummers Smilin' |accessdate=2009-11-02 |last=Hartsock |first=Paul |date=2009-05-14 |work=MacNewsWorld }}{{cite web|url=http://www.gearwire.com/planetwaves-iphonechordmaster.html |title=Planet Waves Chord Master iPhone Application: Only Suckers Have Chordless Phones |accessdate=2009-11-02 |last=O'Malley |first=Owen |date=2009-04-27 |work=GearWire }} The application ranked #1 on the Apple App Store.{{cite web|url=http://www.l2pnet.com/node/352 |title=Chordmaster Ranks #1 On iTunes Music Apps |accessdate=2009-11-02 |date=2009-04-28 |work=L2Pnet }}