- BGG rating
- 7.5
Lord of the Chords: Who Let The Chords Out? – 1st Booster Pack: Advanced Chords
- 2–4 players
- 2019
- BGG rank
- BGG #24,050
- BGG rating
- 6.0
Lord of the Chords: The Geekiest, Punniest Music Theory Card Game
2019
Rules assistance for Lord of the Chords: The Geekiest, Punniest Music Theory Card Game
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 2–4 players
- 25–45 min
- 14+
- Complexity 3.0/5
For 2 players
Rules assistant for Lord of the Chords: The Geekiest, Punniest Music Theory Card Game
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Lord of the Chords: The Geekiest, Punniest Music Theory Card Game is a board game released in 2019 for 2–4 players, 25–45 minutes per game, and ages 14 and up. It was designed by Jonathan Ng, Phang Jun Yu, and Keith Teo and its main mechanics are Variable Player Powers, Take That, and Set Collection.
Expansions
- BGG rating
- 5.0
Lord of the Chords: Who Let The Chords Out? – 2nd Booster Pack: Composers
- 2–4 players
- 2019
- BGG rating
- 7.5
Lord of the Chords: Who Let The Chords Out? – 3rd Booster Pack: Modulation
- 2–4 players
- 2019
- BGG rating
- 6.3
Lord of the Chords: Who Let The Chords Out? – 4th Booster Pack: Essentials
- 2–4 players
- 2019
- BGG rating
- 6.2
Lord of the Chords: Who Let The Chords Out? – 5th Booster Pack: Conductor
- 2–4 players
- 2019
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About the game
Lord of the Chords is a classical music themed, card drafting set collection game for 2-4 players that has real music theory cleverly woven into its game mechanics. Prepare for augmented fun, major geeky learning, and diminished boredom! Players begin by choosing 1 of 13 musical instruments that grant variable player powers. To win the game, players must draft the right Note cards to their hands, according to the active Key Signature tile. Notes are then played to the field, and combined to form Chords. When a Chord that matches the current Key Signature is completed by a player, that Key Signature Tile is claimed! The first Player to collect 3 Key Signatures is the Bringer of Harmony, the Destroyer of Dissonance, the Lord of the Chords! On your turn, you first draft 3 cards, then make 3 moves. You may spend your moves by (1) playing a Note card, or (2) playing an Action card. Other ways to spend moves include: (A) Moving a Note card from one chord to another, (B) buying Accidental Tokens, or (C) spending 2 moves to draft 1 additional card. Note cards must be diatonic to be played, according to the active Key Signature. Action cards range from punny composer cards like “More-zart”, which allows you to draw 2 more cards, to powerful music theory concepts like “Major 7th Steal”, which allows you to turn the tables by stealing another player's hard earned Key Signature tile! Accidental Tokens make it easier to complete chords. They are placed on Note cards to raise or lower the note by a semitone/half step, depending on whether the sharp or flat side is facing up, respectively. Accidental tokens are bought by selling a dotted quarter note/dotted crotchet worth of Note cards. All cards are drafted from a pool of 6 cards, so memory, prediction and counter-strategizing are key to victory. Every play is noteworthy - you can't miss a beat! The player who most recently practiced music goes first, so go practice! —description from the designer
Categories
Designers
Publishers
- Lord of the Chords LLP
Questions and answers
Lord of the Chords: The Geekiest, Punniest Music Theory Card Game supports 2–4 players according to the catalogue. This range comes from the publisher’s listed player count, so the game can be set up for any group size within it. Some setups, rules and scoring details may still vary by player count, so check your edition’s rulebook for the exact configuration.
The listed playing time for Lord of the Chords: The Geekiest, Punniest Music Theory Card Game is 25–45 minutes. This is the publisher’s estimate for a full game. The actual duration depends on the group, the player count and familiarity with the rules: first sessions usually run longer, while experienced groups often finish faster. Setup and teaching time are not included in this estimate.
The catalogue lists Lord of the Chords: The Geekiest, Punniest Music Theory Card Game for ages 14 and up. This is the publisher’s recommendation and reflects reading demands, rule complexity and small components rather than theme alone. Younger players can often join with help from an adult, so check the age guidance on your edition and consider your group’s experience with board games.
Lord of the Chords: The Geekiest, Punniest Music Theory Card Game has a complexity rating of 3.0 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a medium-weight game. The rating reflects how much rules knowledge, planning and decision-making a typical game demands. Expect a longer first teach for heavier games, and use a preparation guide before game night.
Lord of the Chords: The Geekiest, Punniest Music Theory Card Game belongs to these categories: Card Game, Music, and Educational. Its main mechanics are Variable Player Powers, Take That, and Set Collection. Categories describe the theme and setting of a game, while mechanics describe what players actually do on their turns. Each mechanic links to a catalogue hub with similar games, which helps when you want something comparable.
The credited designers of Lord of the Chords: The Geekiest, Punniest Music Theory Card Game are: Jonathan Ng, Phang Jun Yu, and Keith Teo. These credits come from the published game data and name the people responsible for the game’s design, not its illustrators or publishers. Designer pages on MeepleRules collect other titles by the same designers, which helps when you enjoy a game and want to find similar ones.
The catalogue lists Lord of the Chords: The Geekiest, Punniest Music Theory Card Game as a base game. It can be played on its own with the components in the box and does not require any other title. Expansions, if any exist, add new content or rules on top of it and are listed separately in the catalogue with a link back to this base game.