Piano chords
C major chord
- Cdo
- Emi
- Gsol
Piano chord chart
Pick a chord to see it on the keyboard with fingering, its inversions, and its sound.
How piano chords work
What a chord is
A chord is three or more notes played together. Its name starts with the root, the note it's built on, and the rest of the symbol says which notes sit above it: C is C major, Cm is C minor, C7 adds a seventh.
Building major and minor chords
Count semitones up from the root, every key counting, black and white. Four then three makes a major chord; three then four makes a minor chord. From any root, the same count gives the right notes.
Seventh chords
Add one more note on top of a triad and you have a seventh chord. A major chord with a minor seventh is 7, with a major seventh is maj7, and a minor chord with a minor seventh is m7. These four-note chords fill most pop and jazz accompaniments.
Sus, diminished, and augmented chords
Sus4 and sus2 swap the third for the fourth or the second, so they sound open and waiting. Diminished stacks two minor thirds and sounds tense; augmented stacks two major thirds and sounds stretched. Each one usually leads to another chord.
Inversions
Move the lowest note up an octave and you have the first inversion; do it again for the second. The chord keeps its name, and choosing the inversion nearest the last chord keeps your hand from jumping.
Fingering
Fingers are numbered from the thumb, 1, to the little finger, 5, on both hands. For a three-note chord the right hand usually plays 1-3-5 and the left hand 5-3-1 from the lowest note; inversions change the middle finger so each hand stays relaxed.
Piano practice that remembers
The chords are just the start
Virtu listens to you play, catches the wrong notes, and has today's bars ready before you start
There's a metronome too
Online metronomeKeep your chord changes even, with accents and a speed trainerFrequently asked questions
Which piano chords should I learn first?
Start with C, F, G, and Am: the I, IV, V, and VIm chords of C major, which cover a huge number of songs. Then add their 7th chords and move to other keys.
How many chords are on this page?
108: nine kinds of chord on each of the 12 roots. Every one has its own page with the keyboard, both hands' fingering, every inversion, and its sound.
Why are some chords written with # and others with b?
C# and Db are the same key on the piano. Each chord here goes by the name scores use most for it, such as Db major and C# minor, and under either name you play the same keys.
What does the left hand play?
The same chord an octave or two lower, or just its root. Switch the keyboard to the left hand to see where it sits and which fingers to use.
How do I get faster at changing chords?
Practise two chords at a time, slowly, choosing the inversions that keep the most notes in place. When the change is even at a slow tempo, raise the metronome a little.