G major chord
- Gsol
- Bti
- Dre
G chord notes
G major stacks a major third on its root and a minor third on top, four semitones and then three. It sounds bright and settled, and chord charts write it as G.
| Note | Interval from the root | Semitones |
|---|---|---|
| Gsol | Root1 | 0 |
| Bti | Major third3 | 4 |
| Dre | Perfect fifth5 | 7 |
G chord inversions
An inversion plays the same notes with a different one at the bottom. Using G's inversions keeps your hand close to the next chord, so you move less between chords.
Root position
G, B, D
- Right hand
- 1-3-5
- Left hand
- 5-3-1
First inversion
B, D, G
- Right hand
- 1-2-5
- Left hand
- 5-3-1
Second inversion
D, G, B
- Right hand
- 1-3-5
- Left hand
- 5-2-1
Keys that use G
In these major keys G is one of the key's own chords. The numeral beside each key is its place in that key, as chord charts write it.
- C majorV
- D majorIV
- G majorI
Piano practice that remembers
The chords are just the start
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There's a metronome too
Online metronomeKeep your chord changes even, with accents and a speed trainerFrequently asked questions
What notes are in the G chord?
G major (G) is G, B, D. In solfège that's sol, ti, re.
Which fingers play G?
In root position, the right hand plays 1-3-5 and the left hand 5-3-1, counting from the lowest note. The thumb is 1 and the little finger is 5.
Where does the G chord usually show up?
A major chord is the home chord of its own key and the IV and V of two neighbouring keys, so G turns up at the start and end of phrases and in almost every pop accompaniment.