Basic Piano Chords

C, F and G are a useful first set in the key of C major. You can play a short sequence with them before learning every chord on the keyboard. Play C for four slow beats, F for four and G for four; then return to C. The return gives your ear an ending to compare with stopping on G.

These are starting points, not a list of chords that every song must use. Another key calls for another set of notes. For now, staying with C major makes the keyboard easy to read while you learn the movement between shapes.

If the idea of a root or a triad is new, What Is a Chord? builds one note by note. You can return to the sequence afterward.

Use the root buttons above to hear each chord and see its notes. A plain capital letter in a chord symbol means a major chord, so "F" asks for F major. Try the notes together on a piano if you have one. On the browser keyboard, you can click each highlighted note to hear it separately.

Notice that C and F share a C, while C and G share a G. Those shared notes can help you find a comfortable way to move between chords. You do not have to lift every finger and jump to a new hand shape each time.

A minor uses A-C-E. All three notes are white keys, and C plus E are already in your C major chord. Play C-E-G, then A-C-E. The G has gone, A has arrived, and the order of the notes has changed. Listen to that change before deciding how you would describe the mood.

D minor is D-F-A. E minor is E-G-B. You can add either after C, F, G and A minor feel familiar. The small "m" tells you the chord is minor: Am, Dm and Em. The letter before it still tells you the root.

To build a minor chord from any root, use the method in Minor Chord. The names of the six chords here are enough to get started; you do not need to memorize all twelve roots today.

First play each chord separately at a slow, steady pace. Say its name as you press the notes. Then try C-F-G-C, allowing one beat to find the next shape if needed. Keeping a consistent pulse matters more than playing quickly.

Next try C-G-Am-F. The A minor chord introduces the first minor sound, while the other three use major chords you already know. Play each chord once, then repeat the sequence. If a change feels awkward, pause at that boundary and practice just those two chords.

You can keep the notes close together by changing their order. For example, F-A-C has the same chord notes as C-F-A. Putting C at the bottom of that F chord keeps one finger near C major. That is an inversion, and the chord is still F major. Start with the simple shapes above; use inversions when you want smoother movement.

On an instrument, use your right hand for the three chord notes. Count four beats aloud for each chord.