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C Major Chord

C major is C, E and G. It is the home chord in C major, yet it also leads strongly into F. Its familiar open guitar grip makes it easy to compare those roles in a short loop.

  • Notes: C-E-G
  • Symbol: C
  • Home chord of C major
  • Leads to F
Switch chordC

How to play a C major chord

Notes: C - E - G · symbol C

  • Root position

    C - E - G
    C4C5
    Right hand 1-3-5 · Left 5-3-1

  • 1st inversion

    E - G - C
    C4C5
    Right hand 1-2-5 · Left 5-3-1

  • 2nd inversion

    G - C - E
    C4C5
    Right hand 1-3-5 · Left 5-2-1

Where does C major belong?

All three notes come from the C major scale, so C major is the home chord of that key.
Press play on the role cards to hear the same chord do different jobs elsewhere; Diatonic Chords explains the numbered roles.

  • In C majorHome
    I

    A song in C major keeps coming back to this chord.

    FIVGVCI
  • In F majorTension
    V

    It pulls back to F: E wants to rise one half step to F.

    FIBbIVCVFI
  • In G majorA step away
    IV

    A warm move away from G, softer than the V that follows.

    GICIVDVGI
  • In F minorMinor-key dominant
    V

    Harmonic minor raises the third to E, so Fm sounds truly finished.

    FmiBbmivCVFmi

Progressions to try

  • CFGC

    I-IV-V-I in C major lets G lead back to C.

  • CGAmF

    The I-V-vi-IV loop moves through A minor before F turns it around.

  • FBbCF

    C acts as V of F major, so the final F feels like an answer.

  • FmBbmCFm

    C is the major V in F minor; E natural leads into F.

Which shape should you use?

On guitar, The open x32010 fits beside other first-position chords. The x35553 barre at the 3rd fret gives a movable, more easily muted option.

On ukulele, 0003 uses three open strings. Choose 5433 when the neighboring chords are farther up the neck.

On piano, choose the first inversion when coming from the nearby chord F-A-C. Play C as E-G-C: C stays in place while F moves to E and A moves to G.

What are the inversions?

C is the root. E is the major third, four semitones above it; G is the fifth, seven semitones above it.

  • Root position: C-E-G, with C lowest.
  • First inversion: E-G-C, written C/E when E is the lowest note.
  • Second inversion: G-C-E, written C/G when G is the lowest note.

A separate bass instrument can change the lowest note even when the right hand plays an inversion. Chord Inversions explains what the slash tells the player.

How does C minor differ?

Keep C and G; lower only E to E flat. The result is C-E flat-G, the C minor chord. Use the comparer to hear that single change before judging the whole sound.

  • C

    C - E - G
    C4

    C major

  • Cm

    C - Eb - G
    C4

    C minor

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