G Major Chord

G-B-D uses only white keys, yet it belongs to more than one major key. Listen to the chords around it before deciding whether G is home or a step along the way.

G is the root and names the chord. B is the major third, four semitones above the root. D is the fifth, seven semitones above it. To check the construction from another starting note, use Major Chord.

If the lowest note in the whole arrangement is B, the chord can be written G/B. If D is lowest, write G/D. A separate bass instrument may change the actual lowest note even when your right hand plays an inversion. Chord Inversions explains why that distinction matters.

G major is the home chord in G major. It is also the fourth chord in C major and the fifth chord in D major. The same three notes can therefore feel like a starting point, a move away, or a lead-in to another chord, depending on the surrounding harmony.

Try C-D-G on a piano and listen to the final G. For this simple progression, each symbol names a major chord. Diatonic Chords shows how a key gives chords those numbered roles.

Keep G and D; lower only B to B flat. The result is G-B flat-D. That is G minor. Alternate the two versions at the same volume. The changed third is more useful to hear than a vague label such as "happy" or "sad."

Find the root, add the major third and fifth, then play the first inversion. Name the key that moved from the bottom to the top. Repeat for the second inversion. The Piano Chords Chart helps you practice the same move from other roots.