Piano chords

The C major chord on a piano keyboard, root position: C4 E4 G4The C major chord on a piano keyboard, 1st inversion: E4 G4 C5The C major chord on a piano keyboard, 2nd inversion: G3 C4 E4
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C major

Pick a root to see all its chords, or go straight to one. Each chord page shows the keys on a piano, the notes and intervals, every inversion and how to play it.

Root
C
Notes
C E G
Formula
1 3 5
Intervals
M3, P5
Quality
Major
Also written
CM, Cmaj
Inversions

C chords

Triads

Sixths and sevenths

Added-note and extended chords

Questions

How do I read the chord diagrams?
The coloured keys are the notes of the chord. Every key carries its name and octave (C4 is middle C), and each coloured key also shows its degree in the chord: 1 is the root, 3 the third, 5 the fifth, ♭7 the minor seventh.
What is a chord inversion?
An inversion plays the same notes with a different one at the bottom. In the first inversion the third is lowest, in the second the fifth, and in the third (for four-note chords) the seventh. Inversions keep your hand close when you move between chords.
Why C♯ minor but D♭ major?
Every black key has two names. Each chord is spelled the way that reads most simply: D♭ major is D♭ F A♭, while C♯ major would need an E♯. Every page also gives the other name, which uses the same keys.

The chord list follows pianochord.io by Enkai Ji, used under the MIT licence. Licence

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