How to Play C on Piano

The C Major chord sounds bright and resolved. It stacks 3 notes: C – E – G.

A root, a major third and a perfect fifth — the chord every other chord is measured against.

Notes in C

NoteIntervalFinger
CC4Root1
EE4Major 3rd3
GG4Perfect 5th5

How to Play

Right Hand

Place your thumb (finger 1) on C. Use finger 3 on E and finger 5 on G.

Where it sits

Every note of this chord is a white key, which makes it one of the easier shapes to find without looking.

Press all 3 keys at the same time. Keep your wrist relaxed and your fingers curved. The blue dots on the piano below show exactly which keys to press — they turn green when you play the right note.

Other Major Chords

Db
Db – F – Ab
D
D – F# – A
Eb
Eb – G – Bb
E
E – G# – B
F
F – A – C
F#
F# – A# – C#
G
G – B – D
Ab
Ab – C – Eb
A
A – C# – E
Bb
Bb – D – F
B
B – D# – F#

Other C Chords

C6
C – E – G – A
C7
C – E – G – Bb
C9
C – E – G – Bb – D
Cm
C – Eb – G
Cmaj7
C – E – G – B
Cm7
C – Eb – G – Bb
Cdim
C – Eb – Gb
Caug
C – E – G#
Csus2
C – D – G
Csus4
C – F – G
Cdim7
C – Eb – Gb – Bbb
Cm6
C – Eb – G – A
Cadd9
C – E – G – D