Beginner Piano Chords

These are the chords to start with: simple shapes in keys where most of the notes are white and the hand does not have to reach or reposition. Practise moving between them without looking before you worry about anything more elaborate.

54 chords carry this tag, across 6 chord types: major, minor, suspended 2nd, suspended 4th, power chord, dominant 7th. Each one has its notes spelled for that key, a fingering worked out from its own shape, a staff, and a keyboard you can hear it on.

Triads

Three notes. Every one of these is playable with one hand from day one, and between them they cover most of the music anybody starts out learning.

Major Chords

The most common chords in music. Major chords sound bright, happy, and resolved.

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

Minor Chords

Minor chords have a darker, sadder, and more contemplative sound than major chords.

Cm
C – Eb – G
C#m
C# – E – G#
Dm
D – F – A
Em
E – G – B
Fm
F – Ab – C
F#m
F# – A – C#
Gm
G – Bb – D
G#m
G# – B – D#
Am
A – C – E
Bbm
Bb – Db – F
Bm
B – D – F#

Suspended 2nd Chords

Suspended 2nd chords sound open and airy, great for ambient and modern pop.

Csus2
C – D – G
Dsus2
D – E – A
Esus2
E – F# – B
Fsus2
F – G – C
Gsus2
G – A – D
Asus2
A – B – E
Bbsus2
Bb – C – F

Suspended 4th Chords

Suspended 4th chords create expectation and are often resolved to a major chord.

Csus4
C – F – G
Dsus4
D – G – A
Esus4
E – A – B
Fsus4
F – Bb – C
Gsus4
G – C – D
Asus4
A – D – E
Bsus4
B – E – F#

Power Chord Chords

Power chords are root and fifth with no third, so they are neither major nor minor.

C5
C – G
Db5
Db – Ab
D5
D – A
Eb5
Eb – Bb
E5
E – B
F5
F – C
F#5
F# – C#
G5
G – D
Ab5
Ab – Eb
A5
A – E
Bb5
Bb – F
B5
B – F#

Seventh chords

A triad with a fourth note stacked on top. Sevenths are where harmony stops being just bright or dark and starts having a direction it wants to go.

Dominant 7th Chords

Dominant 7th chords add tension and are essential in blues, jazz, and rock music.

C7
C – E – G – Bb
D7
D – F# – A – C
E7
E – G# – B – D
F7
F – A – C – Eb
G7
G – B – D – F
A7
A – C# – E – G

Other tags

The same 288 chords, sorted a different way.

StylePop84Jazz192Blues36Rock48Classical72Gospel & Soul120Funk72Film Score96
MoodBright48Dark72Tense96Dreamy72
UseFirst Chords34Songwriting96Passing Chords36Two-Hand Chords108
LevelBeginner54Intermediate97Advanced137

Back to the full chord library for all 288 chords grouped by type.