Songwriting Piano Chords

These are the chords a song can be built from: stable enough to sit on for a whole bar, distinct enough from each other to make a loop feel like it is moving. Each page lists the named progressions the chord appears in and the key it does that job in.

96 chords carry this tag, across 8 chord types: major, minor, suspended 2nd, suspended 4th, dominant 7th, major 7th, minor 7th, add 9. 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
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
Ebm
Eb – Gb – Bb
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
Dbsus2
Db – Eb – Ab
Dsus2
D – E – A
Ebsus2
Eb – F – Bb
Esus2
E – F# – B
Fsus2
F – G – C
F#sus2
F# – G# – C#
Gsus2
G – A – D
Absus2
Ab – Bb – Eb
Asus2
A – B – E
Bbsus2
Bb – C – F
Bsus2
B – C# – F#

Suspended 4th Chords

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

Csus4
C – F – G
Dbsus4
Db – Gb – Ab
Dsus4
D – G – A
Ebsus4
Eb – Ab – Bb
Esus4
E – A – B
Fsus4
F – Bb – C
F#sus4
F# – B – C#
Gsus4
G – C – D
Absus4
Ab – Db – Eb
Asus4
A – D – E
Bbsus4
Bb – Eb – F
Bsus4
B – E – 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
Db7
Db – F – Ab – Cb
D7
D – F# – A – C
Eb7
Eb – G – Bb – Db
E7
E – G# – B – D
F7
F – A – C – Eb
F#7
F# – A# – C# – E
G7
G – B – D – F
Ab7
Ab – C – Eb – Gb
A7
A – C# – E – G
Bb7
Bb – D – F – Ab
B7
B – D# – F# – A

Major 7th Chords

Major 7th chords sound smooth and jazzy, common in bossa nova and R&B.

Cmaj7
C – E – G – B
Dbmaj7
Db – F – Ab – C
Dmaj7
D – F# – A – C#
Ebmaj7
Eb – G – Bb – D
Emaj7
E – G# – B – D#
Fmaj7
F – A – C – E
F#maj7
F# – A# – C# – E#
Gmaj7
G – B – D – F#
Abmaj7
Ab – C – Eb – G
Amaj7
A – C# – E – G#
Bbmaj7
Bb – D – F – A
Bmaj7
B – D# – F# – A#

Minor 7th Chords

Minor 7th chords blend sadness with sophistication. A staple of jazz and neo-soul.

Cm7
C – Eb – G – Bb
C#m7
C# – E – G# – B
Dm7
D – F – A – C
Ebm7
Eb – Gb – Bb – Db
Em7
E – G – B – D
Fm7
F – Ab – C – Eb
F#m7
F# – A – C# – E
Gm7
G – Bb – D – F
G#m7
G# – B – D# – F#
Am7
A – C – E – G
Bbm7
Bb – Db – F – Ab
Bm7
B – D – F# – A

Added-note chords

Triads with an extra colour note and no seventh. They stay consonant, which is why pop, gospel and film writing lean on them so hard.

Add 9 Chords

Add9 chords are bright and shimmering, a modern pop and worship music staple.

Cadd9
C – E – G – D
Dbadd9
Db – F – Ab – Eb
Dadd9
D – F# – A – E
Ebadd9
Eb – G – Bb – F
Eadd9
E – G# – B – F#
Fadd9
F – A – C – G
F#add9
F# – A# – C# – G#
Gadd9
G – B – D – A
Abadd9
Ab – C – Eb – Bb
Aadd9
A – C# – E – B
Bbadd9
Bb – D – F – C
Badd9
B – D# – F# – C#

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.