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How to Play Major Chords on a Keyboard

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Chords are some of the most basic and important things for a pianist to know. Memorizing them makes playing music much easier, and isn't that difficult. While there are also minor chords, this article simply discusses the 12 major chords.

Steps

1. Understand what a major chord is -- a fifth and a major third from the tonic (first note) of the scale, that the chord is named after. If you understand that, you may not even need a reference.
   
2. Practice the following chords. They are the major ones on the piano. Notice that you will only use fingers 1,3 and 5 (thumb, middle, pinky) to play the three notes of each chord. Your index and ring fingers may rest on, but not press down any keys.
   
   • Notice that your fingers advance one step (one key) up the keyboard each time you change chords.
     
   • A: A, C#/Db, E
     
   • A#/Bb: Bb, D, F
     
   • B: B, D#/Eb, F#/Gb
     
   • C: C, E, G
     
   • C#/Db: C#/Db, F, G#/Ab
     
   • D: D, F#/Gb, A
     
   • D#/Eb: D#/Eb, G, A#/Bb
     
   • E: E, G#/Ab, B
     
   • F: F, A, C
     
   • F#/Gb: F#/Gb, A#/Bb, C#/Db
     
   • G: G, B, D
     
   • G#/Ab: G#/Ab, C, D#/Eb
     
   
   
3. Construct a major chord in any key. Start with the first note of the scale, called the tonic in music theory. Find the major third by proceeding up four half-steps. Find the fifth (also called the dominant) by counting seven half-steps up from the tonic.
   
4. Practice playing all the notes together. Then practice playing arpeggios, where each note is struck in sequence from lowest to highest.
   
5. Practice playing the major chords in different inversions. Inversions of a chord use the same notes, but place a different note in the bass. For example, a C major chord is C, E, G. The first inversion of the C-major chord is E, G, C. The second inversion is G, C, E.[1]
   

Tips

• Listen to the chords as you play them. Regardless of the key, they all have the same relationship between the notes, so they should sound similar. If what you are playing doesn't sound like a major chord, check your notes.
  
• A flat is one half step (key) lower than the given note.
  
• A sharp is one half step (key) higher than the given note.
  
• All flats and sharps are played on the black keys between the white keys on the piano. The one to the right of a given note is sharp, and the one to the left is flat. Exceptions to this rule are notes like B#, which is the same note as C.
  

Warnings

• It may not sound so great at the beginning but you will get better. Don't give up!
  

Related wikiHows

• How to Play the Piano
  
• How to Play Jazz Piano
  
• How to Teach Yourself to Play the Piano
  
• How to Read Music
  

Sources and Citations

1. ↑ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inversion_(music)

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