Piano Chords - How to Play Every Chord on Piano

Major Piano Chords

Major piano chords are the most important chords for piano players to learn. They are extremely common, and found in almost all genres of music.

All major chords are simple triad chords, and formed in the exact same way as one another.

Start by playing the root note (sometimes called the "Tonic") of each chord, followed by the "Mediant" note four semitones above. Three semitones above that is the "Dominant" note, which is required to complete the chord.

Minor Piano Chords

Minor chords are as equally important as their Major counterpart. They have a somewhat sadder sound, and are formed in almost the exact same way as Major chords.

The only difference with a Minor chord is that the Mediant note is located three semitonies above the Tonic (rather than four). As with Major chords, the Dominant notes sits at the top, completing the chord stack.

Seventh Piano Chords

A Seventh piano chord, often found in many Jazz and Blues music, is usually written with the number 7 (for example, "C7"). They are sometimes referred to as a "leading chords", as they can be used to connect two different chords together.

Major Seventh Piano Chords

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Fifth Piano Chords

A Fifth piano chord is a very simple, two-note chord. It's made up of the root note, with a Dominant fifth note played above.

• C5 - C | G
• C#5 - C# | G#
• D5 - D | A
• Eb5 - Eb | Bb
• F5 - F | C
• F#5 - F# | C#
• G5 - G | D
• Ab5 - Ab | Eb
• A5 - A | E
• Bb5 - Bb | F
• B5 - B | F#

Sixth Piano Chords

To play a Sixth chord on piano, simply take a Major version of the chord and replace the Fifth note at the top of the stack with the Sixth.

• C6 - C | E | A
• C#6 - C# | F | A#
• D6 - D | | F# | B
• Eb6 - Eb | G | C
• F6 - F | A | D
• F#6 - F# | A# | D#
• G6 - G | B | E
• Ab6 - Ab | C | F
• A6 - A | C# | F#
• Bb6 - Bb | D | G
• B6 - B | D# | G#

Minor Sixth Piano Chords

A Minor Sixth piano chord is similar to a standard sixth, except that the middle note is dropped down a semi-tone.

• C6 - C | Eb | A
• C#6 - C# | E | A#
• D6 - D | | F | B
• Eb6 - Eb | Gb | C
• F6 - F | Ab | D
• F#6 - F# | A | D#
• G6 - G | Bb | E
• Ab6 - Ab | B | F
• A6 - A | C | F#
• Bb6 - Bb | Db | G
• B6 - B | D | G#

Suspended Second (sus2) Piano Chords

A Suspended Second (sus2) piano chord is made up of three notes, where the major or minor third note is replaced with the second note of the scale.

• Csus2 - C | D | G
• C#sus2 - C# | D# | G#
• Dsus2 - D | E | A
• Ebsus2 - Eb | F | Bb
• 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 Fourth (sus4) Piano Chords

A Suspended Fourth (sus4) piano chord is made up of three notes, where the major or minor third note is replaced with the second note of the scale.

• Csus4 - C | F | G
• C#sus4 - C# | F# | G#
• Dsus4 - D | G | A
• Ebsus4 - Eb | Ab | Bb
• 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#