Piano chords
Pick a root and a chord type to see it on the keyboard and hear it. Below is the full chart of chords in every key.
Formula: root + major 3rd + perfect 5th
Piano chord chart: all keys
Notes of the most common chord types in every key, root position.
| Root | major | minor | dominant 7th | major 7th | minor 7th | suspended 4th | diminished |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| C | C C E G | Cm C D♯ G | C7 C E G A♯ | Cmaj7 C E G B | Cm7 C D♯ G A♯ | Csus4 C F G | Cdim C D♯ F♯ |
| C♯/D♭ | D♭ D♭ F A♭ | D♭m D♭ E A♭ | D♭7 D♭ F A♭ B | D♭maj7 D♭ F A♭ C | D♭m7 D♭ E A♭ B | D♭sus4 D♭ G♭ A♭ | D♭dim D♭ E G |
| D | D D F♯ A | Dm D F A | D7 D F♯ A C | Dmaj7 D F♯ A C♯ | Dm7 D F A C | Dsus4 D G A | Ddim D F G♯ |
| E♭ | E♭ E♭ G B♭ | E♭m E♭ G♭ B♭ | E♭7 E♭ G B♭ D♭ | E♭maj7 E♭ G B♭ D | E♭m7 E♭ G♭ B♭ D♭ | E♭sus4 E♭ A♭ B♭ | E♭dim E♭ G♭ A |
| E | E E G♯ B | Em E G B | E7 E G♯ B D | Emaj7 E G♯ B D♯ | Em7 E G B D | Esus4 E A B | Edim E G A♯ |
| F | F F A C | Fm F A♭ C | F7 F A C E♭ | Fmaj7 F A C E | Fm7 F A♭ C E♭ | Fsus4 F B♭ C | Fdim F A♭ B |
| F♯/G♭ | G♭ G♭ B♭ D♭ | G♭m G♭ A D♭ | G♭7 G♭ B♭ D♭ E | G♭maj7 G♭ B♭ D♭ F | G♭m7 G♭ A D♭ E | G♭sus4 G♭ B D♭ | G♭dim G♭ A C |
| G | G G B D | Gm G A♯ D | G7 G B D F | Gmaj7 G B D F♯ | Gm7 G A♯ D F | Gsus4 G C D | Gdim G A♯ C♯ |
| A♭ | A♭ A♭ C E♭ | A♭m A♭ B E♭ | A♭7 A♭ C E♭ G♭ | A♭maj7 A♭ C E♭ G | A♭m7 A♭ B E♭ G♭ | A♭sus4 A♭ D♭ E♭ | A♭dim A♭ B D |
| A | A A C♯ E | Am A C E | A7 A C♯ E G | Amaj7 A C♯ E G♯ | Am7 A C E G | Asus4 A D E | Adim A C D♯ |
| B♭ | B♭ B♭ D F | B♭m B♭ D♭ F | B♭7 B♭ D F A♭ | B♭maj7 B♭ D F A | B♭m7 B♭ D♭ F A♭ | B♭sus4 B♭ E♭ F | B♭dim B♭ D♭ E |
| B | B B D♯ F♯ | Bm B D F♯ | B7 B D♯ F♯ A | Bmaj7 B D♯ F♯ A♯ | Bm7 B D F♯ A | Bsus4 B E F♯ | Bdim B D F |
How chords are built
Almost every chord is a stack of thirds. Count semitones (every key, black or white) up from the root: major is 0–4–7, minor is 0–3–7. The only difference is the middle note, one key lower for minor, which is why minor sounds darker.
Seventh chords add a fourth note: a minor 7th (10 semitones) for a dominant 7 like G7, or a major 7th (11) for the softer Cmaj7. Sus chords swap the third for the 2nd or 4th, leaving an open, unresolved sound. Diminished (0–3–6) and augmented (0–4–8) are the tense in-between chords.
Want to go the other way and name a chord from notes you’re holding? Use the chord finder. See the stacking in action in the music theory guide.
Questions
How do you build a chord on the piano?
Start on the root, then stack notes a third apart. A major chord is root + 4 semitones + 3 more (C–E–G). A minor chord is root + 3 + 4 (C–E♭–G). Seventh chords add one more third on top.
What are the easiest piano chords for beginners?
C, F, G, A minor, D minor and E minor use only white keys. With just C, G, A minor and F you can play hundreds of pop songs.
What is a chord inversion?
The same notes with a different note on the bottom. C major in root position is C–E–G; first inversion is E–G–C; second inversion is G–C–E. Inversions let your hand move less between chords.
Which fingers should I use?
For three-note chords in the right hand, use thumb (1), middle (3) and little finger (5). In the left hand, use 5–3–1 from the bottom up.