Learn Piano Chords

Learning piano chords is not at all hard. When you grasp the fundamentals, you will realise how silly it was to believe that it’s a irksome thing to study. Chords are merely combinations of two or more notes from a given scale.

There’s actually a formula that is true for all the 12 major scales. You do not even have to consult a chord chart to recognise it, you simply apply the approach pattern. Do you remember the C major scale? Once again the approach pattern is in the sequence: whole-whole-half-whole-whole-whole-half or if you feel its easier to count the keys (black and white included) 2-2-1-2-2-2-1. So for the C major scale, they are C-D-E-F-G-A-B-C.

It is now time to apply this knowledge from the chord. We shall concentrate on the triad which is the easiest and most frequently used piano chord. The word triad just means three, therefore for this type of chord you will be only be using three notes from the major scale. The major triad uses the first, third and fifth note of the major scale. The first being the root, the major third and the perfect fifth. So for the C major chord the notes or tones are C, E, and G. The chord can be written as CM or simply C. For F with the scale: F-G-A-Bb-C-D-Eb-F the F chord the notes are F-A-C.

Use the thumb for the first note, the middle finger for the third and the pinky for the fifth. It is even easier to memorise piano chords for the minor triads. Are you prepared? Just bring down the third note one half step or just one key on the board and it becomes a minor triad. Mino triad chords are then 1st, b3rd, and 5th note or tones of the major scale. This means the Cm chord is composed of C-Eb-G and Fm is F-Ab or G#-A.