How to Play Major Chords on the Keyboard

2024 Author: Samantha Chapman | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 09:13

The chords make the music interesting and give it personality. They are fundamental and important elements that a pianist needs to know, and they are very easy to learn! You just need to learn a few simple rules and practice a little. Here are the rules, we leave only the training to you!

Steps

Part 1 of 3: Understanding the Major Chords

Step 1. Understand what a major chord is

A chord is made up of three or more notes. Complex chords are made up of multiple notes, but you will need at least three.

The chords analyzed in this article consist of three notes: the root, or root of the chord, the third and fifth

Step 2. Find the tonic of the chord

Each major chord is "built" on its root, called tonic. This is the note that gives the chord its name and is also the lowest.

• In the C major chord, the note C is the root note and is the basic one.
• The root is played with the thumb of the right hand or the little finger of the left.

Step 3. Find the third

The second note of a major chord is called the "third" and is the one that confers the characteristic of the sound; is four semitones higher than the root. It's called third because, when you play the scale in this clef, it's the third fret you hit.

• For the chord of C major, E is the third. It is located four semitones from C. You can count them on your piano (C #, D, D #, Mi).
• You have to play the third with the middle finger regardless of which hand you are using.
• Try playing the root and third together, so you understand how two notes separated by four semitones blend together.

Step 4. Find the fifth

This is the highest note in a major chord and is called a fifth because, in the scale, it is the fifth you play. This is the note that completes and closes the agreement. It is seven semitones above the root.

• In the C major chord, G is the fifth. You can count the seven semitones from the root on the piano keyboard (C #, D, D #, Mi, Fa, F #, G).
• You must play the fifth with the little finger of the right hand or with the thumb of the left.

Step 5. There are at least two ways to indicate a note

They can all be written in two ways, for example Eb and D # indicate the same sound. So an Eb major chord has the same sound as the D # major chord.

• The Eb, G and Bb notes create the Eb chord. The notes D #, F and A # create the D # Major chord that sounds exactly like that of Eb Major.
• The two chords are called enharmonic equivalents because they emit the same sound but are spelled differently.
• In this article we will describe some of the most common enharmonic equivalents, but as far as the major major chords are concerned, we will limit ourselves to the most used notation.

Step 6. Review the correct hand position

To play the piano well you must constantly maintain a precise hand position, even if you are just practicing.

• Keep your fingers up and curved well apart, each on a fret. Maintain the natural curvature of the fingers.
• Use the weight of your arms and not the strength of your fingers to press the keys.
• Play with your fingertips without neglecting the little finger and thumb which tend to lean completely on the keys if you don't pay attention.
• Keep your nails short so you can use the tips of your fingertips.

Part 2 of 3: Learning the Major Chords

Step 1. Use three fingers

Remember that to play the three notes of each chord you need fingers number 1, 3 and 5 (thumb, middle and little finger). The index and ring finger can lean on the respective keys without pressing them.

Each time you change chords, your fingers move up one fret

Step 2. Play the C major chord

In this case you have to play three notes: Do, E and G; C is the root (0), E is the third (4 semitones higher than the root) and G is the fifth (7 semitones higher than the root).

• The position of the fingers for the right hand foresees the thumb on C, the middle finger on E and the little finger on G.

  

• The position of the fingers for the left hand foresees the little finger on C, the middle finger on E and the thumb on G.

  

Step 3. Play a Reb Major chord

The three notes involved are the Reb, the Fa and the Lab. Remember the Reb is the root (0), the Fa is the third (four semitones above the root) and the Lab is the fifth (seven semitones above the root). The enharmonic equivalent of this chord is the C # Major. Note that the Reb can also be indicated with the C # notation. The Fa can also be written as Mi #. The Lab can be referred to as G #. The sound will be the same regardless of whether it is referred to as D Major or C # Major.

• The fingering for the right hand is: thumb on the Reb, middle finger on the F and little finger on the Lab.

  

• The fingering for the left hand is: little finger on the Reb, middle finger on the F and thumb on the Lab.

  

Step 4. Play the D major

The three notes involved are D, F # and A. Remember that D is the root (0), F # is the third (4 semitones) and A is the fifth (7 semitones).

• The right hand should be placed with the thumb on D, the middle finger on F # and the little finger on A.

  

• The left hand should be placed with the little finger on D, the middle finger on F # and the thumb on A.

  

Step 5. Eb Major

This chord is made up of Eb, G and Bb. The Eb is the root (0), the G is the third (4 semitones) and the Bb is the fifth (7 semitones).

• The fingering for the right hand is: thumb for Eb, middle finger for G and little finger for Bb.

  

• The fingering for the left hand is: little finger for Eb, middle finger for G and thumb for Bb.

  

Step 6. E Major

The three notes involved are E, G # and B. The E is the root (0), the G # is the third (4 semitones) and the B is the fifth (7 semitones).

• The fingers of the right hand will be positioned as follows: thumb on E, middle finger on G # and little finger on B.

  

• The fingers of the left hand will be positioned as follows: little finger on E, middle finger on G # and thumb on B.

  

Step 7. F Major

The three notes are F (root), A (third, 4 semitones) and Do (fifth, 7 semitones).

• Right hand fingering: thumb on F, middle finger on A and little finger on C

  

• Left hand fingering: little finger on F, middle finger on A and thumb on C

  

Step 8. F # Major

The three notes that compose it are F # (root), A # (third) and C # (fifth). The enharmonic equivalent of this chord is the Solb Major consisting of the Solb, Sib and Reb. Note that F # can be referred to as Gb, A # as Bb, and C # is equivalent to Reb. When you play F # major you produce the same sound as G major.

• The arrangement of the fingers for the right hand foresees the thumb on F #, the middle finger on A # and the little finger on C #.

  

• The arrangement of the fingers for the left hand foresees the little finger on F #, the middle finger on A # and the thumb on C #.

  

Step 9. G major

The three notes involved are G (root), B (third) and D (fifth).

• Put your right thumb on G, middle finger on B and little finger on D.

  

• Put the little finger of the left hand on G, the middle finger on B and the thumb on D.

  

Step 10. Lab Major

For this chord you have to play the Lab (root), C (third) and Eb (fifth) simultaneously. Its enharmonic equivalent is G # Major which is composed of G #, Si # and D #. The notes you play to produce the Lab Major chord are the same ones you play for G # Major, even if they are written differently.

• Right hand fingering: thumb on the Lab, middle finger on C and little finger on Eb.

  

• Left hand fingering: little finger on the Lab, middle finger on C and thumb on Eb.

  

Step 11. The Major

This is made up of A (root), C # (third) and E (fifth).

• The right hand has the thumb on A, the middle finger on C # and the little finger on E.

  

• The left hand foresees the little finger on A, the middle finger on C # and the thumb on E.

  

Step 12. Bb Major

This chord is made up of Bb (root), D (third) and F (fifth).

• Right hand fingering: thumb on Bb, middle finger on D and little finger on F.

  

• Left hand fingering: little finger on Bb, middle finger on D and thumb on F.

  

Step 13. Yes Major

The three notes to be played simultaneously are B (root), D # (third) and F # (fifth).

• Right hand fingering: thumb on B, middle finger on D # and little finger on F #.

  

• Left hand fingering: little finger on B, middle finger on D # and thumb on F #.

  

Part 3 of 3: Practice

Step 1. Practice playing all three notes together

Once you have learned to play chords note-by-note, practice on the major chord scale. Start with C Major, move on to Reb Major and so on.

• Start practicing with one hand, and when you feel more confident, use both.
• Listen if you make mistakes. The relationship between the notes that make up a major chord is constant, and if you find that a combination sounds strange check your hands, you may have hit a wrong key.

Step 2. Try out the arpeggios

This technique consists of playing the notes of a chord in sequence from the lowest to the highest. To play the C Major chord in arpeggio with your right hand, press the C key with your thumb and then release it; switch to E with the middle finger and then release finally play the G with the little finger and release.

When you master this movement, try to make it smooth and not sobbing. Press and release each key quickly leaving a very short pause between one note and another

Step 3. Practice playing major chords in different inversions

The inversions of the A chord use the same notes, but a different note will be on the bass. For example, the C major chord is C, Mi, G. The first inversion of the C major chord is Mi, G, Do. The second inversion is Sol, Do, Mi.

Try every major chord and every inversion

Step 4. Practice with the score

Once you understand how major chords are constructed, look for a score that proposes them to see if you can identify them.