Piano Chord Finder
Chord Finder Music Theory About

Piano Chord Finder

Root Note

Chord Type

Voicing Type

C Major Chord

For the C chord, use your right hand to play the highlighted notes C, E, and G simultaneously. The numbers on the keys indicate the suggested fingering (1=thumb, 2=index, 3=middle, 4=ring, 5=pinky).

Chord Notes

About This Chord

The C Major chord is one of the most fundamental chords in music. It consists of the notes C (root), E (major third), and G (perfect fifth).

Music Theory Fundamentals

Understanding Intervals

Intervals are the building blocks of chords and are measured by the distance between two notes. The most common intervals used in chord construction are:

Minor 2nd (♭2)

1 semitone apart (C to D♭)

Major 2nd (2)

2 semitones apart (C to D)

Minor 3rd (♭3)

3 semitones apart (C to E♭)

Major 3rd (3)

4 semitones apart (C to E)

Perfect 4th (4)

5 semitones apart (C to F)

Augmented 4th / Diminished 5th (♯4/♭5)

6 semitones apart (C to F♯/G♭)

Perfect 5th (5)

7 semitones apart (C to G)

Minor 6th (♭6)

8 semitones apart (C to A♭)

Major 6th (6)

9 semitones apart (C to A)

Minor 7th (♭7)

10 semitones apart (C to B♭)

Major 7th (7)

11 semitones apart (C to B)

Octave (8)

12 semitones apart (C to C)

Chord Construction Basics

Chords are built by stacking specific intervals on top of a root note. Here are some basic chord structures:

Chord Type Formula Example (C) Description
Major 1 - 3 - 5 C - E - G Bright, happy sound. The foundation of many Western songs.
Minor 1 - ♭3 - 5 C - E♭ - G Sad, melancholic sound. Common in emotional pieces.
Diminished 1 - ♭3 - ♭5 C - E♭ - G♭ Tense, unstable sound. Often used to create drama.
Augmented 1 - 3 - ♯5 C - E - G♯ Mysterious, unsettled sound. Common in jazz and impressionist music.
Suspended 2 (sus2) 1 - 2 - 5 C - D - G Open, unresolved sound. Often used in modern pop and rock.
Suspended 4 (sus4) 1 - 4 - 5 C - F - G Suspended, waiting sound. Commonly resolves to major.
Dominant 7th 1 - 3 - 5 - ♭7 C - E - G - B♭ Tense sound that wants to resolve. Key to functional harmony.
Major 7th 1 - 3 - 5 - 7 C - E - G - B Sophisticated, jazzy sound. Common in jazz and bossa nova.
Minor 7th 1 - ♭3 - 5 - ♭7 C - E♭ - G - B♭ Melancholic yet smooth. Frequently used in jazz and R&B.

Chord Progressions

Chord progressions are sequences of chords that form the harmonic foundation of music. In classical music theory, chords are often labeled with Roman numerals based on their position in a scale:

Major Key Chord Functions

  • I (Tonic): Home chord, sounds stable and resolved
  • IV (Subdominant): Movement away from home, creates gentle tension
  • V (Dominant): Strong pull back to the tonic, creates significant tension
  • vi (Relative minor): Related to the tonic, but with a sadder character
  • ii, iii, vii°: Secondary chords with specialized functions

Common Chord Progressions

  • I - IV - V - I: The most basic progression in Western music
  • I - vi - IV - V: The "50s progression," used in countless pop songs
  • ii - V - I: The quintessential jazz progression
  • I - V - vi - IV: Extremely common in modern pop music
  • vi - IV - I - V: A minor-starting variation of the above

Sharps (♯) vs. Flats (♭)

In music notation, the same note can often be named in two different ways:

Enharmonic Equivalents

  • C♯ = D♭
  • D♯ = E♭
  • F♯ = G♭
  • G♯ = A♭
  • A♯ = B♭

When to use sharps vs. flats depends on the key and context. Generally:

  • Keys with sharps (G, D, A, E, B, F♯) typically use sharp notations
  • Keys with flats (F, B♭, E♭, A♭, D♭, G♭) typically use flat notations
  • In chord theory, the correct notation often depends on the chord's function

About This Tool

The Piano Chord Finder is a tool that helps music learners and performers quickly find chord fingering. Through an intuitive interface, users can explore various types of chords on the piano keyboard.

How to Use

Select a root note, chord type, and voicing type to immediately see the corresponding chord on the keyboard. The tool displays the correct note names and positions, helping you understand chord structure.

Features