What Are the 12 Major
Chords?
There are 12 major chords that you can play on the piano. To make a
major chord, you play the 1st, 3rd, and 5th notes of a major
scale together.
For example, the C major scale has the notes: C,D,E,F,G,A,B,C. So you
use C E G to make the major chord.
Keep in mind that you call
one black note by 2 names, like C# and Db. Chords like this
have the same notes but are called and written differently. Both ways
will be written here.
Major chords are written as just a letter name.
Here they are:
| Chord |
Notes |
Picture |
| C |
C E G |
 |
| C# |
C# E# G# |
 |
| Db |
Db F Ab |
 |
| D |
D F# A |
|
| Eb |
Eb G Bb |
 |
| E |
E G# B |
 |
| F |
F A C |
 |
| F# |
F# A# C# |
 |
| Gb |
Gb Bb Db |
 |
| G |
G B D |
 |
| Ab |
Ab C Eb |
 |
| A |
A C# E |
 |
| Bb |
Bb D F |
 |
| B |
B D# F# |
 |
These major chords are the
most common
ones you’ll come across when playing a song. Learning and knowing these
will get you a long way. To learn some more kinds of chords, go to minor
chords
or back to chord
charts.
Return from
12
Major Chords
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Lessons Homepage.
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