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 to Piano Lessons Homepage.