The 12 Most Common Chords on Piano - Easy Lesson with Picture Chords - Chords 101 Course - Day 3
These are the 12 most common chords use on piano. You’ll find them used over and over again in many published song books… so it makes sense to practice them! (I’ll post a better image as soon as I make one!) Piano and Guitar each have keys that are easier to play in than others because of the shapes of the chords and how they lay out over the keyboard or fretboard. Sharp keys like E, A and D are very popular on guitar, and keys with lots of white notes or low numbers of sharps and flats are easier on the piano.
There are 24 triads total to learn. 12 major triads and 12 minor triads.
Each one has a different look and shape (black white black etc) But they all are the same distance apart:
So to find each chord, just count up half steps:
Major Chords = 4half steps + 3half steps
Minor Chords = 3half steps + 4half steps
The 12 chords that have white keys as the roots are the ones you should learn first. This is because they happen more frequently than other chords in fake books.
The dots show you where to put your fingers.
I give my private students timed tests to see how quickly they can play these. The goal is all the major chords in 30 seconds.
I already learned all these chords but not those with the aug., dominant etc. llth l3th etc. too lazy to learn. Just enough to get by as I play for fun. Thanks.
Hi Lorna!
The next step would be to start working on learning 7th chords if you’ve mastered these triads.
Hello, I tried to signup for your weekly lessons and the webpage notified that I was already signed up for lessons and yet I never receive lessons from you. How can I fix this, thanks in advance.
Thanks for letting me know Laurence,
-Chris Marx
If you didn’t receive an email last night from Me, let me know.
Everything should be fixed
[...] The 12 Most Common Chords on Piano - Easy Lesson with Picture Chords - Chords 101 Course - Day 3 If you enjoyed this Lesson, PLEASE SHARE IT!!! [...]
I think this is all way to basic. Teach about 7th chords and augmented and diminished, and about rootless chords. Day 3 of the course in my eyes basically is quite useless, because these few words replace the whole video:
So to find each chord, just count up half steps:
Major Chords = 4half steps 3half steps
Minor Chords = 3half steps 4half steps
I am watching the lessons first. I have to understand before I can ask questions, you are pretty easy to understand.
When I get to the part of blending the left and the right for it to sound good, questions will then be relevant to know how it was arrived at. Thank you.
Thanks Ben
I’ve mastered these chords. Where can I find out information on how to build aug., dominant etc. llth l3th etc.?
Hey Chris can u please make some tutorials on some romantic tracks coz my best friend b’day is coming near so thought of playing one for her.. please any song would do..
-thnx
i guess i with go with Michael Buble then.. i just saw ur video and hey ur voice is amazing!! and yeah i have a month left to practice it.. will certainly make sure i will play it well : ))
Thanks!!!! I’ve learned all of those chords…
But I still need to find “rythms” to use them!!! I find it a little silly to just press the keys… I’d like to learn to “play” with the chords, and the keys that form them ^_^
Thanks for all the help!
Hi Diego!
There is a video for the rhythms too!
Just watch the one called “How to play and sing: 3 easy accompaniment patterns”
http://fastpianolessons.com/blog/how-to-play-piano-and-sing-3-easy-patterns-for-piano-accompaniment/
(It’s part of the chords101 course!!!)
Thanks!
Keep up the good work
Chris Marx
Hi Diego!
I recommend using the video about the 3 popular piano accompaniment rhythms
Its really a lot of listening and then copying what you hear on recordings.
Also try to get your left hand to copy the bass rhythms and your right hand to copy the drum rhythms (specifically the snare drum).
Good luck!
Chris Marx
Hi!! I really like your videos, It has help me ALOT!
I have a question, I noticed most of the major and minor chords are all three notes add together. Is it possible to have more then 3 notes to make a chord?
Hi Annie,
Q: “I noticed most of the major and minor chords are all three notes add together. Is it possible to have more then 3 notes to make a chord?”
A: Yesssss! We just have different names for those chords. there is actually a semi-complicated system for naming each possible note that you could have.
Major7,Minor7 & Dominant7 chords all have 4 notes in them for example. Some chords even have more.
I try not to play more than 4 notes in each hand.
Thanks!
Chris Marx
This may not be relevant to the video above, but I just want to thank you for putting this whole site up and taking time to do all of this. I took a piano course last year which got me interested in piano, but I finished the book and didn’t feel like I had really learned anything except how to play the entertainer lol. I learned more through this site in one week than I learned from the book (expensive) and teacher (crazy) all semester. So again… THANKS!
HI, i really thank you for the good work you are doing.
I want to know what a melody note is? Assuming i play the chord of C-major comprising of this three notes C E G, which one of the three note is the melody and why or how do i know? Thanks.
Hi Leonard!
A melody note is usually the top note of your chord, because it will ring out the most… the notes inside the chord will be hidden.
So in your example, G would be the melody note, thats the note thats going to ring out the most.
If the song has words then the note that you sing the words on is the melody note.
If you are trying to play the chord and melody in the same hand, you want to rearrange the notes in the chord, so that the melody is on top.
Thanks!
Chris Marx
chris show us how to play michael jackson songs
Hi Andria!
I’ve only learned a couple michael jackson songs…
the ones I do know I’ve posted on the blog here.
Thriller & Billie Jean.
Thanks,
Chris Marx
Hi again… There is a song i want to lear and its all by accords…. But i think they don´t fit in the music… Well the first ones are quite good but i dont understand how i go from A to A7 in the music… The accords to this music are in this site: http://www.e-chords.com/guitartab.asp?idmusica=94463&keyb=true and the music is this one… Its quite simple but i dont understand some chords. Can you help me? You can listen the music first in this web site: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5kDpP8r4rlw.
I really appreciate if you could help me playing this one cause i´m about to do 3 years dating and this music marks the begining of my relationship, so i wanna to play it and sing it to my girlfriends and i dont know how to play it. Can you help please? Thx
Hello Chris,
Thank you so much for this very nice staff you’ve share freely to everyone.
It really helps me improve my understanding on things that I didn’t understand.
I love to learn more on piano specially your piano bass line its hard.
But I beleive I can make through constant practice.May the Lord bless your works.
Thanks Chris Marx.
Can you send me the chord 101 e-book again. I can’t find it thanks
Hi Mario,
I don’t do transcriptions unless its for hire…
I’m sure you could find a piano player in your area to transcribe for you, but thats typically a paid service.
Its very time consuming.
You might have better luck googling the name of the song and adding “chords” into the search box.
Thanks!
Chris Marx
Joe!
You’re welcome
Thanks for visiting the fastpiano blog!
-Chris Marx
Hi MrMister,
It looks like you gave me your email address, so you should have in your email box the very first email I sent you.
That email has the password and the link to download the chords 101 course!
Thanks,
Chris Marx
Hi, I have a music school for kids, I ‘d like to record some exercises for them, whats the name of the software you use to iluminate the keyboard?
Thanks
Uriel
thank you very much! im trying to learn a song from listening to it and at first it was impossible to hear which chords are which, and now i can understand the chords a little more. thank you!
I have been training on the chords and i love piano first i thought it was boring but then later on i started to love piano so much and thank you Chris Marx!
Hey Chris,
Thanks for sharing your talent and knowledge with us strangers. You are making an impact as I am picking up the instrument thanks to people like you. I am finding that now that I have most chords and their extentions and inversions under my fingers, my challenge is the rhythem. Especially when playing left hand bass. Most online vids don’t concentrate on that aspect of playing, which at this point of my developement, is the most important.
Chris, I’m one of those awkward people who have a fair amount of theory from paper. I want to learn to play 100% by ear. I’m stubborn, but willing to learn.
Do you find students learn chords/inversions more quickly by following the pattern in this video, than struggling with the Circle of Fifths relative minors? Or would I be better to continue the aspect I already know?
Hi Chris, thanks for your website, i’ve learned a lot.
Hello Chris.
All 7 videos on Chords 101 lesson you’ve sent me, I actually learn them in one sitting (almost 5 hours) rather than 7 days as specified. What I mean, it’s because I got inspired while you are giving guidance as demonstrated in your videos. The way you made the course Chords 101 simplified, made me interested and inspired. I am actually singing now with my acquired skill from your great way of learning the piano chords, though I am not fast yet, but I do appreciate that I am now moving and learning with confidence. I enjoy very much your left-right-left-right and the left-right-right. Also I appreceiate much about figuring the Chords in your method of counting 01234-0123 for the major chords and the 0123-01234 for the minor chords. I no longer dependent to chords chart that I have in front of my keyboard, in fact I am no longer interested to have it in front of my keyboard. I am very blessed with your gift in music and you completely inspired me to appreciate music with piano myself. What is surprising to me I thought at my age of 54 I can not learn anymore playing piano even for Chords only, but I am actually learning now because of what you have impart me from your person. God Bless you as always.
Dennis D. David (Philippines)
Thanks Chris, I think this is absolutely fantastic. I have been taking piano lessons for about 4 years, and this material was never covered for me. It is what I was looking for as I am very good to play by ear, but was looking for the understanding of patterns for accompaniment. WONDERFUL! My teachers are not comfortable with playing by ear (or by a fake book) and could only teach with the music notes in front of us, that is good to know also, but I will use this now to enhance my playing. I understand that some of it might be basic, but you are right to show the basics and then progress, as it is good review for some and for me helped with the ear playing! THANKS SO MUCH!!!
tnx mr.chris may God bless you…
Thank you Walter! I’ll have some more blues piano lessons coming soon!
Hi ya, just started, luvvin it, compliments my piano lessons well. I haven’t much knowledge of chords as previously played folk instrument which had a button for chords so never knew how constructed and couldn’t quite work it out. Learning classical with tutor enjoying that as well. All in all great stuff, hours of amusement for me. Your time and effort and talent appreciated Jas
i was extremely annoyed when i read a couple of negative comments regarding youre lessons. i am in my fifties an have tinkered around on piano for years i have never been able to master left right hand co ordination looked at a couple of youre tapes and IVE GOT IT IN A COUPLE OF DAYS MY PLAYING HAS TRANSFORMED this is not bull but absolutely genuine so many many thanks and keep up the good.ps am struggling a little with ray charles every day i have the blues the chord position dissapear to quickly for us oldies once again many thanks john
Thank you so much for these lessons. They’re helping me a lot! I’m a visual learner, so being able to watch you is a great help to me. It really speeds up the learning curve.
I’m getting your emails, but I don’t know what happened to the ebook. Either I never downloaded it or I lost it. Would you please re-send the link?
Thanks a bunch!