Steps

1. 1
Understand what a major chord is. A chord is three or more notes. Complex chords can have many notes, but you need a minimum of three.
o

A major chord has a very specific set of notes: the tonic, or root of the chord (0). This is the note that the chord is named after; the major third, which gives the chord its character (4 semitones above the root); and the fifth, which anchors the chord and makes it complete7 semitones above the root. Every major chord has all three of those. In their most basic form, they are arranged as 0-4-7. For a C major chord, for example C is the tonic (0). Four semitones up from that is the major third: E. Three semitones up from that (or seven up from the root) is G.

2. 2
Construct a major chord in any key. Start with the first note of the scale, called the tonic in music theory. Find the major third by proceeding up four half-steps. Find the fifth (also called the dominant) by counting seven half-steps up from the tonic (or three semitones up from the major third.
o

Understand that there are often at least two ways to spell a chord. For example, the notes Eb, G, Bb create an Eb chord. The notes D#, F, A# create a D# Major chord, which sounds exactly like an Eb chord, but is more complex than needs to be addressed here. We will stick to more common chord spellings for the balance of this article, and save enharmonic equivalents for a future article.

3. 3
Practice the following chords. They are the major ones on the piano. Notice that you will only use fingers 1,3 and 5 (thumb, middle, pinky) to play the three notes of each chord. Your index and ring fingers may rest on, but not press down any keys.

Notice that your fingers advance one half-step (one key) up the keyboard each time you change chords.

4. 4
C Major : C, E, G. Remember, C= tonic (0), E=Major third (4), G=fifth (7)

Formatted: Font: (Default) Arial, 10.5 pt, Font color: Custom Color(RGB(51,102,51))

Right hand fingering:

Formatted: Font: (Default) Arial, 10.5 pt, Font color: Custom Color(RGB(51,102,51))

Left hand fingering

Formatted: Font: (Default) Arial, 10.5 pt, Font color: Custom Color(RGB(51,102,51))

5. 5
Db Major: Db, F, Ab; Enharmonic equivalent: C# Major: C# E# G#

Formatted: Font: (Default) Arial, 10.5 pt, Font color: Custom Color(RGB(51,102,51))

Right hand fingering:

Formatted: Font: (Default) Arial, 10.5 pt, Font color: Custom Color(RGB(51,102,51))

Left hand fingering:

Formatted: Font: (Default) Arial, 10.5 pt, Font color: Custom Color(RGB(51,102,51))

6. 6
D Major: D, F#, A

Formatted: Font: (Default) Arial, 10.5 pt, Font color: Custom Color(RGB(51,102,51))

Right hand fingering:

Formatted: Font: (Default) Arial, 10.5 pt, Font color: Custom Color(RGB(51,102,51))

Left hand fingering:

Formatted: Font: (Default) Arial, 10.5 pt, Font color: Custom Color(RGB(51,102,51))

7. 7
Eb Major: Eb, G, Bb

Formatted: Font: (Default) Arial, 10.5 pt, Font color: Custom Color(RGB(51,102,51))

Right hand fingering:

Formatted: Font: (Default) Arial, 10.5 pt, Font color: Custom Color(RGB(51,102,51))

Left hand fingering:

Formatted: Font: (Default) Arial, 10.5 pt, Font color: Custom Color(RGB(51,102,51))

8. 8
E Major: E, G#, B

Formatted: Font: (Default) Arial, 10.5 pt, Font color: Custom Color(RGB(51,102,51))

Right hand fingering:

Formatted: Font: (Default) Arial, 10.5 pt, Font color: Custom Color(RGB(51,102,51))

Left hand fingering:

Formatted: Font: (Default) Arial, 10.5 pt, Font color: Custom Color(RGB(51,102,51))

9. 9
F Major: F, A, C

Formatted: Font: (Default) Arial, 10.5 pt, Font color: Custom Color(RGB(51,102,51))

Right hand fingering:

Formatted: Font: (Default) Arial, 10.5 pt, Font color: Custom Color(RGB(51,102,51))

Left hand fingering:

Formatted: Font: (Default) Arial, 10.5 pt, Font color: Custom Color(RGB(51,102,51))

10.

10

F# Major: F#, A#, C#; Enharmonic equivalent: Gb Major: Gb, Bb, Db

Formatted: Font: (Default) Arial, 10.5 pt, Font color: Custom Color(RGB(51,102,51))

Right hand fingering:

Formatted: Font: (Default) Arial, 10.5 pt, Font color: Custom Color(RGB(51,102,51))

Left hand fingering:

Formatted: Font: (Default) Arial, 10.5 pt, Font color: Custom Color(RGB(51,102,51))

11.
G Major: G, B, D

11

Formatted: Font: (Default) Arial, 10.5 pt, Font color: Custom Color(RGB(51,102,51))

Right hand fingering:

Formatted: Font: (Default) Arial, 10.5 pt, Font color: Custom Color(RGB(51,102,51))

Left hand fingering:

Formatted: Font: (Default) Arial, 10.5 pt, Font color: Custom Color(RGB(51,102,51))

12.

12

Ab Major: Ab, C, Eb; Enharmonic equivalent: G# Major: G#, B#, D#

Formatted: Font: (Default) Arial, 10.5 pt, Font color: Custom Color(RGB(51,102,51))

Right hand fingering:

Formatted: Font: (Default) Arial, 10.5 pt, Font color: Custom Color(RGB(51,102,51))

Left hand fingering:

Formatted: Font: (Default) Arial, 10.5 pt, Font color: Custom Color(RGB(51,102,51))

13.
A Major: A, C#, E

13

Formatted: Font: (Default) Arial, 10.5 pt, Font color: Custom Color(RGB(51,102,51))

Right hand fingering:

Formatted: Font: (Default) Arial, 10.5 pt, Font color: Custom Color(RGB(51,102,51))

Left hand fingering:

Formatted: Font: (Default) Arial, 10.5 pt, Font color: Custom Color(RGB(51,102,51))

14.
Bb Major: Bb, D, F

14

Formatted: Font: (Default) Arial, 10.5 pt, Font color: Custom Color(RGB(51,102,51))

Right hand fingering:

Formatted: Font: (Default) Arial, 10.5 pt, Font color: Custom Color(RGB(51,102,51))

Left hand fingering:

Formatted: Font: (Default) Arial, 10.5 pt, Font color: Custom Color(RGB(51,102,51))

15.
B Major: B, D#, F#

15

Formatted: Font: (Default) Arial, 10.5 pt, Font color: Custom Color(RGB(51,102,51))

RIght hand fingering:

Formatted: Font: (Default) Arial, 10.5 pt, Font color: Custom Color(RGB(51,102,51))

Left hand fingering:

Formatted: Font: (Default) Arial, 10.5 pt, Font color: Custom Color(RGB(51,102,51))

16.

16

Practice playing all the notes together, at once. Then practice playing arpeggios, where each note is struck in sequence from lowest to highest.

17.

17

Practice playing the major chords in different inversions. Inversions of a chord use the same notes, but place a different note in the bass. For example, a C major chord is C, E, G. The first inversion of the C-major chord is E, G, C. The second inversion is G, C, E. Try this by making a major chord with every note on the scale, in every inversion.

EditTips

All flats and sharps are played on the black keys between the white keys on the piano. The one to the right of a given note is sharp, and the one to the left is flat. Notes like E# and B# (white keys, normally named "F" and "C") or Cb and Fb (B and E), sound exactly the same on a piano. This is due to a tuning method called equal temperament. However, with stringed instruments and voices, who are not locked into equal temperamentand actually play a B# differently than a Cenharmonic spellings are important. A sharp is one half step (key) higher than the given note. Listen to the chords as you play them. Regardless of the key, they all have the same relationship between the notes, so they should sound similar. If what you are playing doesn't sound like a major chord, check your notes. A flat is one half step (key) lower than the given note.