1. Start with the note names
Piano repeats the same twelve pitch classes in every octave. White keys are the natural notes C, D, E, F, G, A and B. Black keys are generally named using sharps (♯) or flats (♭), depending on the musical context.
In a chord diagram, highlighted keys show which notes to play. Read the note list as well as the picture: an F♯ and a G♭ use the same piano key in equal temperament, but they play different theoretical roles in different chords.
2. Identify the root, third and fifth
For C major, the three notes are C, E and G. C is the root. E is the major third, four semitones above C. G is a perfect fifth, seven semitones above C.
3. Hear the difference in a minor chord
Minor triads lower the third by one semitone. B minor is spelled B–D–F♯. Notice how its D natural changes the feel of the chord compared with B major's D♯.
4. Inversions change the lowest note
A chord can keep its identity while the lowest note changes. In C major, root position is C–E–G; first inversion is E–G–C; second inversion is G–C–E. These are voicings of the same C major harmony, not three unrelated chords.
5. What does a seventh mean?
A seventh chord adds another note. C7 is C–E–G–B♭, while Cmaj7 is C–E–G–B. They are distinct chords and should not be treated as aliases. Explore C7, Cmaj7, Am7 and the seventh-chord comparison guide. The numbers and accidentals distinguish genuinely different chords.
6. Practice with a small routine
Choose one chord, say its note names, play it together, then play each note separately. Switch to an inversion and listen to the lower voice. Repeat with another chord before attempting a progression.
Finger numbers are suggestions, not universal rules. A comfortable fingering depends on hand size, register, tempo and musical setting.
Independent background on chords and inversions
Our diagrams and practice exercises are original. For further reading about the standard definitions used here, consult Open Music Theory: Triads and Seventh Chords ↗ and University of Minnesota's guide to chord inversions ↗. These explain the theoretical root, chord quality and lowest-note naming conventions; our illustrations are generated independently from the site's note model.