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Find a chordHow to read this piano chord chartMajor and minor: change the thirdPrint a piano chord referenceQuestions about this chartExplore A minor in more detail

Piano Chord Chart

Use this piano chord chart to find the notes and keyboard positions for 19 major and minor triads. Read the notes from low to high, hear them together or one at a time, and print a reference to keep beside your keyboard.

Find a chord

19 chords

Simple reference tone; not a recording of an acoustic piano.

C major C

C4 – E4 – G4Bass: C4
C4 is middle CC3–C5
Notes and inversions: C major

A minor Am

A3 – C4 – E4Bass: A3
C4 is middle CC3–C5
Notes and inversions: A minor

F major F

F4 – A4 – C5Bass: F4
C4 is middle CC3–C5

D minor Dm

D4 – F4 – A4Bass: D4
C4 is middle CC3–C5

G major G

G3 – B3 – D4Bass: G3
C4 is middle CC3–C5

E minor Em

E4 – G4 – B4Bass: E4
C4 is middle CC3–C5

D major D

D4 – F♯4 – A4Bass: D4
C4 is middle CC3–C5

B minor Bm

B3 – D4 – F♯4Bass: B3
C4 is middle CC3–C5

A major A

A3 – C♯4 – E4Bass: A3
C4 is middle CC3–C5
Notes and inversions: A major

F-sharp minor F♯m

F♯3 – A3 – C♯4Bass: F♯3
C4 is middle CC3–C5

E major E

E3 – G♯3 – B3Bass: E3
C4 is middle CC3–C5

C-sharp minor C♯m

C♯4 – E4 – G♯4Bass: C♯4
C4 is middle CC3–C5

B major B

B3 – D♯4 – F♯4Bass: B3
C4 is middle CC3–C5

G-sharp minor G♯m

G♯3 – B3 – D♯4Bass: G♯3
C4 is middle CC3–C5

B-flat major B♭

B♭3 – D4 – F4Bass: B♭3
C4 is middle CC3–C5

G minor Gm

G3 – B♭3 – D4Bass: G3
C4 is middle CC3–C5

C minor Cm

C4 – E♭4 – G4Bass: C4
C4 is middle CC3–C5

A-flat major A♭

A♭3 – C4 – E♭4Bass: Ab3
C4 is middle CC3–C5

C-flat major C♭

C♭4 – E♭4 – G♭4Bass: Cb4
C4 is middle CC3–C5

The chart includes the major and minor triads already prepared across six common major keys and D minor, plus selected parallel and enharmonic comparisons. It is a practical foundation, not a complete list of piano chords.

Choose a root note and chord type to narrow the chart. Each result gives the chord symbol, its three notes, and one root-position example. The first note listed is the lowest note in that example.

For a first comparison, use A major and A minor, or C major and C minor. Keep the root and top note the same and notice which middle note changes.

How to read this piano chord chart

A dot marks a key to play. The labels identify those pitches; a sharp (♯) raises a written note by one semitone, and a flat (♭) lowers it by one semitone.

C4 means middle C. The number after a note is its octave, not a finger number. The diagrams use the same C3–C5 window so you can compare positions. A note such as C♭4 keeps the octave of its written C even though it uses the B3 key.

  1. Read the chord name and its note list. A symbol such as Am names the root A and the minor chord type.
  2. Match the marked keys to the labels. Notes are listed from lowest to highest.
  3. Use Play chord to hear the notes together, or Play notes one at a time to hear the same notes in ascending order.
  4. Compare the keyboard image with the printed note list before playing it on your instrument.

Major and minor: change the third

A major triad places its third four semitones above the root. A minor triad places its third three semitones above the root. Both use a perfect fifth, seven semitones above the root.

In the A examples, C♯ becomes C while A and E stay in place. In the C examples, E becomes E♭ while C and G stay in place. The note names in the tables are chord members, not finger numbers.

RootMajor triadMinor triadWhat changes
AA–C♯–EA–C–EC♯ lowers to C
CC–E–GC–E♭–GE lowers to E♭

A major

A3 – C♯4 – E4

C4 is middle CC3–C5

A minor

A3 – C4 – E4

C4 is middle CC3–C5

C major

C4 – E4 – G4

C4 is middle CC3–C5

C minor

C4 – E♭4 – G4

C4 is middle CC3–C5

Print a piano chord reference

Download the original three-page reference with nine selected chord names. The interactive chart above contains the broader 19-chord collection; use Print this chord or Print matching chords for those results.

To keep a smaller reference, print the current chord or the results matching your filters. Check the chord names in the print preview before printing.

Download original 9-chord PDF

Questions about this chart

Are these all the chords on piano?

No. This chart covers 19 major and minor triads. Diminished, seventh, power, and jazz chords are not included in this collection.

What are the 12 chords for piano?

There are 12 semitone pitch positions in an octave in equal temperament. A root can support more than one chord type, so “12 chords” does not mean there are only 12 chords on a piano. Check which chord type a chart is listing.

Does the PDF show finger positions?

It shows which keys to play, with note and octave labels. It does not give finger numbers.

Why do B major and C-flat major use the same keys?

They are enharmonic spellings in this keyboard reference. B major is B–D♯–F♯; C-flat major is C♭–E♭–G♭. Keep the spelling shown by the chord you are reading.

Explore A minor in more detail

See the same A-minor chord in root position, first inversion, and second inversion.

A minor piano chord: notes and inversions
PianoGrid
C major Piano Chord

Chord tones: C–E–G · Formula: 1, 3, 5

Root position

C4 – E4 – G4
C
Bass: C4

Dots mark the notes to play. C4 is middle C. Numbers identify octaves, not fingers.

The marked keys show pitches, not a hand shape or a required fingering.
/chords · Current position reference