{"id":4503,"date":"2021-08-24T08:51:59","date_gmt":"2021-08-24T15:51:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/?p=4503"},"modified":"2024-10-31T11:03:21","modified_gmt":"2024-10-31T18:03:21","slug":"piano-chords","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/piano-chords\/","title":{"rendered":"Piano Chord Theory 101"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Chords form the foundation of Western music (pop, jazz, classical, folk, rock\u2014you name it!). So, understanding piano chord theory is worth the time and effort. And you don\u2019t even need to be an expert sight reader to learn this.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In this lesson, we\u2019ll give you a high-level introductory look at piano chord theory. We have<em> a ton <\/em>of free resources on chords because they\u2019re <em>that <\/em>important, so we\u2019ll also direct you to exercises and tips you can explore as next steps.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-rank-math-toc-block\" id=\"rank-math-toc\"><p><strong>Table of Contents:<\/strong><\/p><nav><ol><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#why-learn-piano-chord-theory\">Why learn piano chord theory?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#scales-and-intervals\">Scales and Intervals<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#major-and-minor-triads\">Major and Minor Triads<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#7th-chords\">7th Chords<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#diatonic-chords\">Diatonic Chords<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#inversions\">Inversions<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#slash-chords-sus-chords-and-extensions\">Slash Chords, Sus Chords, Extensions<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#the-number-system\">The Number System<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#chord-progressions\">Chord Progressions<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#how-to-read-chord-charts\">How to Read Chord Charts<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#how-to-practice-chords\">How to Practice Chords<\/a><\/li><\/ol><\/nav><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:10px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<span class=\"blue-text-block\"><center><h2 style=\"font-size:22px\"><b>\ud83c\udfb9 Learn Piano For Free<\/b><\/h2><p>Inspiring tutorials. Fascinating articles. Exclusive interviews. We create piano content anyone, anywhere can enjoy for free. Don&#8217;t miss out, sign up for more free lessons.<\/p><iframe class=\"email-form-include\" src=\"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/weeklyemail\" frameborder=\"none\"><\/iframe><\/center><\/span>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:10px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-color has-x-large-font-size\" id=\"why-learn-piano-chord-theory\" style=\"color:#f61a30\"><strong>WHY LEARN PIANO CHORD THEORY?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>So, what\u2019s the big deal with chords?&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Well, chords are what allow us to form melodies and harmonize. Underlying any song structure is a chord progression.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The presence of chords may not be immediately obvious when you look at a piece of music, but once you learn how to identify them, you\u2019ll start to see chords everywhere. And not just in pop songs. Take a look at the first few measures of \u201cF\u00fcr Elise\u201d\u2014it\u2019s made up of E major and A minor chords!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"317\" src=\"https:\/\/www.musora.com\/musora-cdn\/image\/quality=85\/https:\/\/pianote-blog.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/26101945\/fur-elise-analysis-1024x317.png\" alt=\"Piano chord theory: First line of fur elise with chord notes highlighted in pink.\" class=\"wp-image-13929\" srcset=\"https:\/\/pianote-blog.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/26101945\/fur-elise-analysis-1024x317.png 1024w, https:\/\/pianote-blog.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/26101945\/fur-elise-analysis-300x93.png 300w, https:\/\/pianote-blog.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/26101945\/fur-elise-analysis-768x238.png 768w, https:\/\/pianote-blog.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/26101945\/fur-elise-analysis-1536x476.png 1536w, https:\/\/pianote-blog.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/26101945\/fur-elise-analysis-2048x635.png 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Another great thing about chords is you don\u2019t necessarily need to know how to read sheet music to play your favorite songs. All you need is a <strong>chord chart<\/strong>, and chord charts are easily findable in places like <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ultimate-guitar.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Ultimate-Guitar.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As piano players, we play both the melody and harmony when we play songs. This means piano players need a good understanding of piano chord theory in order to play full, lush harmonies on our instrument.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>&gt; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/chords-the-foundations-of-music\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Why We Love Chords (The Foundations of Music)<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-color has-x-large-font-size\" id=\"scales-and-intervals\" style=\"color:#f61a30\"><strong>SCALES AND INTERVALS<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Before you learn piano chord theory, get familiar with scales and intervals. These concepts and chord theory build on each other.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"scales-in-a-nutshell\" style=\"font-size:28px\"><strong>Scales in a Nutshell<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>A <strong>scale<\/strong> is a set of pitches organized by a formula or set of rules. For example, a <strong>major scale<\/strong> follows a formula of whole and half steps.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"365\" src=\"https:\/\/www.musora.com\/musora-cdn\/image\/quality=85\/https:\/\/pianote-blog.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/26104411\/C-major-scale-whole-half-steps-1-1024x365.png\" alt=\"C major scale keyboard diagram with whole and half step pattern.\" class=\"wp-image-13932\" style=\"width:512px;height:183px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/pianote-blog.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/26104411\/C-major-scale-whole-half-steps-1-1024x365.png 1024w, https:\/\/pianote-blog.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/26104411\/C-major-scale-whole-half-steps-1-300x107.png 300w, https:\/\/pianote-blog.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/26104411\/C-major-scale-whole-half-steps-1-768x274.png 768w, https:\/\/pianote-blog.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/26104411\/C-major-scale-whole-half-steps-1.png 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>Scales in major and minor keys follow that key\u2019s <strong>key signature.<\/strong> For example, an F major scale has one flat (B\u266d), so every time you play a scale or song in F major, flat the B unless otherwise indicated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"193\" src=\"https:\/\/www.musora.com\/musora-cdn\/image\/quality=85\/https:\/\/pianote-blog.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/26105836\/F-major-scale-1024x193.png\" alt=\"F major scale notation in whole notes.\" class=\"wp-image-13933\" srcset=\"https:\/\/pianote-blog.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/26105836\/F-major-scale-1024x193.png 1024w, https:\/\/pianote-blog.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/26105836\/F-major-scale-300x56.png 300w, https:\/\/pianote-blog.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/26105836\/F-major-scale-768x145.png 768w, https:\/\/pianote-blog.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/26105836\/F-major-scale-1536x289.png 1536w, https:\/\/pianote-blog.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/26105836\/F-major-scale-2048x386.png 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>You can think of a scale as a \u201cbank\u201d of notes from which we craft melodies, harmonies, and improvise. There are many <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/piano-scales\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">types of scales<\/a>, but if you\u2019re just getting started on chords, understanding your major and minor scales is sufficient.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>&gt; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/piano-scales\/\" target=\"_blank\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/piano-scales\/\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Piano Scales: Types of Scales and How to Apply Them<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"intervals-in-a-nutshell\" style=\"font-size:28px\"><strong>Intervals in a Nutshell<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>An <strong>interval <\/strong>is the space between two notes. There are several ways to think about them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You can think of intervals in terms of whole and half steps. You can also think about them in relation to a scale. For example, a major 3rd interval starting on C is the first and third note of the C major scale. And a minor 3rd interval starting on C is the first and third note of the C minor scale.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For a more intuitive approach, you can <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/interval-ear-training\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">associate intervals with a song<\/a>. Each interval has a distinct sound. Here are some intervals with C as the root (starting) note and a song that\u2019s commonly associated with it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table class=\"has-fixed-layout\"><thead><tr><th>Interval<\/th><th>Formula (Based on Major Scale)<\/th><th>Songs<\/th><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td>Minor 2nd<\/td><td>1-\u266d2<\/td><td><em>Jaws<\/em> theme, F\u00fcr Elise (Beethoven)<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Major 2nd<\/td><td>1-2<\/td><td>Happy Birthday, Mama Mia (ABBA)<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Minor 3rd<\/td><td>1-\u266d3<\/td><td><em>Spider-Man<\/em> theme, Hey Jude (the Beatles)<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Major 3rd<\/td><td>1-3<\/td><td>When the Saints Go Marching In, Summertime (Gershwin)<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Perfect 4th<\/td><td>1-4<\/td><td>Summer Nights (from <em>Grease<\/em>), Under Pressure (Queen) <\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Tritone<\/td><td>1-#4 \/ 1-\u266d5<\/td><td>YYZ (Rush)<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Perfect 5th<\/td><td>1-5<\/td><td><em>Star Wars<\/em> theme, Minuet in G Major (Bach)<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Minor 6th<\/td><td>1-\u266d6<\/td><td>The Entertainer (Scott Joplin)<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Major 6th<\/td><td>1-6<\/td><td>My Way (Frank Sinatra), Man in the Mirror (Michael Jackson)<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Minor 7th<\/td><td>1-\u266d7<\/td><td>Can&#8217;t Stop (Red Hot Chili Peppers), Shadow of Your Smile (theme from <em>The Sandpiper<\/em>)<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Major 7th<\/td><td>1-7<\/td><td>Take On Me (A-ha), I Love You (Cole Porter)<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Octave<\/td><td>1-8<\/td><td>Over the Rainbow (from <em>The Wizard of Oz<\/em>), Someone to Watch Over Me (Gershwin)<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>&gt; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/piano-intervals-music-theory\/\" target=\"_blank\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/piano-intervals-music-theory\/\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Piano Intervals Explained<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:10px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-text-color has-cyan-bluish-gray-color has-alpha-channel-opacity has-cyan-bluish-gray-background-color has-background is-style-wide\"\/>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:10px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-color has-x-large-font-size\" id=\"major-and-minor-triads\" style=\"color:#f61a30\"><strong>MAJOR AND MINOR TRIADS<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The first type of chord you should learn how to build on the piano is a <strong>triad<\/strong>. A triad is a chord made up of three notes. Major and minor triads are piano chords that you\u2019ll find in almost every single song. <strong>Major triads<\/strong> sound \u201chappy\u201d and <strong>minor triads<\/strong> sound \u201csad.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A chord is made up of a group of notes played together, and each note in the &#8220;stack&#8221; has a name:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The <strong>root <\/strong>is the note the chord is built on and named after. For example, C is the root of a Cm chord. However, it\u2019s important to remember that the root isn\u2019t always at the bottom of the stack\u2014we\u2019ll discuss this further when we talk about inversions!<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The <strong>third<\/strong> is the note a third above the root. In a triad, it\u2019s the note sandwiched in the middle<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The <strong>fifth<\/strong> is the note a fifth above the root.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>In 7th chords, we also have a <strong>seventh<\/strong>, which is a seventh interval above the root.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"547\" src=\"https:\/\/www.musora.com\/musora-cdn\/image\/quality=85\/https:\/\/pianote-blog.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/26120456\/7th-chord-root-third-fifth-seventh-1-1024x547.png\" alt=\"Cmaj7 chord with root third fifth and seventh labelled.\" class=\"wp-image-13936\" style=\"width:512px;height:274px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/pianote-blog.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/26120456\/7th-chord-root-third-fifth-seventh-1-1024x547.png 1024w, https:\/\/pianote-blog.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/26120456\/7th-chord-root-third-fifth-seventh-1-300x160.png 300w, https:\/\/pianote-blog.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/26120456\/7th-chord-root-third-fifth-seventh-1-768x410.png 768w, https:\/\/pianote-blog.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/26120456\/7th-chord-root-third-fifth-seventh-1.png 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"how-to-build-a-major-triad\" style=\"font-size:28px\"><strong>How to Build a Major Triad<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>To build a major triad, find the notes a major 3rd and perfect 5th above your root. You can also think of a major triad as four half-steps between the root and the third, and three half-steps between the third and the fifth.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"964\" height=\"835\" src=\"https:\/\/www.musora.com\/musora-cdn\/image\/quality=85\/https:\/\/pianote-blog.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/29110332\/C-major-triad-half-steps.png\" alt=\"Keyboard diagram of a C major triad with half-steps and intervals labelled.\" class=\"wp-image-13958\" style=\"width:482px;height:418px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/pianote-blog.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/29110332\/C-major-triad-half-steps.png 964w, https:\/\/pianote-blog.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/29110332\/C-major-triad-half-steps-300x260.png 300w, https:\/\/pianote-blog.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/29110332\/C-major-triad-half-steps-768x665.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 964px) 100vw, 964px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"how-to-build-a-minor-triad\" style=\"font-size:28px\"><strong>How to Build a Minor Triad<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>To build a minor triad, find the notes a minor 3rd and perfect 5th above your root. You can also think of a minor triad as three half-steps between the root and the third, and four half-steps between the third and the fifth.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"964\" height=\"798\" src=\"https:\/\/www.musora.com\/musora-cdn\/image\/quality=85\/https:\/\/pianote-blog.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/29110605\/C-minor-triad-major-3rd-perfect-5th.png\" alt=\"Keyboard diagram of a C minor chord with half-steps and intervals labelled.\" class=\"wp-image-13959\" style=\"width:482px;height:399px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/pianote-blog.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/29110605\/C-minor-triad-major-3rd-perfect-5th.png 964w, https:\/\/pianote-blog.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/29110605\/C-minor-triad-major-3rd-perfect-5th-300x248.png 300w, https:\/\/pianote-blog.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/29110605\/C-minor-triad-major-3rd-perfect-5th-768x636.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 964px) 100vw, 964px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>Here\u2019s another way to think about triads: a major triad is the first, third, and fifth note of the root note\u2019s major scale. And a minor triad is the first, third, and fifth note of the root note\u2019s minor scale!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<iframe class=\"email-form-include-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/weekly-email\" frameborder=\"none\"><\/iframe>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:10px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-text-color has-cyan-bluish-gray-color has-alpha-channel-opacity has-cyan-bluish-gray-background-color has-background is-style-wide\"\/>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:10px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-color has-x-large-font-size\" id=\"7th-chords\" style=\"color:#f61a30\"><strong>7TH CHORDS<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>7th chords have a dreamy, colorful sound. If you plan to play jazz piano, 7th chords are a must-know piano chord theory concept.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In a nutshell, a 7th chord is when you add a fourth note to a three-note triad stack. This note is a major or minor seventh above the root. You\u2019ll notice that the sound is <em>slightly <\/em>dissonant\u2014that\u2019s the point! 7th chords are used to add tension to a song. Tensions add depth, complexity, and sophistication to harmonies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Now, there are several different types of 7th chords. The ones you\u2019ll run into most are major 7th chords, minor 7th chords, and dominant 7th chords.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"how-to-build-major-7th-chords\" style=\"font-size:28px\"><strong>How to Build Major 7th Chords<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>To build a major 7th chord, take a major triad and add a major seventh interval on top.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"516\" src=\"https:\/\/www.musora.com\/musora-cdn\/image\/quality=85\/https:\/\/pianote-blog.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/26122125\/Cmaj7-Formula-1024x516.png\" alt=\"Keyboard diagram of a Cmaj7 with major triad and major 7th labelled.\" class=\"wp-image-13939\" style=\"width:512px;height:258px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/pianote-blog.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/26122125\/Cmaj7-Formula-1024x516.png 1024w, https:\/\/pianote-blog.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/26122125\/Cmaj7-Formula-300x151.png 300w, https:\/\/pianote-blog.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/26122125\/Cmaj7-Formula-768x387.png 768w, https:\/\/pianote-blog.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/26122125\/Cmaj7-Formula.png 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"how-to-build-minor-7th-chords\" style=\"font-size:28px\"><strong>How to Build Minor 7th Chords<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>To build a minor 7th chord, take a minor triad and add a minor seventh interval on top.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"516\" src=\"https:\/\/www.musora.com\/musora-cdn\/image\/quality=85\/https:\/\/pianote-blog.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/26123918\/Cm7-formula-1024x516.png\" alt=\"Keyboard diagram of a Cm7 with minor triad and minor 7th labelled.\" class=\"wp-image-13940\" style=\"width:512px;height:258px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/pianote-blog.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/26123918\/Cm7-formula-1024x516.png 1024w, https:\/\/pianote-blog.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/26123918\/Cm7-formula-300x151.png 300w, https:\/\/pianote-blog.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/26123918\/Cm7-formula-768x387.png 768w, https:\/\/pianote-blog.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/26123918\/Cm7-formula.png 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"how-to-build-dominant-7th-chords\" style=\"font-size:28px\"><strong>How to Build Dominant 7th Chords<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>To build a dominant 7th chord, take a major triad and add a minor seventh interval on top.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"516\" src=\"https:\/\/www.musora.com\/musora-cdn\/image\/quality=85\/https:\/\/pianote-blog.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/26124135\/C7-formula-1024x516.png\" alt=\"Keyboard diagram of a C7 chord with major triad and minor 7th labelled.\" class=\"wp-image-13941\" style=\"width:512px;height:258px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/pianote-blog.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/26124135\/C7-formula-1024x516.png 1024w, https:\/\/pianote-blog.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/26124135\/C7-formula-300x151.png 300w, https:\/\/pianote-blog.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/26124135\/C7-formula-768x387.png 768w, https:\/\/pianote-blog.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/26124135\/C7-formula.png 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>The reason why we add a minor seventh is because the dominant 7th is a chord built on the fifth note of the major scale and follows the key signature of that scale.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>So, a dominant 7th chord built on C belongs to a scale in which C is the fifth note. That scale is F major, and F major has one flat (B\u266d), so we add a B\u266d to our 7th chord.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"more-7th-chords\" style=\"font-size:28px\"><strong>More 7th Chords<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Once you\u2019re comfortable with major, minor, and dominant 7th chords, start exploring diminished and half-diminished 7th chords.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For an in-depth discussion about different types of 7th chords, including diagrams in all twelve keys, check out our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/understanding-7ths\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Ultimate Guide to 7th Chords on Piano<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:10px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-text-color has-cyan-bluish-gray-color has-alpha-channel-opacity has-cyan-bluish-gray-background-color has-background is-style-wide\"\/>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:10px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-color has-x-large-font-size\" id=\"diatonic-chords\" style=\"color:#f61a30\"><strong>DIATONIC CHORDS<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Understanding <strong>diatonic chords<\/strong> will help you find chords that sound good together.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Diatonic chords are chords that occur naturally in a scale. In other words, they are chords built on each <strong>degree of the scale<\/strong> and follow that scale\u2019s key signature.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For example, in C major, D is the second degree of the C major scale. If we build a triad on D (and follow C major\u2019s key signature), we get Dm (D-F-A). So, the D minor triad (\u201cDm\u201d) is a diatonic chord in the C major scale.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You can find all the diatonic chords of a scale by scooching your hand position up through the scale, like this:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:10%\">\n<p><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:80%\">\n<video playsinline=\"\" autoplay=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/pianote.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com\/blog\/2021\/Diatonic%20Chords\/claw%20diatonic%20triads%20-%20compressed.mp4\" loop=\"\" muted=\"\" width=\"100%\"><\/video>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:10%\">\n<p><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>On sheet music, diatonic chords look like this:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"172\" src=\"https:\/\/www.musora.com\/musora-cdn\/image\/quality=85\/https:\/\/pianote-blog.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/26125229\/C-Major-Diatonic-chords-roman-numerals-1-1024x172.png\" alt=\"C major diatonic chords in whole notes with Roman numeral symbols.\" class=\"wp-image-13943\" srcset=\"https:\/\/pianote-blog.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/26125229\/C-Major-Diatonic-chords-roman-numerals-1-1024x172.png 1024w, https:\/\/pianote-blog.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/26125229\/C-Major-Diatonic-chords-roman-numerals-1-300x51.png 300w, https:\/\/pianote-blog.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/26125229\/C-Major-Diatonic-chords-roman-numerals-1-768x129.png 768w, https:\/\/pianote-blog.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/26125229\/C-Major-Diatonic-chords-roman-numerals-1-1536x259.png 1536w, https:\/\/pianote-blog.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/26125229\/C-Major-Diatonic-chords-roman-numerals-1-2048x345.png 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Notice how we use Roman numerals to number these chords. We\u2019ll talk more about this in the number system section, but in short, we use Roman numerals to represent degrees of the scale. Uppercase letters represent major chords and lowercase letters represent minor and diminished chords. The \u201c<sup>o<\/sup>\u201d represents a diminished triad\u2014where all notes of the triad are a minor third apart.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In summary, these are our diatonic chords in C major:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table class=\"has-fixed-layout\"><thead><tr><th>Scale Degree<\/th><th>Chord Notes<\/th><th>Chord<\/th><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td>I<\/td><td>C-E-G<\/td><td>C<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>ii<\/td><td>D-F-A<\/td><td>Dm<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>iii<\/td><td>E-G-B<\/td><td>Em<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>IV<\/td><td>F-A-C<\/td><td>F<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>V<\/td><td>G-B-D<\/td><td>G<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>vi<\/td><td>A-C-E<\/td><td>Am<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>vii<sup>o<\/sup><\/td><td>B-D-F<\/td><td>Bdim<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>In general, chord progressions use diatonic chords in that song\u2019s key. So if you\u2019re trying to figure out the chords in a song, try diatonic chords in that song\u2019s key first.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>&gt; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/diatonic-chords\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">What Are Diatonic Chords?<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:15px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-text-color has-cyan-bluish-gray-color has-alpha-channel-opacity has-cyan-bluish-gray-background-color has-background is-style-wide\"\/>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:10px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-color has-x-large-font-size\" id=\"inversions\" style=\"color:#f61a30\"><strong>INVERSIONS<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Until now, we\u2019ve been learning the <strong>root position <\/strong>of chords. This is when the root note is at the very bottom of a chord stack.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But we don\u2019t have to play chords in root position all the time. We can invert chords, which means switching up the order of the notes in a chord.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"how-inversions-work\" style=\"font-size:28px\"><strong>How Inversions Work<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>To invert a chord, take the note at the very bottom of the stack and flip it to the top. For example, the root position of a C major triad is C-E-G. The 1st inversion of this chord is E-G-C, and the 2nd inversion of this chord is G-C-E.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\"><strong>Root Position<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"260\" src=\"https:\/\/www.musora.com\/musora-cdn\/image\/quality=85\/https:\/\/pianote-blog.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/26133713\/C-Major-Root-5-1024x260.png\" alt=\"Keyboard diagram of a C major triad in root position.\" class=\"wp-image-13944\" style=\"width:512px;height:130px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/pianote-blog.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/26133713\/C-Major-Root-5-1024x260.png 1024w, https:\/\/pianote-blog.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/26133713\/C-Major-Root-5-300x76.png 300w, https:\/\/pianote-blog.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/26133713\/C-Major-Root-5-768x195.png 768w, https:\/\/pianote-blog.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/26133713\/C-Major-Root-5-1536x390.png 1536w, https:\/\/pianote-blog.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/26133713\/C-Major-Root-5-2048x520.png 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\"><strong>1st Inversion<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"260\" src=\"https:\/\/www.musora.com\/musora-cdn\/image\/quality=85\/https:\/\/pianote-blog.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/26133848\/C-Major-1st-2-1024x260.png\" alt=\"Keyboard diagram of a C major triad in 1st inversion.\" class=\"wp-image-13945\" style=\"width:512px;height:130px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/pianote-blog.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/26133848\/C-Major-1st-2-1024x260.png 1024w, https:\/\/pianote-blog.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/26133848\/C-Major-1st-2-300x76.png 300w, https:\/\/pianote-blog.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/26133848\/C-Major-1st-2-768x195.png 768w, https:\/\/pianote-blog.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/26133848\/C-Major-1st-2-1536x390.png 1536w, https:\/\/pianote-blog.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/26133848\/C-Major-1st-2-2048x520.png 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\"><strong>2nd Inversion<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"260\" src=\"https:\/\/www.musora.com\/musora-cdn\/image\/quality=85\/https:\/\/pianote-blog.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/26133930\/C-Major-2nd-2-1024x260.png\" alt=\"Keyboard diagram of a C major triad in 2nd inversion.\" class=\"wp-image-13946\" style=\"width:512px;height:130px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/pianote-blog.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/26133930\/C-Major-2nd-2-1024x260.png 1024w, https:\/\/pianote-blog.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/26133930\/C-Major-2nd-2-300x76.png 300w, https:\/\/pianote-blog.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/26133930\/C-Major-2nd-2-768x195.png 768w, https:\/\/pianote-blog.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/26133930\/C-Major-2nd-2-1536x390.png 1536w, https:\/\/pianote-blog.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/26133930\/C-Major-2nd-2-2048x520.png 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>Note that 1st inversion is not the first position of this chord. Root position is.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"why-learn-chord-inversions\" style=\"font-size:28px\"><strong>Why Learn Chord Inversions<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Inversions are useful because they give you a variety of ways to play the same chord. With inversions, you create the same harmonic effect as a root position chord with a slight difference in sound. These simple changes can make a song sound a lot more interesting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Inversions can also serve as a shortcut between chords. For example, jumping from the root position of C Major to the root position of F Major is a bit of a leap.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:10%\">\n<p><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:80%\">\n<video playsinline=\"\" autoplay=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/pianote.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com\/blog\/2021\/Ultimate%20Chord%20Inversions\/root%20to%20root%20-%20cropped.mp4\" loop=\"\" muted=\"\" width=\"100%\"><\/video>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:10%\">\n<p><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>BUT, moving from a C major triad in root position to an F major triad in 2nd inversion is a piece of cake. Right next door!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:10%\">\n<p><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:80%\">\n<video playsinline=\"\" autoplay=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/pianote.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com\/blog\/2021\/Ultimate%20Chord%20Inversions\/root%20to%202nd%20-%20cropped.mp4\" loop=\"\" muted=\"\" width=\"100%\"><\/video>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:10%\">\n<p><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>The best way to practice and get familiar with inversions is to memorize shapes, not notes. Inversion shapes are consistent across keys.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You can find more practice tips and a downloadable set of inversion chord charts <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/piano-chord-inversions\/#charts\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">here<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:10px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-text-color has-cyan-bluish-gray-color has-alpha-channel-opacity has-cyan-bluish-gray-background-color has-background is-style-wide\"\/>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:10px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-color has-x-large-font-size\" id=\"slash-chords-sus-chords-and-extensions\" style=\"color:#f61a30\"><strong>SLASH CHORDS, SUS CHORDS, AND EXTENSIONS<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>By now, you understand basic piano chord theory behind triads, 7th chords, and inversions. Hooray!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But we can do even more with chords. If you play with chord charts, you\u2019ll eventually run into chords that look like this:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>C\/E<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Csus2<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>C13<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Let\u2019s see what these mean\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"what-are-slash-chords\" style=\"font-size:28px\"><strong>What are slash chords?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Slash chords<\/strong> look weird, but they\u2019re straightforward to decipher.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The first letter to the left of the slash is the chord you\u2019re playing. Usually, we play this with our right hand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The letter to the right of the slash is the note you\u2019ll play in the bass with your left hand. So, the slash essentially means \u201cplay this chord over this note.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"576\" src=\"https:\/\/www.musora.com\/musora-cdn\/image\/quality=85\/https:\/\/pianote-blog.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/26135547\/Slash-Chords-diagram-1024x576.png\" alt=\"Keyboard diagram of C\/E with C triad highlighted in red and labelled right hand and E highlighted in pink and labelled left hand.\" class=\"wp-image-13947\" style=\"width:512px;height:288px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/pianote-blog.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/26135547\/Slash-Chords-diagram-1024x576.png 1024w, https:\/\/pianote-blog.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/26135547\/Slash-Chords-diagram-300x169.png 300w, https:\/\/pianote-blog.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/26135547\/Slash-Chords-diagram-768x432.png 768w, https:\/\/pianote-blog.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/26135547\/Slash-Chords-diagram.png 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>Slash chords are one way to notate inversions in chord charts. For example, C\/E indicates a C major chord in first inversion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>&gt; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/slash-chords\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">What Are Slash Chords?<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"what-are-sus-chords\" style=\"font-size:28px\"><strong>What are sus chords?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The \u201csus\u201d stands for \u201csuspended\u201d and it simply means to substitute the middle note of a chord (the third) for something else.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>There are two types of sus chords, <strong>sus2<\/strong> and <strong>sus4<\/strong>. In a sus2 chord, we substitute the third with the second note from the root. In a sus4, we substitute the third with the fourth note from the root.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\"><strong>Csus2<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"260\" src=\"https:\/\/www.musora.com\/musora-cdn\/image\/quality=85\/https:\/\/pianote-blog.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/26135843\/Csus2-Root-1024x260.png\" alt=\"Keyboard diagram of a Csus2 chord with C, D, and G highlighted in red.\" class=\"wp-image-13948\" style=\"width:512px;height:130px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/pianote-blog.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/26135843\/Csus2-Root-1024x260.png 1024w, https:\/\/pianote-blog.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/26135843\/Csus2-Root-300x76.png 300w, https:\/\/pianote-blog.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/26135843\/Csus2-Root-768x195.png 768w, https:\/\/pianote-blog.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/26135843\/Csus2-Root-1536x390.png 1536w, https:\/\/pianote-blog.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/26135843\/Csus2-Root-2048x520.png 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\"><strong>Csus4<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"260\" src=\"https:\/\/www.musora.com\/musora-cdn\/image\/quality=85\/https:\/\/pianote-blog.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/26135948\/Csus4-Root-1024x260.png\" alt=\"Keyboard diagram of a Csus4 chord with C, F, and G highlighted in red.\" class=\"wp-image-13949\" style=\"width:512px;height:130px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/pianote-blog.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/26135948\/Csus4-Root-1024x260.png 1024w, https:\/\/pianote-blog.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/26135948\/Csus4-Root-300x76.png 300w, https:\/\/pianote-blog.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/26135948\/Csus4-Root-768x195.png 768w, https:\/\/pianote-blog.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/26135948\/Csus4-Root-1536x390.png 1536w, https:\/\/pianote-blog.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/26135948\/Csus4-Root-2048x520.png 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>Because sus chords have no third, they are neither major nor minor. This makes them sound ambiguous\u2014sometimes in a good and interesting way! <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Sus chords can sound unresolved, though, so a good rule of thumb is to return to the non-sus chord and end on that. For example, if you have a C major triad for four beats, you can play a sus chord on the third beat for an extra splash of color, then land back on the major triad for the fourth beat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>&gt; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/sus-piano-chords-101\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Sus Piano Chords<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"what-are-extensions\" style=\"font-size:28px\"><strong>What are extensions?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Triads are three-note chords. 7th chords are four-note chords. But we can keep adding notes to the chord stack. When we go beyond sevenths, we\u2019re adding chord <strong>extensions<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>So, if we take a dominant 7th chord like C7 and keep adding extensions, we\u2019ll get C9, C11, and C13.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"357\" src=\"https:\/\/www.musora.com\/musora-cdn\/image\/quality=85\/https:\/\/pianote-blog.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/26144254\/Cmaj13-extensions-1024x357.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13950\" style=\"width:512px;height:179px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/pianote-blog.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/26144254\/Cmaj13-extensions-1024x357.png 1024w, https:\/\/pianote-blog.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/26144254\/Cmaj13-extensions-300x105.png 300w, https:\/\/pianote-blog.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/26144254\/Cmaj13-extensions-768x268.png 768w, https:\/\/pianote-blog.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/26144254\/Cmaj13-extensions.png 1290w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>Note that pianists typically don\u2019t play <em>all <\/em>these notes at the same time! When it comes to extensions, we usually omit some notes and use inversions. This is called <strong>chord voicing.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You can learn more about chord extensions in detail <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/all-piano-chords\/#extensions\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">here<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-color has-x-large-font-size\" id=\"the-number-system\" style=\"color:#f61a30\"><strong>THE NUMBER SYSTEM<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Remember when we numbered degrees of the scale when we talked about diatonic chords? This is the number system in action.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Referring to chords using numbers rather than chord names allows musicians to communicate chord progressions without being tied to a specific key.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For example, take this chord progression in the key of C major:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center has-text-color has-large-font-size\" style=\"color:#f61a30\">C &#8211; G &#8211; Am &#8211; F<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Now let\u2019s turn it into numbers. Uppercase letters represent major chords and lowercase letters represent minor or diminished chords:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center has-text-color has-large-font-size\" style=\"color:#f61a30\">I &#8211; V &#8211; vi &#8211; IV<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Say we want to transpose our song into G major. All we have to do is find the I, V, vi, and IV chords in G major:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center has-text-color has-large-font-size\" style=\"color:#f61a30\">G &#8211; D &#8211; Em &#8211; C<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The number system is useful in ensembles such as worship bands. For example, you can play in one key for a children\u2019s choir during the morning service, and another key for a grown-up choir during the afternoon service without having to write new sheet music!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You can learn more about the number system in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/the-number-system\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">this lesson<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:10px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-text-color has-cyan-bluish-gray-color has-alpha-channel-opacity has-cyan-bluish-gray-background-color has-background is-style-wide\"\/>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:10px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-color has-x-large-font-size\" id=\"chord-progressions\" style=\"color:#f61a30\"><strong>CHORD PROGRESSIONS<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>A chord progression is a sequence of chords that sound good together. Chord progressions are what songs are made of. The movement of chords evoke tension, narrative, and, when chords resolve, a sense of completeness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>There are popular progressions that you\u2019ll find again and again. Here are a few.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"the-i-v-vi-iv-pop-progression\" style=\"font-size:28px\"><strong>The I-V-vi-IV Pop Progression<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>This progression is the most common progression in pop music. Once you learn this progression, you\u2019ll start seeing it everywhere. Here it is in C major:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center has-text-color has-large-font-size\" style=\"color:#f61a30\">C &#8211; G &#8211; Am &#8211; F<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Songs that use the I-V-vi-IV progression include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/how-to-play-let-it-be-piano\/'\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">\u201cLet It Be\u201d by the Beatles<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/someone-you-loved\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">\u201cSomeone You Loved\u201d by Lewis Capaldi<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"the-ii-7-v-7-i-7-jazz-progression\" style=\"font-size:28px\"><strong>The ii<sup>7<\/sup>-V<sup>7<\/sup>-I<sup>7<\/sup> Jazz Progression<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>This progression is built on the second, fifth, and first note of the scale. When played using 7th chords, this is the most common progression in jazz music. In C major, the chords are:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center has-text-color has-large-font-size\" style=\"color:#f61a30\">Dm7 &#8211; G7 &#8211; Cmaj7<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Songs that use the ii7-V7-I7 progression include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/how-to-play-sunday-morning\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">\u201cSunday Morning\u201d by Maroon 5<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/how-to-play-jazz-piano\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">\u201cSatin Doll\u201d by Duke Ellington<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"other-chord-progressions\" style=\"font-size:28px\"><strong>Other Chord Progressions<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Fun chord progressions you can explore include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>The 12 Bar Blues: <\/strong>this standardized progression is awesome to jam to with friends<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>The 50s Progression: <\/strong>also nicknamed the Doo-Wop Progression, this uplifting progression was common in 50s era pop and remains popular today<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>The Royal Roads Progression: <\/strong>a dreamy progression often found in video games and anime<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Get an in-depth lesson in chord progressions <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/piano-chord-progressions\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">here<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:15px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<span class=\"blue-text-block\"><center><h2 style=\"font-size:22px\"><b>\ud83c\udfb9 Learn Piano For Free<\/b><\/h2><p>Inspiring tutorials. Fascinating articles. Exclusive interviews. We create piano content anyone, anywhere can enjoy for free. Don&#8217;t miss out, sign up for more free lessons.<\/p><iframe class=\"email-form-include\" src=\"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/weeklyemail\" frameborder=\"none\"><\/iframe><\/center><\/span>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:15px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-text-color has-cyan-bluish-gray-color has-alpha-channel-opacity has-cyan-bluish-gray-background-color has-background is-style-wide\"\/>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:10px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-color has-x-large-font-size\" id=\"how-to-read-chord-charts\" style=\"color:#f61a30\"><strong>HOW TO READ CHORD CHARTS<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>A <strong>chord chart<\/strong> is a document with the lyrics of a song and the corresponding chord changes on top.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"634\" src=\"https:\/\/www.musora.com\/musora-cdn\/image\/quality=85\/https:\/\/pianote-blog.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/01105730\/happy-birthday-chords-copy.png\" alt=\"Happy birthday with chord changes on top of lyrics\" class=\"wp-image-14027\" style=\"width:400px;height:317px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/pianote-blog.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/01105730\/happy-birthday-chords-copy.png 800w, https:\/\/pianote-blog.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/01105730\/happy-birthday-chords-copy-300x238.png 300w, https:\/\/pianote-blog.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/01105730\/happy-birthday-chords-copy-768x609.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>A <strong>lead sheet<\/strong> is a document with the melody line notated in standard notation and the corresponding chord changes on top.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"133\" src=\"https:\/\/www.musora.com\/musora-cdn\/image\/quality=85\/https:\/\/pianote-blog.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/01105929\/happy-birthday-lead-sheet-no-markup-1024x133.png\" alt=\"Happy birthday melody in standard notation.\" class=\"wp-image-14029\" srcset=\"https:\/\/pianote-blog.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/01105929\/happy-birthday-lead-sheet-no-markup-1024x133.png 1024w, https:\/\/pianote-blog.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/01105929\/happy-birthday-lead-sheet-no-markup-300x39.png 300w, https:\/\/pianote-blog.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/01105929\/happy-birthday-lead-sheet-no-markup-768x100.png 768w, https:\/\/pianote-blog.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/01105929\/happy-birthday-lead-sheet-no-markup-1536x199.png 1536w, https:\/\/pianote-blog.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/01105929\/happy-birthday-lead-sheet-no-markup-2048x266.png 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Chord charts and lead sheets are useful tools because they 1) are widely available; and 2) give you guiding structure while allowing space for creative improvisation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Do note that many free chord charts on the Web are notated by amateur musicians, not the artists themselves. (Original chord charts tend to be paywalled.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>So, there may be errors. But if something sounds wrong, trust your gut and see if you can figure out the right chord yourself! (Hint: Try diatonic chords!)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"understanding-chord-symbols\" style=\"font-size:28px\"><strong>Understanding Chord Symbols<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Chord symbols can be intimidating for beginners. Luckily, you can toggle a chord chart to \u201cpiano\u201d on Ultimate-Guitar.com and it will show you where to place your fingers for each chord.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As a quick reference, here are some examples of chord symbols you may see:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table><thead><tr><th><strong>Chord Symbol<\/strong><\/th><th><strong>Type of Chord<\/strong><\/th><th><strong>Formula (based on major scale)<\/strong><\/th><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td>C, Cmaj<\/td><td>Major triad<\/td><td>1-3-5<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Cm, C-<\/td><td>Minor triad<\/td><td>1-\u266d3-5<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Caug, C+<\/td><td>Augmented triad<\/td><td>1-3-#5<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Cdim, C<sup>o<\/sup><\/td><td>Diminished triad<\/td><td>1-\u266d3-\u266d5<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>C6 or Cm6<\/td><td>6th chord<\/td><td>1-3-5-6; 1-\u266d3-5-6<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>C\/E<\/td><td>Slash chord<\/td><td>C major triad over E<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Csus2, Csus4<\/td><td>Suspended chord<\/td><td>1-2-5; 1-4-5<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Cmaj7, C\u0394<\/td><td>Major 7th chord<\/td><td>1-3-5-7<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Cm7, C-7<\/td><td>Minor 7th chord<\/td><td>1-\u266d3-5-\u266d7<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>C7<\/td><td>Dominant 7th chord<\/td><td>1-3-5-\u266d7<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Cdim7, C<sup>o7<\/sup><\/td><td>Diminished 7th chord<\/td><td>1-\u266d3-\u266d5-\u266d\u266d7<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Cm7\u266d5, C<sup>\u00f87<\/sup><\/td><td>Half-diminished 7th chord<\/td><td>1-\u266d3-\u266d5-\u266d7<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>&gt; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/chord-symbols-piano\/\" target=\"_blank\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/chord-symbols-piano\/\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Chord Symbols Explained<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:10px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-text-color has-cyan-bluish-gray-color has-alpha-channel-opacity has-cyan-bluish-gray-background-color has-background is-style-wide\"\/>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:10px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-color has-x-large-font-size\" id=\"how-to-practice-chords\" style=\"color:#f61a30\"><strong>HOW TO PRACTICE CHORDS<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>All these theory rules and chord formulas can feel overwhelming. That\u2019s valid! You may be dreading the memorization process now, but the best way to remember chord theory is to <em>play chords.<\/em> Here are some exercises you can try out:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"solid-and-broken-practice\" style=\"font-size:28px\"><strong>Solid and Broken Practice<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>This is the way classical pianists have practiced chords for generations. Pick a chord and then play the chord and its inversions up and down one or two octaves. \u201cSolid\u201d practice is when you play a sequence of chords with all the notes together. \u201cBroken\u201d practice is when you play a sequence of chords with the notes apart.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\"><strong>Solid Practice<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:10%\">\n<p><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:80%\">\n<video playsinline=\"\" autoplay=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/pianote.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com\/blog\/2021\/Chording%20PIllar\/solid%20practice%20-%20compressed.mp4\" loop=\"\" muted=\"\" width=\"100%\"><\/video>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:10%\">\n<p><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\"><strong>Broken Practice<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:10%\">\n<p><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:80%\">\n<video playsinline=\"\" autoplay=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/pianote.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com\/blog\/2021\/Ultimate%20Chord%20Inversions\/broken%20practice.mp4\" loop=\"\" muted=\"\" width=\"100%\"><\/video>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:10%\">\n<p><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>You can also do this with diatonic chords.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Make sure you practice chords in all twelve keys. Do a key a day!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"chord-transitions\" style=\"font-size:28px\"><strong>Chord Transitions<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Inversions are a handy way to shortcut the transition between two chords.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>There are tons of combinations you can use to transition using inversions. This can feel intimidating, so we suggest focusing on a few key progressions that are common:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>I-V: <\/strong>Go from the root position of the I chord to the 1st inversion of the V chord<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>V-vi: <\/strong>Go from 1st inversion of the V chord to the root position of the vi chord<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>vi-IV: <\/strong>Go from root position of the vi chord to 1st inversion of the IV chord with a quick movement of your pinky!<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"arpeggio-practice\" style=\"font-size:28px\"><strong>Arpeggio Practice<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Let\u2019s face it: chord practice can get boring. But <em>arpeggiated<\/em> chords sound beautiful, impressive, and they do a good job at training your dexterity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>These arpeggio exercises are designed to be stimulating and fun, not monotonous and boring. Try some!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/beautiful-arpeggios-piano-practice\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Beautiful Arpeggio Practice for the Piano<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/10-minute-arpeggio-practice-in-f-sharp-minor\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">10 Minute Arpeggio Practice<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/arpeggio-practice\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Arpeggio Practice &#8211; The FUN Way!<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:15px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns are-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p style=\"font-size:24px\">What if I were to tell you that all the music you are playing and enjoying is entirely built up of chords&#8230;and if you learn to identify these chords, not only will you be able to read music so much faster, you&#8217;ll also be able to improvise, create your own music, and play basically any song you hear on the radio.<\/p>\n<cite>Lisa Witt, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/chords-the-foundations-of-music\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">&#8220;Why We Love Chords&#8221;<\/a><\/cite><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"682\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/www.musora.com\/musora-cdn\/image\/quality=85\/https:\/\/pianote-blog.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/26161400\/easy-chords-2-682x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13951\" srcset=\"https:\/\/pianote-blog.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/26161400\/easy-chords-2-682x1024.jpg 682w, https:\/\/pianote-blog.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/26161400\/easy-chords-2-200x300.jpg 200w, https:\/\/pianote-blog.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/26161400\/easy-chords-2-768x1153.jpg 768w, https:\/\/pianote-blog.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/26161400\/easy-chords-2.jpg 799w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 682px) 100vw, 682px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Congratulations! You\u2019ve just mastered basic piano chord theory.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This is a big moment. By understanding chords, you\u2019ve unlocked a core concept in music and piano playing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Now go download some chord charts and play some songs!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:10px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<span class=\"blue-text-block\"><center><h2 style=\"font-size:22px\"><b>\ud83c\udfb9 Learn Piano With Real Teachers<\/b><\/h2><p>The best way to learn piano is with real teachers, but not everyone has the time and money for a private instructor. At Pianote, you can get real feedback from real experts\u2026all from the comfort of your own home. Explore our Method and community yourself with a free 7-day trial.<\/p><p><\/p><a class=\"join\" href=\"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/trial\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">TRY PIANOTE FOR 7 DAYS<\/a><\/center><p><\/p><\/span>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:10px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:10px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Chords are where it&#8217;s at! By understanding piano chords, you&#8217;ll unlock hundreds if not thousands of songs.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":49,"featured_media":14509,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[507],"tags":[1088,1134],"class_list":["post-4503","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-chord-theory","tag-ch","tag-easy-chords"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4503","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/49"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4503"}],"version-history":[{"count":61,"href":"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4503\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":17841,"href":"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4503\/revisions\/17841"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/14509"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4503"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4503"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4503"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}