What are the basic piano chords?

Basic piano chords are usually made up of three or more notes played together. The most common basic chords are triads, which consist of three notes. Here are the main types of basic chords: ### 1. **Major Chords** - **Structure**: Root note + Major third (4 half steps above the root) + Perfect fifth (7 half steps above the root) - **Examples**: - **C Major (C)**: C - E - G - **G Major (G)**: G - B - D - **F Major (F)**: F - A - C ### 2. **Minor Chords** - **Structure**: Root note + Minor third (3 half steps above the root) + Perfect fifth (7 half steps above the root) - **Examples**: - **A Minor (Am)**: A - C - E - **E Minor (Em)**: E - G - B - **D Minor (Dm)**: D - F - A ### 3. **Diminished Chords** - **Structure**: Root note + Minor third (3 half steps above the root) + Diminished fifth (6 half steps above the root) - **Examples**: - **B Diminished (Bdim)**: B - D - F - **C# Diminished (C#dim)**: C# - E - G ### 4. **Augmented Chords** - **Structure**: Root note + Major third (4 half steps above the root) + Augmented fifth (8 half steps above the root) - **Examples**: - **C Augmented (Caug)**: C - E - G# - **G Augmented (Gaug)**: G - B - D# ### 5. **Seventh Chords** - **Major Seventh (Maj7)**: Root + Major third + Perfect fifth + Major seventh (11 half steps above the root) - **Dominant Seventh (7)**: Root + Major third + Perfect fifth + Minor seventh (10 half steps above the root) - **Minor Seventh (m7)**: Root + Minor third + Perfect fifth + Minor seventh (10 half steps above the root) - **Examples**: - **C Major 7th (Cmaj7)**: C - E - G - B - **G Dominant 7th (G7)**: G - B - D - F - **Am7 (A Minor 7th)**: A - C - E - G These chords form the foundation of most piano music. Mastering them will allow you to play a wide range of songs and understand more complex chords and progressions. read less