Julie Swihart

Major Chords

Let’s look at how to play a G major chord on the piano. We’ll also learn the pattern for building any major chord.

What Are Major Chords?

Major chords are built using the first, third and fifth notes of the matching major scale.

You can learn how to build a major scale here.

Chord Types Printable

Learn to play 17 types of piano chords using 12 different root notes with this 34-page PDF! Chords are sorted both by their root note (C, D, E, etc.) and type (major, minor, augmented, diminished, etc.).

Get the Printable

How to Play a G Major Chord

So build a G major chord, all we have to do is play the first, third and fifth notes of a G major scale: G – B – D.

G – B – D

You can use this pattern to build any major chord. Just play the first, third and fifth notes of the matching major scale.

Major chords are the most common type of chord, and learning how to play them will lay a great foundation for all your future piano playing.

One of my favorite things to do with major chords is to play inversions (inversions are where we rearrange the notes of a chord so the root note – the note the chord is named after – is not at the bottom of the chord). You can learn all about inversions here.

Other Chord Types

There are many other types of chords you can learn. Here are some others:

Minor
Augmented
Diminished
Second
Minor second
Fifth
Suspended
Sixth
Minor sixth
Seventh
Minor seventh
Major seventh
Ninth
Minor ninth
Major ninth

Conclusion

Now you know how to play a G major chord on the piano, and you can use this pattern to build any major chord! Chords are a wonderful way to learn and play the piano, and leave so much room for personal expression and creativity.