Learn Your Piano Chords: The Easy Way

One of the most important basic music theory knowledge that any pianist should have is the piano chords. It basically forms the moods and creation of new music. In order to know how to form theses chords, you must know what they are as well. So what are piano chords?

Piano chords or chords are three or more notes played together to create sound or melody. There are actually 4 types of piano chords, the Major Chords, the Minor Chords, the Diminished Chords and the Augmented Chords. There are also known as triads. You can use semitones also known as the half-step to form these piano chords.

The most basic and known piano chords are the Major Chords and the Minor Chords.

Major chords are also called the happy chords because of the light mood it makes. It uses 4-3 semitones to form. To build a C major chord on a piano, you will use the C note, the E note (4 semitones from C. Db is the first semitone, D is the second, Eb is the third, and E is the fourth), and the G note (3 semitones from E is G. F is the first, F# is the second, and G is the third).

Minor Chords is known as the sadder chords. It uses a 3-4 semitone formula to form Minor Chords. This formula is the opposite of a major chord's. Using the formula, we can construct/form any minor chord easily. The minor chord can be called the "moody" chord or the sad chord.

Example 1:
F minor chord = F + Ab (3 semitones from F) + C (4 semitones from Ab).

Diminished and Augmented Piano Chords are rarely used or known but are also needed in piano playing.

Diminished chords are traditional piano chords and may sound quite unstable. After playing it either a Major or Minor Chord must be played. The diminished chord can be called the "suspense" chord. It uses a 3-3 semitone form.

For Example:
C diminished chord = C + Eb (3 semitones from C) +Gb (3 semitones from Eb)

Augmented Chords is also a traditional piano chord that serves as a passing chord. When used appropriately, it will make the piano music sounds spectacular.

Example 1:
D augmented chord = D + F# (4 semitones from D) + A# (4 semitones from F#)

Playing piano chords can make piano playing easy and fun. Try piano chords improvisation and create your own music.