Understanding the role of black keys to white keys will help you as you learn how to play piano chords. A lot of the learning process happens as you play around, and you experiment with different sounds. As you move your fingers from white keys to black keys, it changes that sound. Finding what sounds are pleasing, and remembering the position of your fingers, completes the learning process. This will make learning formal chords a bit easier.

Start with a simple pattern, using your right hand. To learn how to play piano chords in the key of C, use your thumb, middle finger, and pinky. Place your thumb on C, your middle finger on E, and pinky on G. This is a simple C chord. You may also play this chord with your left hand, placing your pinky on C, your middle finger on E, and your thumb on G. Play this chord several times until you have the sound of it in your head.

Now, change the position of your fingers without changing the name of the notes. Place your right thumb on G, your middle finger on C, and your pinky on E. Notice how this changes the sound?

Be mindful, too, as you learn new chords, of the way your hand lays on the keys. Generally, to start with, every note gets one finger. So, C, D, E, F, and G played with the right hand will get thumb, index, middle, ring, and pinky fingers, respectively. When you learn different types of chords that are minor, diminished, augmented, and suspended, your finger positions will change from every other white key, to adding a black key, or two, to your basic chord. This will, at times, bunch up your fingers to playing “neighbor“ notes.

So, let’s play with that C chord you have mastered, and learn how to play piano chords with the left hand naming the chord, and the right hand making the full chord. Play a low C with your left thumb, and C, E, and G with your right hand, as we discussed above, using first (thumb), middle, and pinky fingers. Listen to that chord! Now, place your left pinky finger down on F, and move your third and fifth fingers, of the right hand, each up one white key.

Play them all together now. Lovely! Move your right hand fingers to their original position, and play a G with your left hand. Like that progression? Now return your hands to their original position. You have now played a I, IV, V, I , or C, F, G, C chord progression.

By remembering your finger position, you can have great success if you continue listening and learning how to play piano chords. Like many things in life, practice will make you better. You just need to learn the right ways, and Rocket Piano can do that for you. Soon, you’ll be a master!

Tags: how to play piano chords

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