As you begin playing major chords, it’s best to start off with three notes – F, A and C – located by starting from D and counting four keys (including black ones ) rightward.
After finding F, move to the major third, which is two whole steps above it. From there, search one-and-a-half steps higher for C.
Root
Root notes in a chord are typically identified by their starting letter; all major chords feature C as their root note regardless of any other notes being added; it serves as the foundation of any given chord and remains constant regardless of any changes made (think of it like your name – it doesn’t change when dressing differently).
Major chords feature three tones known as 3rd and 5th intervals that remain the same across every major chord, while its root can be changed through inversions in order to alter how it sounds.
At times, major chords may be written as sus 4s or F sus 4, meaning you will add an F major seventh note to the standard three-note major triad and create a more dramatic sound – an excellent strategy for advanced musicians looking to add dramatic sounds in their music.
Third
Similar to the root, third and fifth interval chords we discussed earlier, all major triads are composed by taking the 1st, 3rd, and 5th notes from any scale, but minor chords place their minor 3rd on the bottom with major on top while major 7th chords reverse this feature (or at least less obviously).
C Major chords consist of F, A and C notes; with F serving as its root note and A serving as both major third and perfect fifth respectively. If you need help finding these notes on the keyboard, just remember that F is located immediately below any grouping of three black keys and A is two white notes above G and two below B.
More advanced musicians often make use of diminished and augmented chords, constructed using minor and major thirds but shifting the fifth up or down half-step from its usual position.
Fifth
If you have paid attention to intervals, it should be easy for you to understand how minor chords become major chords. Remember that minor chords contain both minor thirds at their bottom and major thirds on top – flip them around for major chords! For instance, C minor can easily transform into C major by shifting its F to E half step; commonly written as F7 chord.
Use the Circle of Fifths to locate chords on your keyboard. Start by finding F – found beneath three black keys – as its root note, and work your way upward until reaching A and then C, the perfect fifths respectively. When playing C Major Chords keep your pinky finger, middle finger, and thumb on these three notes simultaneously to achieve success.
Seventh
Seventh chords can add depth and variety to a piano chord progression. They are often found in love songs, dating back to Romanticism in works like Claude Debussy’s “Claire De Lune.” Additionally, seventh chords possess an extra tension element that creates movement within music pieces.
These chords consist of four notes that can be combined in various ways to form chords with three additional notes stacked atop them. Most textbooks refer to seventh chords by their triad type and interval type – for instance a C major seventh chord contains four notes: root, major 3rd, perfect 5th and major 7th (C-E-G-B).
Sometimes you may see the symbol for a seventh chord which does not imply any seventh, such as Cadd2. This indicates a major triad with an extra note voiced inside it but not at its seventh interval (C-D-E-G). This form of seventh chord is known as a diminished seventh chord.