Chords diagram info
The easiest way to learn chords without an instructor is to study pictures with illustrations of chords. To simplify pictures and to make them faster to interpret Pianochord.org use diagrams with a red color marking keys to play.
By looking at the two images, you can compare a realistic picture with the diagram and easy understand how to read chord diagrams on this site.
On the picture above three fingers are pressing down the keys and playing a C major chord. The diagram below is illustrating the same chord.
To play the chord, press down all the keys with red color simultaneously.
Chord names and notes
On this site you will see the chord names together with the notes in the chord:
You can find information about the meaning on different chord names in other parts of this site and you can also find specific information on the chord on the pages they are presented.
Where to position the hands on the keyboard?
You may have observed that the diagrams only consist of 24 keys (2 octaves) when a full-size piano contain 88 keys. The thing is that you can play whatever you want. There is no right or wrong, but it is preferable that you position your hands somewhere in the middle. Too far on the left side would produce too much bass for and too far on the right would produce too much treble.
Chords with notes in music sheets
In music sheets, chords can be displayed with stack notes. The picture above is from a music sheet and show a C major chord with the notes C, E and G stacked. Below are also fingerings visible. For chord training by the help of music sheets, see the free ebook Piano Chords Practice.
See also Notes on keyboard ›