Chords diagram info
The easiest way to learn chords without an instructor is to study pictures with illustrations of chords. To simplify the pictures and make them easier to interpret, Pianochord.org use diagrams with red color marking keys to play.
By comparing the two images, a realistic picture and a diagram, you can easily understand how to read chord diagrams on this site.
In the picture above, three fingers are pressing down the keys to play 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. 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. Playing too far on the left side will produce too much bass for and too far on the right will produce too much treble.
Chords with notes in music sheets
In music sheets, chords can be displayed with stack notes. The image above is from a music sheet and shows a C major chord with the notes C, E and G stacked vertically, along with visible fingerings. For chord training by the help of music sheets, see the free ebook Piano Chords Practice.
See also Notes on keyboard ›