Master the Basics: 120 Piano Chords in One Guide

Quick Reference: 120 Essential Piano Chords

Learning a broad set of piano chords gives you the vocabulary to accompany songs, improvise, and compose. This quick reference lists 120 essential chords organized for fast lookup, with voicings and brief fingerings so you can play them immediately. Use it as a cheat sheet during practice or while arranging.

How to use this guide

• Each chord shows: name — notes (root first) — a simple three- or four-note voicing you can use in the left or right hand.
• For triads, play root–third–fifth. For sevenths and extended chords, common voicings omit redundant notes and place the third and seventh where they’re easy to finger.
• When needed, invert chords to fit the musical context. Fingerings assume middle-register positioning; adjust hand position as required.

Major triads (12)

• C — C E G — (R-1, 3-2, 5-1)
• C# / Db — C# F G# —
• D — D F# A —
• D# / Eb — D# G A# —
• E — E G# B —
• F — F A C —
• F# / Gb — F# A# C# —
• G — G B D —
• G# / Ab — G# C D# —
• A — A C# E —
• A# / Bb — A# D F —
• B — B D# F# —

Minor triads (12)

• Cm — C Eb G —
• C#m / Dbm — C# E G# —
• Dm — D F A —
• D#m / Ebm — D# F# A# —
• Em — E G B —
• Fm — F Ab C —
• F#m / Gbm — F# A C# —
• Gm — G Bb D —
• G#m / Abm — G# B D# —
• Am — A C E —
• A#m / Bbm — A# C# F —
• Bm — B D F# —

Major seventh (maj7) (12)

• Cmaj7 — C E G B — (R-1, 3-2, 7-1)
• C#maj7 — C# F G# C —
• Dmaj7 — D F# A C# —
• Ebmaj7 — Eb G Bb D —
• Emaj7 — E G# B D# —
• Fmaj7 — F A C E —
• F#maj7 — F# A# C# F —
• Gmaj7 — G B D F# —
• Abmaj7 — Ab C Eb G —
• Amaj7 — A C# E G# —
• Bbmaj7 — Bb D F A —
• Bmaj7 — B D# F# A# —

Dominant seventh (7) (12)

• C7 — C E G Bb —
• C#7 — C# F G# B —
• D7 — D F# A C —
• Eb7 — Eb G Bb Db —
• E7 — E G# B D —
• F7 — F A C Eb —
• F#7 — F# A# C# E —
• G7 — G B D F —
• Ab7 — Ab C Eb Gb —
• A7 — A C# E G —
• Bb7 — Bb D F Ab —
• B7 — B D