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Piano chord diagrams can be represented in many different ways. But, the main concept stays the same. They are used to show what notes go along with a certain chord and sometimes have a picture and the fingering.

Piano Chord Diagrams – Pictures

Probably the easiest type of chord diagram to use would be an image. These diagrams show an actual picture of the keyboard and have a some way of representing which notes go along with that chord.

These are helpful because they show the actual image of the piano and gives and easy to read way to find the notes.

Here is a list of the piano chord diagrams for all the notes and keys for most chords

Number System

Another way of displaying chords is through the number system. This can be helpful for the more advanced piano player who already knows piano scales.

To use this method you need to know the key signature of the chord you are finding. For example lets use the key of C. C Major is made up of the notes C, D, E, F, G, A, B. Now that we have the notes of the scale we need to give each note in the scale a number.

We would say that C is 1, D would be 2, and E is 3. You would go up the scale giving each note name a letter.

Here is the numbering for the key of C.

Now that each note has a letter we can go ahead and look at the diagram.

These diagrams are made up of numbers that correlate with the note in that key and the note that is played in that chord.

The b in the diagram represents a flat note or a lowered half step. A # represents a sharp, or a raised half step.

For example, in a major chord in the key of C you would play the 5th, 3rd, and 1st note in the scale. In the key of C that would be G, E, and C.

This simple diagram is an easy way to find any chord in any key on the piano as long as you know the scale.

Let’s do one more example!

Let’s use the key of G. The notes in the key of G are G, A, B, C, D, E, F#. Give each note name a number and it will look like this.

If we wanted to find the notes in a minor chord for this key you have to find the 1st note, b flat 3rd, and 5th.

This tells us that the notes for a G minor chord would be G, Bb, and D.

Use these piano chord diagrams to find the notes for any key on the piano. You can print these off for reference until they become second nature. It will take time but the longer you use these the quicker you will be able to quickly remember the notes of any chord on the piano.

Need more help learning chords? Learn almost every chord you’ll ever need with our Piano Chord Encyclopedia.

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Scales are the most important part of learning music. Here is a list of musical scales that are some of the most common scales that you will encounter.

With each scale we have included an image of the scale on the treble clef, an audio file so you can hear how the scale sounds, and the note represented on the piano keyboard.

All scales are made up of a combination of notes that create a scale. Each scale has a set pattern of half steps (semitones) and whole steps (whole tones) that makes the scale. This pattern is useful because once you know the pattern you can then transfer it to any music key.

For example, if you know the pattern for the C Major Scale, you can then transfer that same pattern to the key signature of D Major.

Scale Patterns

Each scale has a pattern of half steps and whole steps. A half step is moving from one note to the note directly next to it. This includes black keys. So, if you start on a C note and move to up a half step you would end up on Db.

A whole step is similar to a half step in that you are moving from one note to another, but here you are moving a total of two half steps. So, if you start on a C note and move a whole step you will end up on D. This is because from C to Db is one half step, and then from Db to D is another half step making a whole step.

List of Musical Scales

Here we have a list of the scales most commonly used. I am going to include each pattern with these scales. So from here on, a Whole Step will be know as WS and a Half Step will be known as HS. So lets get going.

Major Scale

This scale is the one that is most used in contemporary music. It has a very pleasing sound and all the notes seem to resolve to the next. It is really the most well know scale and most used scale.

To make a major piano scale, start on any note (this is called the Root) and then follow this pattern of Whole Steps (WS) and Half Steps (HS)

Root – WS – WS – HS – WS -WS – WS – HS

The final Half Step will end on the root note, an octave from where you started.

Now try using the same pattern as above and make another major scale with a different root note.

Minor Scales

There are three different types of minor scales. Each has a unique sound and a different pattern. These minor scales have a mysterious sound and not all the notes will sound like they are resolving like the notes in the major scale.

Natural Minor

The Natural Minor Scale is the second most common scale in the list of musical scales. It is an enharmonic scale with another major scale.

For example, the enharmonic minor scale for the C Major Scale would be A Minor Scale.

Look at the notes in the A Minor Scale below and you will see that it has the same notes as the C Major scale you just start on a different root note.

The pattern for the Natural Minor Scale is:

Root – WS – HS – WS – WS – HS – WS – WS

Harmonic Minor

The Harmonic Minor Scale is very similar to the Natural Minor Scale. The Harmonic Minor Scale has all the same except for the sharp 7th note.

If you look at the image you can see that the seventh note in the scale has a sharp sign next to it. This means that you raise the seventh note in the scale up one half step.

Root – WS – HS – WS – WS – HS – 3HS – HS

Here the 3HS means that you move up 3 Half Steps from the previous note.

Melodic Minor

the Melodic Minor is a lot different from most other scales in the fact that it is played differently ascending and descending.

Most scales in the list of musical scales are played with the same note going up and then the same note going back down. The Melodic Minor Scale is played one way going up then differently going down.

It is similar to the Harmonic Minor in that it has a sharp seventh note, but it also has sharp 6th note. Look at the image below and you can see both sharp note on the way up. When you come back down, you simple play the notes in the Natural Minor Scale.

This scale requires a lot of practice to really remember it because you have to remember the difference from the ascending and descending pattern.

Ascending Pattern – Root – WS – HS – WS – WS – WS – WS – HS
Descending Pattern – Root – WS – WS – HS – WS – WS – HS – WS

Pentatonic Scale

Using the Pentatonic Scale is easy in most music. It’s a scale that a lot of guitar players use to solo with. This is because that if you are in the key of C and play any note in the C Pentatonic Scale then it will sound good. It’s easy to impress your friends with this scale because any note you play will be right!

This scale is made up of 5 note, hence the prefix PENTA. This is a great scale to use for improvisation and is one of the first you should learn in list of musical scales.

To find this scale you simple find the major scale of the key you want, and use the 1, 2, 3, 5, and 6 notes of the scale.

Here’s a hint…… play any black key on piano keyboard and you are playing a Pentatonic Scale!

Whole Tone Scale

The whole tone scale is pretty self explanatory. It is one of the easier to remember scales in the list of musical scales.

It is made up of noting but Whole Steps. Each note is separated by a whole tone making this scale easy to remember.

Blues Scale

The Blues Scale is one of the great scales that everyone should know. It is made up of three “blue notes” that gives a song that bluesy sound.

To make this scale you have three flat notes. The 3rd note, 5th note, and 7th note.

Root – 3HS – WS – HS – HS – 3HS – WS

Chromatic Scale

The last scale worth noting in the list of musical scales is the Chromatic Scale. This scale is very easy to remember in the fact that you simply play every note on the piano consecutively.

Just start on any note and then play every note on the piano keyboard in order and you have played the Chromatic Scale. The entire scale is made up of all Half Steps.

Here we have given a long list of musical scales. Use this list to help memorize the scales that are most commonly used so that you can then implement it into you piano playing.

Each note has a unique sound which can be relevant to certain styles of music.

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This Piano Key Chart is a great tool for people just starting out learning the notes on the piano keyboard. Learning the keys and notes on the piano can be a difficult task for beginners, but using this chart will make the learning process much easier.

There are two different kinds of keys on the piano. There are black keys, and white keys. The white keys are called naturals and the black keys are called sharps and flats.

How to Read a Sharp and Flat

In music, a sharp is represented by a #, or number sign, and a flat looks like a lower case b. This tells us that you raise the original note up one half step or down one half step.

If you look at the image below you can see that the white notes are given just a single letter name, while the black notes are given a sharp and a flat name.

In music, we use what’s called a Semitone and Whole Tone to know the distance between notes. A semitone is just a fancy word for a half step which means moving to the note immediately to the right to the right or left.

So, back to sharps and flats……

A sharp note means that we move from the starting note to the note immediately next to it. So, if we started on C, the next note to the right would be the C#/Db.

Why is that note called C Sharp and D Flat? Because if you start on the D and move down a half step then you would be on D flat. It all depends on which note you start with and in which way you are moving right or left.

Naming these notes two names is known as being enharmonic. Enharmonic means that they have the same sound. Enharmonic Equivalent notes are called different names but have the same sound. Both C Sharp and D Flat are enharmonic because they have the same sound and are the same key on the piano keyboard, but have two different names.

Confused Yet?

Now its going to get really confusing.

Each key on the piano keyboard is not actually the note that is labeled in the piano key chart. It is actually just a tone that is close enough to the sound that that note makes.

Remember those enharmonic notes? The keys on the piano are actually enharmonic in the fact that they are equivalent, or sound the same as the sound that makes that tone.

So a C is a not perfect C tone it is just close enough that we no one can tell the difference. So to make things easy we just call it C.

Full Piano Layout

The piano keyboard is made up of a lot more than just seven white notes and five black notes. So how do we know what the rest of the notes are called?

Look at the full piano key chart below and you will notice a pattern of the notes.

The notes have a recurring pattern that continues all the way up and down the piano. If you can learn and the remember the twelve notes that repeat then you will be able to read the entire piano and all the notes.

Check out this page for a more in depth version learning of piano keys. This page gives a much greater detail version of this concept if you need more info.

People look at the piano and think that there is no way to lean all of those notes. All you have to do is learn the keys on the smaller piano key chart and then you can learn every note on the piano keyboard.

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Piano Flash Cards are a great way to help any beginner learn important aspects of the piano.

Everyone knows that repetition yields the best results for memorization, so using flash cards are a great tool.

I remember when I was young and I would sit and quiz myself with flash cards that I made on index cards. I drew the each staff and note on one side of the card and then the note name on the other. I credit a lot to taking the time to study my homemade cards.

Everyone can benefit from using music flash cards. If you are an adult and you are learning to play you will benefit from flash cards. Anyone who is just starting out learning the piano and music theory should have flash cards.

Take a look at the image below. Here is an example of flash cards that we have for free download!

Free Flash Cards

Her is the list of the free flash cards that we have to offer. You can click on the link, and it will open a new window. Or, you can save the files to your computer anc print them off later.

To save, just right-click on link and click on save-as. Choose the destination on your computer where you want to save them and your ready.

Piano Notes

White Keys
Black Keys

Key Signature

Treble Clef Key Signature – Sharp
Bass Clef Key Signature – Sharp

Click Here if you are looking for more Music Theory Flash Cards.

We have an array of different cards that will help musicians learn many other music concepts.

Make sure you take the time to use these flash cards. I promise that if you use them on a regular basis you will notice a difference in you knowledge of the piano.

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Piano chords made easy once you know the basics. If you look online you see people making claims about I have the secret to piano chords made easy. You might think that they are just blowing some hot air and trying to sell you something.

Well, really piano chords are quit easy to learn. Once you know the basics of how they are formed anyone can start playing basic songs on the piano.

If you watch someone play the piano by ear they seem like they just know exactly where to place their fingers at the right time to make it sound beautiful. But what most people don’t know is that there is a lot of knowledge that those people use this basic information and embellish on it to make their chords sound amazing.

Starting Off With Piano Chords Made Easy

So, where do we start? If you have totally no knowledge about playing the piano, then I would suggest that you take a look at some of my more beginner lessons to give you some of the basics before you begin. It’s ok……. go ahead, we’ll be here when you get back. If you already know a little bit about piano chords then you are ready for piano chords made easy.

Also, before you start. If you need a refresher in piano scales, or how to build scales then you might need to check out my page on scales before you begin.

Building A Major Chord

A basic piano chord it built around three notes. These three notes are built of the 1st, 3rd, and 5th of a scale.

What that means is, there are 7 notes in every scale. You find the 1st note in the scale, the 3rd note, and the 5th note and you have a major chord. The major chord is the king of all chords and is used most often.

So say you want to find a C major chord. All you have to do is find those three notes in the C scale and you will get that chord.

The first note in the C scale is C, the third note is E, and the fifth note is G. Thats all there is to it. Build all major chords around the 1st, 3rd, and 5th and you can easily build a major chord.

Minor Chords

A minor chord is just as easy to find as a major chord.

To find this chord you need to find your major chord. So lets use C major as our example again.

C, E, G makes C major. Now, to make this a minor chord all you have to do is move the third note, the E, one half step to the left, which is known as the flat 3rd. (A half step is the very next note) So this C minor chord would be C, Eb, and G. So building minors are easy too. Find the major, and move the third note one note to left.

Playing Songs With These Chords

Now comes the fun part. You might be asking me: “How can I already be ready to play a song?”

Well, now that you can find a major and a minor chord you can pretty much play 90% of all the popular songs there are out there. To make my point I’ll show you.

Lets play Mary Had A Little Lamb. This song is made up of three chords: C major, F major, and G major. The chord progression is below along with an audio clip to help you play along. In the clip I’m playing the melody along with the chords so you can see how the melody fits in the song.

Just take some time first to find the notes to each of the three chords. Try and figure them out on your own first, and if you have trouble, look at the bottom of the chord chart to help you.

C       F        C
Mary had a little lamb

G
Little Lamb

C
Little Lamb

C       F        C
Mary had a little lamb

       G                         C
Its fleece was white as snow

C Major – C, E, G
F Major – F, A, C
G Major – G, B, D

If you know the three notes that go along with a chord and you know the chords to the song you can play it. There is a lot more to piano chords made easy, but these are the basics. Take your time to learn all the major and minor chords and you will be off to learning tons of new songs.

Need more help learning chords? Learn almost every chord you’ll ever need with our Piano Chord Encyclopedia.

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