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A chord is a group of three or more different notes played at the same time. Chords are the foundation of harmony and are used in almost every style of modern music, including pop, rock, jazz, blues and classical music.
What is a chord?
The simplest type of chord is a triad, which consists of a root note, a third and a fifth. Depending on the intervals between these notes, chords can be major, minor, diminished, augmented and many other types.
In chord notation, chords are named after their root note. For example, the symbol C represents a C major chord, while symbols such as Cm, C7 and Cmaj7 describe different chord qualities.
How are chords used in piano playing?
Learning chords is one of the fastest ways to play songs on the piano. Instead of reading individual notes, many piano players learn to recognize chord shapes and use chord symbols to accompany singers or play popular songs.
By mastering the basic major and minor chords, you can play thousands of songs using simple chord progressions. As your skills develop, you can expand your playing with inversions, voicings and extended chords to create a richer and more expressive sound.