C major chord on piano
The C major chord is C–E–G. Tap the keys below to hear it.
CC · E · G
Tap the keys to hear them
1 = thumb, 5 = little finger.
C major is the first chord most pianists learn: three white keys, no sharps or flats. Nearly every method book starts here, and it's a great shape to get under your fingers.
How the C major chord is built
Fingerings & inversions
Standard fingerings use the thumb (1), the little finger (5), and either the index (2) or middle finger (3). Hand size and musical context change what feels natural. Switch Fingers on above to see 1-3-5 land for C.
| Position | Notes (bottom → top) | Right hand | Left hand |
|---|---|---|---|
| Root position | C – E – G | 1-3-5 | 5-3-1 |
| 1st inversion | E – G – C | 1-2-5 | 5-3-1 |
| 2nd inversion | G – C – E | 1-3-5 | 5-2-1 |
Inversion diagrams
The inversion buttons above play all 3 shapes of C.
Popular songs to play with the C piano chord
- Imagine by John Lennon
- Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star by Traditional
- Blue Danube by Johann Strauss II
Songs are where chords start making sense. Skoove takes you from C to full songs, step by step.
Start a piano lesson for freeWhere C shows up
C major is the home chord (I) of C major, a key with no sharps or flats. It also plays the V in F and the IV in G, and its relative minor, A minor, is built from the same scale. Songs in any of these keys make constant use of C.
Try it inside the two progressions that carry most pop songs: C–F–G and C–G–Am–F.
Common questions
What notes are in the C major chord?
The C major chord is made up of C, E, G. All white keys: start on C, skip a key to E, skip another to G, and the shape is under your hand.
What fingers should I use to play C on piano?
In root position, the standard fingering is 1-3-5 in the right hand and 5-3-1 in the left hand (1 = thumb, 5 = little finger). C, E, G are all white keys; find C just left of the pair of black keys, and the rest of the shape follows.
What chords are in the key of C major?
The seven diatonic chords in C major are C major, D minor, E minor, F major, G major, A minor, B diminished.
What are the notes in the C major scale?
The C major scale is C – D – E – F – G – A – B – C. The C chord is built from the 1st, 3rd and 5th notes of that scale.
What is the difference between C major and Cmaj7?
Cmaj7 adds the seventh note of the scale, B, on top of the C–E–G triad. The extra note gives the chord a richer, warmer sound.
More C chords
Reviewed by
Composer, arranger and music educator. BA Music (LIPA), MA Composition (University of Salford).
Last updated 2026-08-13