C Major Chord
Like any major chord, the C major chord is formed by playing the root, the major third and the perfect fifth. That equals to playing the 1st, 3rd and 5th degree of the C major scale.
Notation
Listen to C Major
How To Play C Major On The Piano
One can play a C major chord on the piano by simultaneously pressing down the C, the E and the G notes.
The order in which these notes are played does not matter. Either of these notes can be on top, or on the bottom. We call this inversions.
The inversions of the C Major chord
- Root position: C, E, G
- Inversion 1: E, G, C
- Inversion 2: G, C, E
Video: C Major Chord On The Piano
Fingering for the Left and Right Hand
Typically the ideal fingering for the C major chord is as follows:
Left hand: 5 3 1
Right hand: 1 3 5
This allows your second and fourth finger, in both hands, to freely play the second and fourth degree of the scale of C major, namely the D and the F.
There are, however, many cases in which you may opt for a different fingering. For example, think of playing the same chord with an added C an octave above. Then the right handed fingering would be 1 2 3 5.
Scales in which the C major chord occurs
- C major scale
- A minor scale
- G Major scale