How to Read Piano Chords and Chord Progressions

Reading chords and chord progressions is easy to do on the piano because of the visual access of the keyboard. If you know where middle C is, it's simple to learn the basic C, F, and G chords and the I, IV, V chord progression, one of the most common chord progressions in music.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. Play the middle C note. From there, count up three notes, and play the fourth note (E). This is the major third, and the first part of a triad.

2. Finish the triad by counting up two notes from E, and playing the third note (G). These 3 notes, C, E and G, complete the first triad or chord.

3. Move from C up to F, the fourth note of the C major scale. From F, follow the same procedure as you did with the C chord to form the next triad. Count up 3 notes from F and play the fourth note (A), then two notes from A and play the third note (C).

4. Move up from F to G, the fifth note of the C major scale. From G, follow the same procedure as you did with the C and F chords. Count up three notes from G and play the fourth note (B), then two notes from B and play the third note (E).

5. Play these three chords in succession to form the I, IV, V progression, named for the root, or one chord, the four chord and the five chord of the C major scale.