Piano Guidance
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How many chords are there on a piano?

12 major chords There are 12 major chords that you can play on the piano. To make a major chord, you play the 1st, 3rd, and 5th notes of a major scale together. For example, the C major scale has the notes: C, D, E, F, G, A, B, C. So you use C E G to make the major chord.

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What Are the 12 Major Chords?

There are 12 major chords that you can play on the piano. To make a major chord, you play the 1st, 3rd, and 5th notes of a major scale together. For example, the C major scale has the notes: C, D, E, F, G, A, B, C. So you use C E G to make the major chord. Keep in mind that you call one black note by 2 names, like C# and Db. Chords like this have the same notes but are called and written differently. Both ways will be written here.

About Major Chords

Major chords are written as just a letter name. They come from major scales and use the 1st, 3rd and 5th notes of the scale with the same name. (You can learn more about this on the chord theory page.)

Here they are:

D = D F# A Db = Db F Ab

G = G B D Gb = Gb Bb Db

Video Playlist of the 12 Major Chords

Chart of The 12 Major Chords (+ 2)

Charts can be useful and here is one for you. This is the chart of all the major chords for piano. You can also find this and the individual major chords at Piano Lessons on Pinterest.

Chart of Major Chords

Major Chord Quiz / Game

We have created a little quiz or game for you to practice coming up with the notes in the different major chords.

Check out the major chords quiz page here.

Old School Chart:

This is the original chart of the major chords I published on the site. I've just left it up here as it shows things slightly differently and you may find it useful. These major chords are the most common ones you’ll come across when playing a song. Learning and knowing these will get you a long way. To learn some more kinds of chords, go to minor chords or back to chord charts.

Free Download:

Ultimate Chord Cheat Sheet

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Can you rap very fast?

Rapping fast is a skill that takes a lot of practice. The fastest rappers in the world can drop close to a dozen syllables a second. But it isn't just how fast they can rap. Even fast rappers have to be creative lyricists and inspired musical artists.

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"} 1 Pick out a rap song to learn. You can select a rap song that is performed at any speed. Sometimes it's best to start out with a song that isn't too fast to begin with. Artists like Snoop Dogg, 50 Cent or Biggie have a lot of songs that feature a chill flow which most aspiring rappers can keep up with.

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License: Creative Commons


"} 2 Look up the lyrics. Read over them several times while you listen to the song. Focus on the lyrics and remembering them perfectly. Try focusing on the meaning of the lyrics or visualizing the story they tell to help you remember them better. [3] You can also try to link a movement to a particular word or phrase, so you can memorize it faster and remember it through your moves. Read over them several times while you listen to the song. Focus on the lyrics and remembering them perfectly.

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License: Creative Commons


"} 4 Rap without the music. Recite the lyrics from memory without the help of the music. If you forget the lyrics, start over and try it again. Keep going until you can get through the entire song.

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License: Creative Commons


"} 5 Repeat these steps until you have the lyrics completely memorized. Rap lyrics should always be recited. Never read the lyrics when performing live or in the studio. Once you can recite rap lyrics from memory, then you can focus on performing the song faster.

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