Piano Chord Finder
Choose a root, a chord type and an inversion to see the keys on a piano and the notes. Or type the notes you are playing and get the chord name.
Worked examples
C major, first inversion
C major, first inversion
E G C, written C/E
The third is now the lowest note.
Naming four notes
A C E G
Am7, or C6/A
The same notes have two names.
About Piano Chord Finder
Choose a root, a chord type and an inversion, and the keys of the chord light up on a keyboard, with the notes named in order from the lowest. Chords are made by stacking notes at set distances above the root. A major chord is the root, then the note four semitones above and the note seven above. A minor chord lowers the middle note by a semitone. Sevenths, ninths, suspended and diminished chords change or add notes in the same way.
An inversion plays the same notes with a different one at the bottom. C major with E on the bottom is the first inversion, written C/E, and with G at the bottom it is the second inversion. Inversions let you move smoothly from chord to chord without jumping around the keyboard. The second mode works backwards. Type the notes you are playing, lowest first, and it names the chord and the inversion, listing every name that fits, such as C6 and Am7.
How to use Piano Chord Finder
- Choose the root note and the type of chord.
- Choose an inversion to move different notes to the bottom.
- Read the notes and look at the keyboard picture.
- Or switch to Name the chord I am playing and type the notes, lowest first.
Common uses
- Learning chords on the piano or keyboard
- Finding a smooth voicing between two chords
- Naming a chord you found by ear
- Checking chord notes for a lead sheet
Frequently asked questions
What notes are in a C major chord?
C, E and G. Its first inversion is E G C and its second inversion is G C E.
What is an inversion?
The same chord with a different note as the lowest. Root position has the root at the bottom, first inversion has the third at the bottom and second inversion has the fifth at the bottom.
How does the chord namer work?
It tries each note you type as the root and looks for a chord type with exactly those notes. The first note you type is treated as the bass, which sets the inversion or a slash chord.
Why are there two names for the same notes?
Some chords share notes. A C6 chord is C E G A, which are the same notes as A minor seventh, A C E G. The context of the music decides which name is right.
How do I write flats and sharps?
Use b for flat and # for sharp, such as Bb or F#. Both are accepted for the same key, and the chord is spelled to match the root you pick.