C piano chord — the keys, the inversions, the theory

C is a major chord built from C, E, G. Below: the keys to press, every inversion with its own diagram, the intervals it is made of, the keys whose scale contains it, and a progression that actually uses it. Press any diagram to hear it.

C

C · E · G

Piano keyboardC4C5

Semitones above the root: 0 – 4 – 7

A major third at the bottom is what makes this bright and settled.

Inversions of C

  • Root position

    C · E · G · bass C

  • Inversion 1

    E · G · C · bass E

  • Inversion 2

    G · C · E · bass G

Same chord, different note at the bottom. Press a diagram to hear it — inversions are how you move between chords without jumping your hand across the keyboard.

Keys that contain C

  • CI
  • GIV
  • FV

In C it does this job: I – V – vi – IV

  1. C
  2. G
  3. Am
  4. F

Questions