Ways to use this list
- Chord change drill for guitar: tap Guitar open chords, spin two and switch between them for one minute, counting clean changes. Spin again once it feels easy.
- Instant chord progression: set Winners to 4 and play the four chords in order as a loop. Some combinations will surprise you, and a few might become songs.
- Piano chord fluency: spin, then play the chord in root position and both inversions with each hand. The notes under the list let you check every one.
- Ukulele club: put Ukulele starters on the projector and strum along to whatever the wheel lands on, four beats per chord.
- Ear training with a partner: one person spins and plays the chord, the other says whether it sounds major, minor or 7th.
Press Spin the wheel, tap the game or press the Space bar. Change the list in the box as you
like: add your own, delete what doesn't suit you, or write *2 after an entry to give it double the
chance. The game buttons switch the same list to a duck race, hat, claw machine and more.
The full list (36 entries)
- C – C major: C E G
- Cm – C minor: C E♭ G
- C7 – C dominant 7th: C E G B♭
- D♭ – D♭ major: D♭ F A♭
- C♯m – C♯ minor: C♯ E G♯
- D♭7 – D♭ dominant 7th: D♭ F A♭ C♭
- D – D major: D F♯ A
- Dm – D minor: D F A
- D7 – D dominant 7th: D F♯ A C
- E♭ – E♭ major: E♭ G B♭
- E♭m – E♭ minor: E♭ G♭ B♭
- E♭7 – E♭ dominant 7th: E♭ G B♭ D♭
- E – E major: E G♯ B
- Em – E minor: E G B
- E7 – E dominant 7th: E G♯ B D
- F – F major: F A C
- Fm – F minor: F A♭ C
- F7 – F dominant 7th: F A C E♭
- F♯ – F♯ major: F♯ A♯ C♯
- F♯m – F♯ minor: F♯ A C♯
- F♯7 – F♯ dominant 7th: F♯ A♯ C♯ E
- G – G major: G B D
- Gm – G minor: G B♭ D
- G7 – G dominant 7th: G B D F
- A♭ – A♭ major: A♭ C E♭
- G♯m – G♯ minor: G♯ B D♯
- A♭7 – A♭ dominant 7th: A♭ C E♭ G♭
- A – A major: A C♯ E
- Am – A minor: A C E
- A7 – A dominant 7th: A C♯ E G
- B♭ – B♭ major: B♭ D F
- B♭m – B♭ minor: B♭ D♭ F
- B♭7 – B♭ dominant 7th: B♭ D F A♭
- B – B major: B D♯ F♯
- Bm – B minor: B D F♯
- B7 – B dominant 7th: B D♯ F♯ A
Questions people ask
How is a major chord different from a minor chord?
Both use a root, a third and a fifth. In a major chord the third is four semitones above the root (C to E); in a minor chord it is three semitones (C to E♭). That one note changes the mood from bright to darker.
What does the 7 in C7 mean?
C7 is a dominant 7th chord: a C major chord with an added B♭, the note ten semitones above the root. Cmaj7 adds B instead, one semitone higher, which sounds softer and jazzier.
Why do some chords on the list use flats and others sharps?
Musicians choose the spelling that is easiest to read: D♭ major and C♯ minor are far more common than C♯ major or D♭ minor, so the list uses those. On a guitar or piano, D♭ and C♯ are the same fret or key.
Which chords should a beginner learn first?
On guitar, the open chords C, G, D, A, E, Am, Em and Dm cover thousands of songs. On ukulele, C, F, G and Am are the classic first four. Both sets have their own quick-list button above the picker.