Learn › Learn Chords: Piano and Guitar, Beginner to Pro
New Released in April 2026
Learn Chords: Piano and Guitar, Beginner to Pro
To learn chords, start with major and minor triads, learn how each chord is built from its root, then play the chords in a mixed order every day until your hands find them without thinking. This works the same on piano and guitar, and a game that hears your instrument makes the daily practice fast and fun.
No account, no download. The demo has limited content. Advanced features are in ChordRunner Premium.
- MIDI keyboard
- Digital or acoustic piano
- Guitar
- Computer, phone or tablet
Learn chords in 4 levels
| Level | What to learn | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Beginner | Major and minor triads, then augmented and diminished | C · G · Am · Bdim |
| 2. Intermediate | Suspended chords | Dsus4 · Asus2 |
| 3. Advanced | 6th, 7th and 9th chords | G7 · Fmaj7 · Dm7 · C9 |
| 4. Pro | 11th, 13th and altered chords | G13 · E7#9 · A7b9 |
What chords should I learn first?
On piano: C, F, G, Am, Dm and Em. They sit on the white keys and share the same shape, so one hand position covers six chords. See easy piano chords.
On guitar: G, C, D, Em and Am. Together they cover a huge number of songs, and the changes between them are the classic first workout.
Should I learn chords or scales first?
Chords first if you want to play songs and accompany; scales first if you want to play melodies and solos. Most players learn both, but chords give the quickest results and teach you the scale notes along the way, because every chord is built from its scale.
How long does it take to learn chords?
The basic major and minor chords take a few weeks of daily practice. Knowing them by reflex, so you can change on the beat, comes from repetition: ten minutes a day beats one long session a week.
How to learn chords fast
- Understand the recipe: major = root + 4 keys + 3 keys; minor = root + 3 + 4. One rule, twelve keys.
- Mix the order: random chords train recall; the same sequence trains only the sequence.
- Get instant feedback: a wrong note repeated becomes a habit.
- Read the symbol, not the diagram: songs give you Am or G7, not a picture.
- Short daily sessions: see the 10-minute chord practice routine.
Learn chords by playing a game
ChordRunner follows the same 4 levels. A chord appears, you play it, the runner jumps.
Piano
USB MIDI keyboard detected automatically, or an acoustic piano through the microphone. Piano chord game.
Guitar
Strum into the microphone; the chord is recognised. Guitar chord game.
Adaptive
Harder chord families come in only when your hit rate goes up.
Common questions
What chords should I learn first?
On piano: C, F, G, Am, Dm and Em. On guitar: G, C, D, Em and Am. Both sets are major and minor chords that cover a large number of songs and teach the shapes everything else is built on.
How long does it take to learn chords?
The basic major and minor chords take a few weeks of daily practice. Playing them by reflex, on the beat, takes regular short sessions with the chords in a mixed order.
Should I learn chords or scales first?
Chords first if you want to play songs and accompany, scales first for melodies and solos. Chords give quicker results and teach scale notes too, because every chord comes from a scale.
Can I learn chords with a game?
Yes. In ChordRunner a chord appears and you play it on a MIDI keyboard, a piano or a guitar into the microphone. The game hears it, gives instant feedback and adds harder chords as you improve.
Your instrument is the controller.
ChordRunner is a browser game that teaches piano and guitar chords: a chord appears on screen, you play it on a real instrument, and your runner jumps. MIDI keyboard or microphone, both work.
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