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New Released in April 2026
The Neapolitan Chord: a Major Chord on the Flat 2nd
The Neapolitan chord is a major chord built on the lowered 2nd degree of the key. In C minor that is Db major, Db F Ab. It usually appears in first inversion, F Ab Db, so you will see it written N6 or bII6, right before the dominant.
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
Find it in any key
- Take the tonic and go up a half step: C to Db.
- Build a major triad there: Db F Ab.
- Put the 3rd in the bass for the classic N6: F Ab Db.
Where it goes
N6 leads to V, often through a tonic six-four first: N6, i6/4, V, i. The Db falls to C and then to B, a dark chromatic line that gives the Neapolitan its sad, dramatic sound.
The Neapolitan Chord: a Major Chord on the Flat 2nd
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.
Play the demoIn a few minor keys
- A minor: Bb major (D F Bb as N6), then E.
- D minor: Eb major (G Bb Eb), then A.
- E minor: F major (A C F), then B.
- G minor: Ab major (C Eb Ab), then D.
From theory to sound
Outside classical music the same chord appears in root position as bII, for example Db to C in C minor, with a darker, almost cinematic pull. Loop i, bII, V7, i in ChordRunner (advanced feature in ChordRunner Premium) on a MIDI keyboard or a piano near the microphone and the colour becomes easy to recognise.
The levels in ChordRunner
- Beginner: major, minor, augmented and diminished chords.
- Intermediate: adds sus2 and sus4.
- Advanced: adds 6th, 7th and 9th chords.
- Pro: adds 11th, 13th and altered chords; an adaptive mode adds the next family when you are ready.
Common questions
What is a Neapolitan chord?
A major chord on the lowered 2nd degree of a key, usually in first inversion. In C minor: Db major, written N6 when F is in the bass.
Why is it called a Neapolitan sixth?
Because it was common in 18th-century Neapolitan opera and usually appears in first inversion, the 6 position.
Can you use a Neapolitan chord in major keys?
Yes. In C major Db major still works before G, it just sounds more surprising because it borrows notes from C minor.
Which instruments work?
A USB MIDI keyboard, detected automatically, or a piano or guitar through the microphone. Everything runs in Chrome or Edge on a computer, tablet or phone.
How is this different from apps where you tap the screen?
Tapping trains your eyes and fingers on glass. Here you press real keys or fret real strings, and the game hears the actual notes, so what you practise is exactly what you will play on your instrument.
Is everything in the demo?
The demo has limited content. Advanced features are in ChordRunner Premium.
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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