Learn › What Is a Chord in Music? The Simple Answer
New Released in April 2026
What Is a Chord in Music? The Simple Answer
A chord is three or more notes played at the same time. A melody is notes one after another; a chord is notes together, the sound that sits under a melody and gives it colour.
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
See it
Press G, B and D together on a keyboard: that is the G chord. On a guitar, strumming six strings while holding a shape plays a chord too, because several notes ring at once.
Why these notes and not others?
Notes that skip one between them blend well: G, B, D sound smooth together. Press G, A and B instead, three neighbours, and the sound gets crowded. Chords are built from the blending kind. Try both and trust your ear: it already knows the difference.
Practise it in a game
ChordRunner shows a chord name, you play it on a MIDI keyboard, a piano or a guitar through the microphone, and the game checks every note. Levels start with the chords on this page.
Play the demoTwo notes, three notes, more
- Two notes together are called an interval.
- Three notes stacked this way are a triad, the basic chord.
- Four or more add colour: 7th, 9th and beyond.
Chords have names
Each chord has a short name, its symbol: G, Am, D7. Musicians read these names to know what to play. Learning chords is mostly learning to turn a name into a hand shape quickly. Start with the major and minor chords on white keys, then add one new chord type at a time.
Common questions
What is a chord in simple words?
Three or more notes played together. The most common chords use three notes, each one skipping a note from the one below.
What is the difference between a chord and a note?
A note is one sound. A chord is several notes sounding at the same time.
Can I check my chords with a MIDI keyboard or a microphone?
Yes. In ChordRunner a USB MIDI keyboard is detected automatically, and a piano or guitar works through the microphone. The game shows a chord name and checks the notes you play.
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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