Beginner Bass Chords for Piano in C Major

A person playing piano

Public Domain/Pexels

By Brandy Kraemer
Updated on 05/24/19

Learning to play bass chords on the piano is a great way to strengthen your playing skills as a beginner. Playing the piano chords in the key of C lets you learn major, minor, and diminished chords without having to play any black piano keys.

01
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Left Hand C Major Piano Triads

C major bass piano triads.

Brandy Kraemer

C major bass triads with treble fingering:

The C major chord occurs naturally in the following keys:

  • C major (chord I) / A minor (chord III)
  • G major (chord IV) / E minor (chord VI)
  • F major (chord V) / D minor (chord VII)

Switch Bass Chord Type: 

02
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Left Hand D Minor Piano Triads

D minor bass piano triads.

Brandy Kraemer

D minor bass triads with treble fingering:

The D minor chord occurs naturally in the following keys:

  • D minor (chord i) / F major (chord vi)
  • A minor (chord iv) / C major (chord ii)
  • G minor (chord v) / Bb major (chord iii)

Switch bass chord type: 

03
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Left Hand E Minor Piano Triads

E minor bass piano triads.

Brandy Kraemer

E minor bass triads with treble fingering:

The E minor chord occurs naturally in the following keys:

  • E minor (chord i) / G major (chord vi)
  • A minor (chord v) / C major (chord iii)
  • B minor (chord iv) / D major (ii)

Switch bass chord type: 

04
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Left Hand F Major Piano Triads

F major bass piano triads.

Brandy Kraemer

F major bass triads with treble fingering:

The F major chord occurs naturally in the following keys:

  • F major (chord I) / D minor (chord III)
  • C major (chord IV) / A minor (chord VI)
  • Bb major (chord V) / G minor (chord VII)

Switch bass chord type: 

05
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Left Hand G Major Piano Triads

G major bass piano triads.

Brandy Kraemer

G major bass triads with treble fingering:

The G major chord occurs naturally in the following keys:

  • G major (chord I) / E minor (chord III)
  • C major (chord V) / A minor (chord VII)
  • D major (chord IV) / B minor (chord VI)

Switch bass chord type: 

06
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Left Hand A Minor Piano Triads

A minor bass piano triads.
Image © Brandy Kraemer, 2016

A minor bass triads with treble fingering:

The A minor chord occurs naturally in the following keys:

  • A minor (chord i) / C major (chord vi)
  • E minor (chord iv) / G major (chord ii)
  • D minor (chord v) / F major (chord iii)

Switch bass chord type: 

07
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Left Hand B Diminished Piano Triads

Bdim bass piano triads.
Image © Brandy Kraemer, 2016

B diminished bass triads with treble fingering:

Mood of Diminished Chords:

A diminished chord’s character is ambiguous at best. When heard alone, they can sound eerie, goofy, or even annoying. Within music, they create the desire for tonal resolution, and tend to “leave the listener hanging”:

Switch bass chord type: