To play piano chords with both hands, let the left hand play the root and the 5th, or the root position chord, low on the keyboard, and the right hand play the full chord, or the melody, higher up. The hands divide the work: the left hand gives the bass and the harmony, and the right hand gives the chords and the melody.
How do you play piano chords with both hands?
To play piano chords with both hands, let the left hand play the root and the 5th, or the root position chord, low on the keyboard, and the right hand play the full chord, or the melody, higher up. The hands divide the work: the left hand gives the bass and the harmony, and the right hand gives the chords and the melody, and together they make the music full, with the bass, the harmony, and the melody, all at once, and the piano sounds like a band, because the hands are the band. The two hands are the challenge, because they must play together, in time, and the left hand must be independent, and the right hand must be independent, and the two must be together, and the independence is learned by practising each hand alone, until it is solid, and then putting them together, slowly, until they are together, and the music flows. The left hand plays low, around C3, and the right hand plays high, around C4, and the hands are apart, on the keyboard, so they do not collide, and the music is full, with the bass and the treble, and the harmony in between. The C major piano chord and the G major piano chord are the chords most players first play with both hands, and the metronome keeps the beat steady.
How playing piano chords with both hands works
Playing piano chords with both hands works because the hands divide the work, with the left hand playing the bass, and the right hand playing the chords, and the two together make the harmony complete. The left hand plays the root and the 5th, or the root position triad, low on the keyboard, with fingers 5, 3, and 1, on C, E, and G, for C major, and the right hand plays the full triad, or the triad in an inversion, higher on the keyboard, with fingers 1, 3, and 5, on C, E, and G, for C major, and the two chords together are the same chord, but the sound is fuller, because the notes are doubled, in different octaves, and the harmony is richer. The hands must be together, in time, because the chords change together, and the left hand and the right hand must change at the same moment, on the beat, and the change is practised slowly, until it is together, and then the speed can increase. The left hand can also play a pattern, such as the root, then the 5th, then the root, in a rhythm, while the right hand plays the chords, and the pattern is the accompaniment, and the chords are the harmony, and the two together make the music. The D major piano chord and the A major piano chord are the chords the two hands are built on.
Worked example — playing C major with both hands. Put your left hand on the piano, with the pinky, finger 5, on C, C3, 130.81 Hz, the middle finger, finger 3, on E, E3, 164.81 Hz, and the thumb, finger 1, on G, G3, 196 Hz, and press the three keys down together, and the notes are C, E, G, low on the keyboard. Now put your right hand on the piano, with the thumb, finger 1, on C, C4, 261.63 Hz, the middle finger, finger 3, on E, E4, 329.63 Hz, and the pinky, finger 5, on G, G4, 392 Hz, and press the three keys down together, at the same time as the left hand, and the notes are C, E, G, high on the keyboard, and the two hands together play C major, with the notes doubled, in two octaves, and the sound is full, because the bass and the treble are together. The key of C major lists the chords the two hands are built on.
How to practise playing piano chords with both hands
Practise with both hands by learning each hand alone, until it is solid, and then putting them together, slowly, until they are together, and the music flows.
- Play a C major chord with the left hand alone, fingers 5, 3, and 1, on C, E, and G, until it is clean, and the hand is relaxed.
- Play a C major chord with the right hand alone, fingers 1, 3, and 5, on C, E, and G, until it is clean, and the hand is relaxed.
- Play the chord with both hands together, pressing the keys down at the same time, and listening for the notes to ring together, in two octaves.
- Play the I–V–vi–IV progression in C major with both hands, changing chords together, on the beat, and listening for the harmony to change, smoothly.
- Practise with the metronome at 60 beats per minute, and increase the tempo by 5 beats per minute when the chords are clean at the current tempo.
Common mistakes
- Putting the hands together too soon — The hands must be solid alone, before they are put together, because a hand that is not solid will make mistakes, and the two hands together will be confused, and the music will not flow. Practise each hand alone, until it is clean, and then put them together, slowly.
- Playing the hands at different times — The hands must change together, on the beat, because the chords change together, and the left hand and the right hand must be together, or the harmony will be confused. Practise the change slowly, until the hands are together, and then increase the speed.
- Letting one hand dominate — One hand will be stronger, usually the right hand, and the other will be weaker, and the strong hand will play louder, and the weak hand will be lost, and the music will be unbalanced. Practise the weak hand alone, until it is as strong as the other, and the hands will be balanced.
Quick reference
This table shows what each hand plays when you play a C major chord with both hands, with the notes and the fingers for each hand, so you can see the division of work side by side. The left hand plays low, and the right hand plays high, and the two together make the chord full, with the notes doubled in two octaves.
| Hand | Plays | Notes (C major) | Fingers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Left hand | Root position triad, low | C3 – E3 – G3 | 5 – 3 – 1 |
| Right hand | Root position triad, high | C4 – E4 – G4 | 1 – 3 – 5 |
Use the table to practise with both hands: learn each hand alone, until it is clean, and then put them together, slowly, pressing the keys down at the same time, and listening for the notes to ring together, in two octaves. When you can play the chord with both hands, you can play any chord, with both hands, and the piano will sound like a band.
Frequently asked questions
How do I play piano chords with both hands?
Let the left hand play the root and the 5th, or the root position chord, low on the keyboard, and the right hand play the full chord, or the melody, higher up. The hands divide the work: the left hand gives the bass and the harmony, and the right hand gives the chords and the melody.
What does the left hand play on piano?
The left hand plays the bass, and the harmony, low on the keyboard, usually the root and the 5th, or the root position triad, or a pattern, such as the root, then the 5th, then the root, in a rhythm, while the right hand plays the chords, and the melody.
What does the right hand play on piano?
The right hand plays the chords, and the melody, high on the keyboard, usually the full triad, or the triad in an inversion, or the melody, with the chords, and the right hand is the lead, and the left hand is the accompaniment.
How do I make my left hand as good as my right?
By practising the left hand alone, until it is as clean and as strong as the right, and by playing scales and arpeggios with the left hand, which build the fingers, and by giving the left hand the same time, and the same attention, as the right.
Can I play different chords in each hand?
Yes, but the chords should be the same, or they should fit together, because the harmony is the chords, and the hands together make the harmony, and if the hands play different chords, the harmony will be confused, unless the chords are chosen to fit.