Jazz Piano Chord Chart
The chord types jazz runs on · 22 chord types · 7ths, 9ths, 11ths, 13ths & alterations in all 12 keys · tap to light the keys and hear it
How to play
- Jazz harmony is built on 7th chords, then coloured with extensions (9ths, 13ths) and alterations (♯9, ♭9, ♯5). Pick a quality, then a root.
- The core of any jazz chord is the 3rd and 7th — they define whether it sounds major, minor or dominant. The ii–V–I in C is Dm7 – G7 – Cmaj7: try each in turn.
- Tap a chord in the grid to highlight its three keys and hear it. The amber key is the root.
- Tap any key to hear that single note. Play repeats the chord; Roll arpeggiates it; Play all 12 sweeps through every major chord.
- Chords are spelled the correct way for each key (e.g. E♭ major = E♭ G B♭, not D♯ …).
- Keyboard: Tab to a chord or control, Enter/Space to activate. Keys scroll sideways on small screens.
This interactive chart of jazz piano chords allow you to play them, hear how they sound, and even play them using your keyboard or by clicking buttons and keys on screen. To use it you simply click one of the root buttons at the top of the interface which selects your key; The piano keyboard at the base light up to display notes of the selected chord. The root note is highlighted as an amber key while remaining notes are green if they are also part of the chord. To listen to the pitch of any single key, press it.
The quality buttons let you choose between chord types like dominant seventh, minor seventh, major seventh, and several extensions. This will update the highlighted keys as well as the sound played giving you quick access to a selection of different voicings that can be compared. Use the play button to listen to how full chord sounds. However, the roll button will allow you to arpeggiate each note starting at the bottom note up to the top of the chord as if it were being played in a rolling piano accompaniment.
How to Use the Jazz Piano Chart
For a quick reference or to train your ear, the play all button cycle through every major chord in sequence. The master output level is controlled via the slider on the right-hand side. This means you can turn it up if the audio feel thin or turn it down for quiet practice. Pressing the help button show a brief explanation of how chords work and it provides a quick reference inside the widget.
When you click the fullscreen button, the widget will go full screen and you’ll have a bit of room to see the keyboard better. This works well for laptop users, as well as anyone using smaller screens. If the keyboard won’t fit, it will scroll left/right, allowing you to use your trackpad/mouse to get around.
If you want to explore jazz harmony, try using this progression: D minor seven, G seven, C major seven. This ii-V-I show how they work. How do the chords resolve? Have a go at some altered dominants, such as flat thirteen or sharp nine. These colour and add tension to what you play.
The widget is also great for studying theory as you can see how each extension stack onto a basic triad. You can notice what changes from one similar chord to another. This reinforces the idea of structure, intervals, and so on. It bridges gap between sound and theory.
First, choose a quality you know well and its root note, then hit play to hear how it should of voiced in the standard way. Hit the roll button for a change of feel and browse through remaining notes to expand your vocabulary. It is an instant response from chart and great fun to experiment with these traditional jazz sounds.