# G Major piano chord (G)

G contains G, B and D. A major third with a perfect fifth above the root. Every note is a white key.

- Canonical page: https://piano.org/chords/major/g/
- Entity: chord:major:g
- Notes: G B D
- Formula: 1 3 5
- Intervals from root: P1, M3, P5
- Interval stack (semitones): 4 3
- Also written: G, G, G major
- Parameters: A440, 12-TET, 165 mm octave, spans centre to centre

## Construction

| Degree | Note | Interval from root | Semitones |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | G | Perfect unison | 0 |
| 3 | B | Major third | 4 |
| 5 | D | Perfect fifth | 7 |

## Fingering

Rest your right hand over the notes with finger 1 on G, finger 3 on B, finger 5 on D. The left hand mirrors it.
Right hand 1-3-5, left hand 5-3-1. Source: piano.org fingering method v1.

## Inversions

| Position | Bass | Notes in order | Figured bass | Span |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Root position | G | G3 B3 D4 | 5/3 | 7 st, 96 mm |
| First inversion (G/B) | B | B3 D4 G4 | 6/3 | 8 st, 110 mm |
| Second inversion (G/D) | D | D4 G4 B4 | 6/4 | 9 st, 124 mm |

## Voicings (5)

| Voicing | Notes | Span | Relation | Omits or adds |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Close, root position | G3 B3 D4 | 7 st, 96 mm | identical | none |
| Close, first inversion | B3 D4 G4 | 8 st, 110 mm | identical | none |
| Close, second inversion | D4 G4 B4 | 9 st, 124 mm | identical | none |
| Open, fifth on top | G2 D3 B3 | 16 st, 220 mm | identical | none |
| Root and third only | G3 B3 | 4 st, 55 mm | subset | omits D |

## Diatonic function by key

| Key | Roman numeral | Function |
| --- | --- | --- |
| C major | V | Dominant, wants to resolve |
| D major | IV | Subdominant, away from home |
| E minor | ♭III | Relative-major color |
| G major | I | Tonic, home |
| A minor | ♭VII | Subtonic |
| B minor | ♭VI | Pre-dominant color |

Classification system: common-practice functional harmony.

## Progressions (9)

| Progression | Key | Role | Sequence | Voice leading |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| V, I | C major | V | G to C | G opens the phrase |
| ii, V, I | C major | V | Dm to G to C | 1 tone held from Dm |
| IV, V, I | D major | IV | G to A to D | G opens the phrase |
| I, IV | D major | IV | D to G | 1 tone held from D |
| ♭III, ♭VI, ii°, v | E minor | ♭III | G to C to F♯dim to Bm | G opens the phrase |
| i, ♭III | E minor | ♭III | Em to G | 2 tones held from Em |
| ii, V, I | G major | I | Am to D to G | 1 tone held from D |
| IV, I | G major | I | C to G | 1 tone held from C |
| I, vi, ii, V | G major | I | G to Em to Am to D | G opens the phrase |

## One-edit neighbors

| Becomes | Edit | Changes | Common tones |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Gmaj7 | 1 3 5 7 | adds F♯ | 3 |
| G7 | 1 3 5 ♭7 | adds F | 3 |
| G6 | 1 3 5 6 | adds E | 3 |
| Gadd9 | 1 3 5 9 | adds A | 3 |
| Gm | 1 ♭3 5 | B becomes B♭ | 2 |
| Gaug | 1 3 ♯5 | D becomes D♯ | 2 |
| Gsus2 | 1 2 5 | B becomes A | 2 |
| Gsus4 | 1 4 5 | B becomes C | 2 |
| Gm7 | 1 ♭3 5 ♭7 | B becomes B♭, F | 2 |
| GmMaj7 | 1 ♭3 5 7 | B becomes B♭, F♯ | 2 |
| Gaug7 | 1 3 ♯5 ♭7 | D becomes D♯, F | 2 |
| G7sus4 | 1 4 5 ♭7 | B becomes C, F | 2 |

## Set theory

- Absolute pitch classes: {7, 11, 2}
- Relative pitch classes: [0, 4, 7]
- Normal order: [7, 11, 2]
- Prime form: (037)
- Forte number: 3-11
- Interval vector: <001110>

## Frequencies (close root position)

| Note | MIDI | Frequency |
| --- | --- | --- |
| G3 | 55 | 196.00 Hz |
| B3 | 59 | 246.94 Hz |
| D4 | 62 | 293.66 Hz |

## Questions and answers

### What notes are in G?

G contains G, B and D. The formula is 1, 3, 5.

### How do you play G on piano?

Play G, B and D together. Right hand fingers 1, 3, 5; left hand 5, 3, 1. Every note is a white key.

### What are the inversions of G?

3 positions: root position G B D, G/B, G/D.

### What keys contain G?

6: V in C major, IV in D major, ♭III in E minor, I in G major, ♭VII in A minor, ♭VI in B minor.

### What is the difference between G and Gmaj7?

Adds F♯. 3 of the notes are shared.

### What is an easy G for small hands?

The root and third only voicing, G3 B3, spans 4 semitones or about 55 mm.

### What are the frequencies of G?

From G3 at A440 in 12-TET: 196.00, 246.94, 293.66 Hz.

### What is the set class of G?

Prime form (037), Forte 3-11, interval vector &lt;001110&gt;.

### How do I transpose G to another key?

Keep the 1, 3, 5 formula on the new root. C is C, E, G; C♯ is C♯, E♯, G♯.

## Provenance

Every derived value above is computed by the piano.org theory kernel from the root, the quality and the stated parameters. Nothing is hand-entered per chord.

Machine record: https://piano.org/api/knowledge/v1/entities/chord:major:g
Last reviewed: 2026-08-12