G Major Chord on Piano: Notes, Fingering & Inversions

Root position: either hand, fingers low note to high
Hand	Notes	Fingers
Right	G, B, D	1-3-5
Left	G, B, D	5-3-1

Scale degree, note, and interval measured from the root.
Degree	Note	Interval from root	Semitones
1	G	Perfect unison	0
3	B	Major third	4
5	D	Perfect fifth	7

Construction

G Major = Root + Major 3rd + Perfect 5th = G, B, D

Note	Interval	Degree
G	Root	1
B	Major 3rd	3
D	Perfect 5th	5

Fingering

Note	Key color	Right hand	Left hand
G	white	thumb (1)	little finger (5)
B	white	middle finger (3)	middle finger (3)
D	white	little finger (5)	thumb (1)

Right hand: thumb (1) on G, middle finger (3) on B, little finger (5) on D.

Left hand: little finger (5) on G, middle finger (3) on B, thumb (1) on D.

G Major Inversions

Root position
G – B – D
1st inversion (G/B)
B – D – G
2nd inversion (G/D)
D – G – B

Key Signature

A chord has no key signature of its own, but the G Major is the tonic (I) chord of G Major, whose key signature has 1 sharp (F♯).

F♯

Order of sharps

Sharps are added to a key signature in a fixed order. Each new sharp key adds the next sharp on the list.

F♯C♯G♯D♯A♯E♯B♯

Mnemonic: Father Charles Goes Down And Ends Battle

Chords in the Key of G Major

These are the triads built on each degree of G Major:

I — G Major (major)

Degree	Numeral	Chord	Quality
1	I	G Major	Major
2	ii	A Minor	Minor
3	iii	B Minor	Minor
4	IV	C Major	Major
5	V	D Major	Major
6	vi	E Minor	Minor
7	vii°	F♯ Diminished	Diminished

How G Major functions in a key

The same chord takes on a different harmonic role depending on the key it appears in. Here is where G Major sits diatonically across the common keys:

In G major, G Major is the I chord — the tonic.
In B minor, G Major is the VI chord — the tonic.
In C major, G Major is the V chord — the dominant.
In D major, G Major is the IV chord — a predominant.
In A minor, G Major is the ♭VII chord — a mediant / color chord.
In E minor, G Major is the III chord — a mediant / color chord.

Scales That Include the G Major

C Major (V)
G Major (I)
D Major (IV)
A Minor (VII)
E Minor (III)
B Minor (VI)
D Dorian (IV)
E Phrygian (III)

G Major : Frequently Asked Questions

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 <001110>.

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♯.

G Major in detail

Exact

Every pitch class is present and nothing outside the chord is added.

Type	Notes	Semitones	Span	Omissions and additions	Set relation
Close, root position	G3 B3 D4	7	96 mm	none	identical
Close, first inversion	B3 D4 G4	8	110 mm	none	identical
Close, second inversion	D4 G4 B4	9	124 mm	none	identical
Open, fifth on top	G2 D3 B3	16	220 mm	none	identical

Reduced

A subset of the pitch classes: the identity is incomplete rather than altered.

Type	Notes	Semitones	Span	Omissions and additions	Set relation	Fit
Root and third only	G3 B3	4	55 mm	omits D	subset

Spans are measured centre to centre at a 165 mm octave (standard keyboard geometry).

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

One position per chord tone in the bass. Spans are for close position: voiced inversions appear under Voicings.

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

Root motion, common tones and voice displacement are computed from pitch class sets. Roman numerals follow common practice functional harmony.

Which keys it belongs to

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.

Change one note

Chords a single note away, and what moving that note does.

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

Frequencies

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

Reference pitch A440, 12-TET, close root position.

Set theory: prime form, Forte number, interval vector

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

Pair	Interval	Semitones	Interval class
G to B	Major third	4	4
G to D	Perfect fifth	7	5
B to D	Minor third	3	3

Where these facts come from

Every value on this page is derived from the note formula for a major applied to the root G, using standard music theory. Nothing here is hand-entered per chord, so the notes, intervals, inversions and frequencies cannot drift out of agreement with each other. Pitches assume 12-TET at A440.

G Major

Fingerings

G Major: notes and degrees