Chords are the foundation of music. While there are various kinds of chords you should learn (such as suspended, augmented and seventh chords), one you should become acquainted with immediately is the Minor Chord.
The chord chart shown above presents all minor chords for every key, each identified with its letter name and any symbols for muting strings (such as mutes). Furthermore, this chart has been further organized into categories.
Major and Minor Scales
As you play chords and scales, try to be mindful of their impact on your emotions. Switching between major and minor chords can create different moods unexpectedly; that’s why knowing both major and minor guitar scales is vital.
One way of telling whether or not a scale or chord is major or minor is by looking at its third note; if it has a flat (or lowered) third, it is considered minor, while sharp third notes indicate majority.
Cm6 and CmMa7 both utilize notes from the natural minor scale, but differ by including an additional minor 6th instead of an additional minor 7th note. This small change can create an entirely different feeling; recalling somber or noir-inspired images through sound is something so captivating about music; this power that one note has is what draws so many to it and this is why learning chords, scales and musical theory is such an integral component.
Major and Minor Triads
Triads are chords composed of consecutive thirds beginning at their root note, beginning from minor thirds up. Both major and minor thirds may exist in any triad; the main distinction is between minor triads with minor thirds between its bottom note and middle notes and major ones with major thirds between those notes.
Both minor and major triads can be created from the same notes; simply lower the middle note by half step (one fret down on your fretboard) for a minor triad, and add a fifth note at the top for major chords.
Chords are usually notated using roman numerals to denote their pitch names, such as Cmaj7 for a C major triad with a major seventh above its root or Cdim for its diminished chord form. This notation system allows you to quickly reference chord progressions by key and order, which can be very helpful when creating songs and melodies.
Major and Minor 7th Chords
This week’s Guitar Chord Of The Week is a minor major seventh chord, commonly found in song structures such as Bacharach & David’s classic “Raindrops Keep Fallin’ on My Head.” Additionally, this chord can also serve as an added sixth chord.
The minor major seventh chord is an extension of a minor triad and typically used to add tension in chord progressions.
Major 7ths differ from their dominant seven cousins by having a raised seventh that creates a pull back towards the root, creating a romantic and soothing sounding chord versus dissonance of dominant 7th chords.
As demonstrated by Wayne Shorter’s riff, another great way to use minor chords is by layering a major ninth over a diminished triad. This creates an atmospheric and suspended soundscape.
Minor Chord Progression
Once you’ve mastered major and minor scales, it’s time to expand your ears, technique, and interpretation of songs by playing some minor chord progressions. Doing this will broaden your experience of music while expanding your ear, technique and interpretation capabilities.
To create a minor chord, take the root note of any major scale and lower it by one fret – for instance if your C major scale includes C, E and G notes then an A minor chord would include them as well.
Many of the greatest artists use minor sounds to emote complex emotions through music. Artists such as Johnny Cash, Amy Winehouse and Nirvana explore feelings like heartache, despair, frustration and anger through their works; making us all feel connected through art we can all understand. These musicians understand that key and chord choices support their interpretation.