Minor chords are an integral component of many songs, creating sounds which evoke sadness or melancholy feelings in listeners. Songwriters employ them strategically when crafting lyrics with lyrics about an issue such as sadness.
This lesson will cover the basics of minor progressions. First, we must find our key.
Minor chords are characterized by a minor third interval
Minor chords can be identified by a flattened third interval that has been reduced by half step; this causes them to sound darker and dissonant than major chords, usually designated in music with letters such as M or Min, representing Minor.
One of the most iconic examples of minor chords can be seen in Greensleeves by The Beatles; its opening two notes contain a minor third chord and then continue in this same rhythmic fashion throughout. Hey Jude also includes minor thirds as part of its opening notes, providing another notable example.
A minor major chord, featuring a minor 3rd and minor 7th interval, is another way of using minor chords to evoke emotion or create tension in music. Commonly found in jazz settings but also used across many genres of music genres; pairing well with major 9s for added brightness in its voicings.
They are associated with sadness
Musicians use minor chords to communicate a range of feelings, from sadness and melancholy to tension and suspense. Minor chords play an integral part in many genres from classical compositions to pop songs.
Musical minors tend to connote negative emotions, yet can also be used to evoke joyous responses. For example, The Beach Boys’ hit “California Girls” features an Am-Dm-G-C progression (i-iv-VII-III). This minor progression often evokes feelings of nostalgia as well as joy.
Importantly, different cultures perceive major and minor chords differently; for example in India the major scale is seen as being happy while minor scale is perceived as sad.
Studies have shown that major tonics are more consonant with our ears than minor ones, which explains why music written in major keys usually sounds happier.
They are a key element in many chord progressions
Those interested in using minor chords in their music should understand how they function. Minor chords play an integral part in many chord progressions and can add great emotion to songs while creating dissonance and tension within the musical composition.
In order to understand minor chords, it’s necessary to gain knowledge of intervals. A minor third is three half steps lower than a major third while a perfect fifth is seven semitones higher than a minor seventh – these rules apply regardless of key.
Knowledge of Roman numeral analysis will enable you to play various minor chords on guitar. Furthermore, knowing Roman numeral analysis helps musicians quickly identify chord relationships to their tonic scale note as well as minor or major status quickly.
They can add a lot of emotion to your music
Minor chord progressions are an effective way of adding emotion and complexity to music, used across many styles. Not only are these chords effective at creating an emotive sound, they can also add depth and make songs more complex and compelling.
These chords resemble major chords in appearance but differ by having a flattened third note – giving them their melancholy sound. To play such chords, begin from any root note and count three half steps up until reaching the third note; add two whole steps more until reaching the fifth note and continue from there.
These chords can be played in any key, though minor keys tend to work best for creating sadness and melancholy melodies – examples include Johnny Cash’s “Hurt” and Nine Inch Nails’s “Comfortably Numb.” You could also experiment with various chord progressions to find which work best with your song.