Most piano methods begin by teaching major chords first as these are easier and more basic.
Major and minor chords work harmoniously to add variety to songs. Both types consist of three notes stacked atop each other called intervals, making up each chord’s components.
Root Note
Root note refers to the lowest note in a chord. I will focus on chords constructed upon scales (triads as opposed to 7th chords), so every scale will have its own root note; for instance, G major’s has C as its basis; chords built upon scales usually have three notes: root note, third above it and fifth above. These three elements can then be stacked in intervals of three thirds until we arrive at the root note itself.
These three notes form a major chord and you can start writing songs using it. The root note of any chord, whether major or minor, sets the tone for any song by providing its basis and foundational note – similar to adding extra tones above it like sevenths can alter major chords into minor ones and should always be marked with numbers after their chord symbol symbol.
Major Third
Even an amateur musician can recognize that any chord on a piano consists of three basic keyboard notes stacked together – these chords form the basis of all music!
Root or tonic of a major chord. Third note of scale usually half step higher. Fifth is seventh half step above root note.
Root, third and fifth are the fundamental building blocks of all major chords; by raising or lowering one octave on either of them to form minor chords.
Sometimes the chord symbol will include a number, like C maj 7, to indicate playing its seventh tone of major scale above root or C, E, G. This technique adds extra excitement and emotion to your piano chords!
Minor Third
The minor third is a musical interval composed of three half steps, or semitones, and is shorter than its major third counterpart (which spans four semitone steps from A to C).
Chords constructed on the minor scale utilize all of the same notes as major chords, yet have a slightly different sound due to an one-half step difference between their middle notes. A minor third chord’s tense, melancholy or introspective qualities add drama and tension to songs, creating drama and tension during performances.
Minor chords lack the “completeness” of major chords as they do not contain all twelve notes from the chromatic scale; this creates a dissonant and less stable sound for this kind of chord.
To create a minor chord, begin by playing the root note and moving up one or two octaves until reaching its third and fifth notes – these should then be stacked onto it to create a triad. It may be written as either “Cm” (Capital Letter followed by an “m”) or minus sign. Any unspecified degrees such as 6, 9 or 13 automatically default to major.
Perfect Fifth
The perfect fifth is an integral interval. When colored by major scale sounds, its sound can be soothing and pleasing; but layered upon minor chords can quickly turn dissonant and depressing.
Perfect fifth chords serve as the foundation for all chords with seven notes or more; for instance, C7 chords consist of a C major triad with an added minor third: C, Eb and G; all other seven-noted chords such as Cm7, Am7 or Dm7 are similarly constructed on this perfect fifth.
Note that intervals surrounding a perfect fifth are always named in reference to their root note – for an E major chord this would be D, F and A respectively. However, this rule can be broken as some intervals can be combined together into new chords by using flats or sharps as markers for any differences in half-tones / semitones between their original note name and its interval name.