Chords are one of the cornerstones of learning guitar, helping create both anticipated and unexpected atmospheres.
A minor chord can be created easily using key notes of a major scale and their respective third notes shifted down a fret; this technique is known as lowering or flattening their thirds.
E Minor
E minor (also referred to as Em) is one of the most prevalent minor chords. It features an emotionally expressive sound and can be found both in folk and heavy metal music genres.
At first glance, open shapes on guitar can seem difficult and uncomfortable to fret. But they are actually some of the easiest and most comfortable open shapes to fret, making this shape essential in creating every other minor chord chord progression.
Keep this fact in mind to help identify minor keys with songs more easily. Knowing this makes determining their keys much simpler.
A Minor
Beginners must learn A minor chords as one of their primary skills. Additionally, this versatile chord can also be played using other shapes such as barre chords or capo positions.
To play an open A minor guitar chord, place your index finger at fret 1 on string B while your ring finger rests at fret 2 of G string and strumming all strings except the thickest (top) string.
Finding a relative minor chord of any major chord can be done by lowering its middle note (the third) by half step or one fret – making an E flat minor chord instead.
C Minor
C minor chords convey feelings of passion, sadness, and longing; often found in songs about unrequited love.
Beginner guitar players may find the traditional form of this chord to be difficult and time consuming to play, while an easier method that still sounds like C minor chord but only requires three fingers is presented here.
Your index finger resides on the first string’s third fret, your middle finger on its fifth fret and your ring finger on its fourth fret of sixth string.
G Minor
G minor chord is the relative minor of Bb major. This chord features the same notes, yet three half-tones lower; this creates a noticeable change in sound.
One way of creating a G minor chord is with a bar chord shape, where your index finger forms an arpeggiated bar across all six strings at fret 10.
However, this technique isn’t suitable for beginners who haven’t developed sufficient finger and hand strength yet. Luckily, there are easier ways to play G minor; choose one that best fits you and your current ability level.
B Minor
This chord is one of the most frequently used in guitar, making it an important one to practice for developing finger dexterity and strength.
Once you master this chord, you can progress into other minor family shapes – one such example being the m9 shape which can be found in jazz and Brazilian music, among other genres.
Start by positioning your index finger behind the second fret on the B string (second from bottom thinnest string) and your ring finger behind the fourth fret on A string (first from top thickest string). Be mindful not to muffle any of the strings with your fingertips as this could give an unintelligible sound.
D Minor
The D minor chord can serve as an excellent introduction to chord progressions on guitar. Found in many songs across genres, this chord should serve as an ideal place to begin building chord sequences on its own or within chord progressions.
A D minor chord contains two notes from the D minor scale – an open D string note and its equivalent note on B string octave higher; you may also add the seventh note (C) of D minor scale for an added C note chord to make a D minor seven chord.
E Major
Chords can be an effective way to build tension and tell a tale without words. Minor chords have more of a melancholic sound than Major ones, making the song feel sorrowful or emotional.
To form a minor chord, take the 1st, 3rd and 5th notes of your chosen scale, flattening out the third note by one fret to form an E minor chord.
Once you become familiar with these chord shapes, expanding your understanding of the minor family becomes easy and accessible – for example by adding advanced grips such as 4th rootless voicings and m9,m11 and m6 extensions to open up a whole host of colors and shapes that you can use when comping or songwriting.
When looking at a chord on your guitar, the notes that comprise its structure may have different impacts – some major and others minor.
Learning chord shapes will give you options and flexibility. Your choice depends on where the root note lies – either on the Low E string or A string.
Emotional Impact
The A minor chord is an effective tool for conveying an array of emotions through music, from tranquillity to bittersweet edge in rock anthems and beyond. Due to this diversity, musicians use A minor chords frequently. This versatility has cemented its place as part of any musician’s musical lexicon.
As classical music evolved through the Classical period, composers such as Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Ludwig van Beethoven masterfully integrated minor chords into their symphonies to add a layer of introspection and reflection into their narratives, which resonated deeply with audiences.
Learn the A minor chord as a starting point for building chord progressions for beginner musicians. Based on the natural minor scale, A minor chords offer more soothing sounds than major key chords while featuring fewer black keys on keyboards for easier accessibility by newcomers.
Musical Structure
Learning basic chord shapes and developing muscle memory are integral parts of becoming an accomplished guitarist, but as you expand your musical repertoire you must also gain an understanding of how Major and Minor chords differ in terms of sound quality, emotional resonance and songwriting use.
C Minor triads typically incorporate the root, third and fifth notes from its major scale; additionally they incorporate a perfect fifth that provides harmonically stable yet harmonious sound without dissonance or tension. This perfect interval (which exists as one fret lower than major third) lies 3 and half tones above the root note and should always appear 1 fret lower.
This small change in interval gives minor chords their melancholic quality, which may evoke feelings of melancholy and sadness. But this small variation also helps make the chord sound more harmonious and stable than its equivalent major triad, giving it a deeper yet ultimately satisfying sound.
Triads
Chords are composed of the root, middle and top notes from a scale. There are different ways they can be constructed; minor chords typically feature one minor third on the bottom with two major thirds at either end of their string to produce a sad tone often used in songs and melodies.
To create a minor chord, start from A and move either up a minor third (four semitones) to C or up five semitones to E – these three notes then form what is known as a minor triad and form part of your minor chord.
Doublings and open spacing may affect how easily triads are identified, but typically they’re easy to recognize thanks to their octave equivalence. Repetition is key; keep practicing and soon enough you’ll be playing minor chords like an expert! Check out Fender Play now to get your guitar journey underway today.
Chord Progressions
As your guitar playing advances, understanding chord progressions is of utmost importance. Chord progressions display how different notes come together to create moods; mastering how to create progressions using minor chords gives you the tools for writing songs that convey emotion while also communicating unique musical ideas.
Major chords can often be transformed into Minor by altering their octaves; that is, by moving one fret higher or lower in pitch. This technique is known as adding or subtracting a flat third from any chord.
One way of creating a minor chord is to add a dominant 7th extension, creating a dramatic, full sound which can be found in many blues and rock songs. An iconic example is Simon and Garfunkel’s song “The Sound of Silence”, featuring an I – IV – V progression which gives a somber beginning but quickly transforms when moving to bVI chord.