Chords are fundamental building blocks of music that allow the musician to produce different moods. Major and minor chords differ by virtue of the pitch of their third tone.
Major and minor are often associated with being happy or sad, but there’s more to it than meets the eye. Let’s begin with an intro to intervals to help make understanding this difference easier.
What is a Chord?
A chord is any complete sonority consisting of two or more notes played simultaneously. Although any number of different notes can make up a chord, three is generally considered its minimum requirement. Otto Karolyi[8] states that “two tones sounding together are known as intervals while three or more tones chiming at once are known as chords”.
Chords are used in musical pieces to add texture and complement melody, as well as establish tonality or key signature. Most chords used are triads which consist of root note with thirds and fifths layered above it; minor triads share these same intervals but their third note is flattened (lowered) one semitone for its distinct minor sound; other types include diminished and augmented chords which use major or minor intervals respectively.
Major Triads
Major chords are typically the first chords most guitar players learn, producing vibrant and upbeat sounds that are easily identified as such. By contrast, minor chords tend to produce darker, sadder melodies; songwriters use these distinct sounds to elicit emotions in their listeners while giving musical form to their lyrics.
A major triad is characterized by two intervals – major third between bottom and middle notes and minor third between middle and top notes – and is distinguished from all other chords by having a perfect fifth chord at its heart.
To create a major triad, start with the root note and add major thirds and perfect fifths as desired – repeating this process for each scale degree of the major scale. Chords constructed by successive major thirds are known as tertian chords.
Minor Triads
Chords containing a minor third tend to produce darker tones than major chords and often create melancholic feelings in music. Like their major counterparts, these chords can also be used to convey various emotions through song.
Minor triads can be identified when writing chords by their presence of a flattened third interval between their root and middle notes, with either a minor sixth or seventh note playing as their top note – whichever fits in with their overall sound most naturally.
By applying the law of intervals, it’s possible to identify whether a chord is major or minor based on its scale degree. For instance, tonic minor chords are always minor while dominant minors can switch between being major or minor depending on their scale degree.
Major Third
Listening to most popular music over the last several decades, you will likely notice that major chord progressions are an integral part of most songs. Major chords have long been associated with happiness in Western music as they create a feeling of hope from their very first note.
A major chord consists of three basic keyboard notes, the root, third, and fifth. While any scale degree can be used as the basis of the chord construction, its most frequent formation begins with its root (G), followed by four half steps above major third (four half steps below root), then seven half steps above major third (7 half steps above major third).
Minor Third
Minor chords contain a flattened (or lowered) third. So if the formula calls for C, E, and G chord, for instance, this would qualify as a minor chord because between their third and fifth notes is a flattened minor third (or just minor third).
Major scales and chords feature brighter, cheerier sounds, while minor ones contain darker, sadder ones.
Fender Play offers lessons designed to teach chords, scales and musical theory. Take advantage of its free trial today or check out ToneGym – an app which helps develop your ear with fun games and challenges – to begin learning chords and scales! These are both excellent starting points on your path towards playing great music!