As musicians, we use both major and minor chords in our repertoires; their names derive from the scales they’re composed on; however, what distinguishes one from the other lies in one specific interval: the third.
Minor chords follow the same basic structure of major triads but contain one note one step lower or flattened for their minor sound, giving it its distinctive sound. Otherwise, their structure remains unchanged.
Root Note
Every chord begins with a root note – the initial note from which its construction takes place. For instance, C major chord has C as one of its roots notes while E and G make up another three roots notes in C major.
A major chord can be expressed using three notes – root, major third and perfect fifth – known as triads. They form the basis of all major chords; any variation should still include these three elements.
Em minor chords share the same root as C major chords but differ by substituting an Em major G for an Em minor G natural (no sharps or flats). This alteration creates an altogether darker sounding chord progression – just one subtle change can completely alter how your song sounds and create a different emotion or feeling altogether! That is why masterful songwriting involves selecting chord progressions that speak directly to both subject vision and emotion.
Major Third
The major third of a chord stands two whole steps above its root note and produces an exciting and cheerful sounding chord.
But not only the third note is indicative of whether a chord is major or minor; first and second notes also play a part. But ultimately it is the third note which sets apart major from minor chords.
Interesting enough, the interval of a major third can be created from any two notes in the chromatic scale, but only certain intervals have the “major” quality; for instance, C and E form one such major third while C and G represent minor thirds.
Minor scales and chords feature minor thirds (also referred to as flattened thirds by musicians). It is these intervals that give minor triads their melancholic quality; several popular pop-rock songs and classical compositions such as Imagine by John Lennon, Leonard Cohen’s Hallelujah by Leonard Cohen and Beethoven’s Symphony No 1 were created using minor chords. As you explore scale patterns and chords, pay particular attention to their thirds – they may help identify whether a chord is major or minor.
Minor Third
Chords in minor keys tend to feature a leading tone one half step lower than their tonic, creating an overall dark, brooding sound which can create either melancholic or solemn emotions.
A major chord and its minor counterpart differ significantly by virtue of their third, which defines whether they are major or minor chords. The third acts as the intersection point between tonic and fifth notes that determines its nature as either major or minor.
If you play a C major chord and then add another note that is one perfect fifth above (four frets up), this forms a major triad. By adding a flat seventh note, this becomes a minor seventh chord.
Minor chords can also add depth and dimension to diatonic major progressions, and are commonly employed by songwriters when creating songs with feelings of sadness or gloom without going too far outside their comfort zones. A minor IV chord is one such way of doing this and often heard in songs like Greensleeves or “For He’s a Jolly Good Fellow”.
Final Note
Modern music often features chord progressions that begin with major and gradually switch to minor chords, as these sound happy and can help generate positive emotions in people.
Major and minor chords are both triads, consisting of a root note, third note and fifth. Their primary difference lies in their third notes; major chords feature a major third that sits four semitones above its root note while minor chords feature minor thirds that sit three semitones below it.
Major and minor chords each contain a perfect fifth, while minor chords feature diminished fifths. But you don’t need to know all this musical theory in order to distinguish major from minor chords; an easy way is simply looking at their names: major chords are written with letters such as C, E and G while minor ones have different root notes while their names indicate what type they are (m, m7 or m9) – although each root note of these types are the same!