Chords
Major and minor: two moods
One small change turns a happy chord into a thoughtful one.
2 min read
Major chords tend to sound bright and cheerful; minor chords sound softer, more thoughtful. The surprising part is how little changes between them.
C major vs C minor
C major is C, E, G. To make it minor, lower just the middle note by one key: E becomes E♭. That single step is the whole difference between the two moods.
Loading piano sounds…
ZC3
XD3
CE3
VF3
BG3
NA3
MB3
AC4
SD4
DE4
FF4
GG4
HA4
JB4
KC5
LD5
;E5
'F5
G5
A5
B5
C6
W
E
T
Y
U
O
P
C major: C, E, G — bright and open.
Loading piano sounds…
ZC3
XD3
CE3
VF3
BG3
NA3
MB3
AC4
SD4
DE4
FF4
GG4
HA4
JB4
KC5
LD5
;E5
'F5
G5
A5
B5
C6
W
E
T
Y
U
O
P
C minor: C, E♭, G — the middle note drops one key.
Tip: Play them back to back and listen. Naming the feeling — happy or thoughtful — trains your ear as much as your fingers.