3.3 · Building Chords
Major vs. minor
A major and minor triad differ by just one note: the third. Lower the third by one semitone, and a major chord becomes minor.
One note, two moods
To turn C major into C minor, lower the third by one semitone: E down to E♭. The root and fifth remain the same.
Zoom in on the third
Hear the move by itself first, E dropping to E♭, then hear the same move inside the chord.
E · major third E♭ · minor third
Game · Major or minor?
1 / 5A mystery chord. Is it major (bright) or minor (dark)?
Game · Build the chord
1 / 5Now build them yourself. Count up from the root in semitones, every key, black ones included.
Build C major. Tap the root: C.
Quiz
1 / 3Major and minor triads differ by…