Major and minor
Encyclopedia
In Western music
, the adjectives major and minor can describe a musical composition
, movement
, section
, scale, key
, chord
, or interval
.
Major and minor are frequently referred to in the titles of classical compositions, especially in reference to the key of a piece.
s, the words major and minor just mean large and small, so a major third is a wider interval, and a minor third a relatively narrow one. The intervals of the second, third, sixth, and seventh (and compound intervals based on them) may be major or minor.
The other uses of major and minor, in general, refer to musical structures containing major thirds or minor thirds. A major scale
is one whose third degree
is a major third above the tonic
, while a minor scale
has a minor third degree. A major chord
or major triad, similarly, contains a major third above the root
, whereas a minor chord
or minor triad contains a minor third above the root. In Western music, a minor chord, in comparison, "sounds darker than a major chord".
Minor keys are sometimes said to have a more interesting, possibly sadder sound than plain major scales. The minor mode, with its variable sixth and seventh degrees, offers nine notes, in C: C-D-E-F-G-A-A-B-B, over the major mode's seven, in C: C-D-E-F-G-A-B.
of a major key has the same key signature
and starts down a minor third (or equivalently up a major sixth); for example, the relative minor of G major is E minor. Similarly the relative major of a minor key starts up a minor third (or down a major sixth); for example, the relative major of F minor is A major.
or transposition
. These latter operations are done by moving all intervals up or down a certain constant interval, and does change key
, but does not change mode
, which requires the alteration of intervals. The use of triad
s only available in the minor mode, such as the use of A-major in C major, is relatively decorative chromaticism
, considered to add color and weaken sense of key without entirely destroying or losing it.
and feminine
gender
s, especially in languages with insistent syntactical gender assignments. By analogy, the major scales are given stereotypically masculine qualities (clear, open, extroverted), while the minor scales are given stereotypically feminine qualities (dark, soft, introverted). German uses the word Tongeschlecht ("Tone gender") for tonality
, and the words Dur (from Latin durus, 'hard') for major and moll (from Latin mollis, 'soft') for minor.
Major:
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
M m m M M m d
Natural minor:
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
m d M m m M M
Relative relationship:
M m m M M m d
m d M m m M M
: harmonic and melodic. In a harmonic minor scale, the 7th note is raised a semitone, both ascending and descending. In a melodic minor scale, the 6th and 7th notes ascending are raised a semitone, and descending, the 6th and 7th notes are normal.
In just intonation
, a minor chord is often (but not exclusively) tuned in the frequency ratio 10:12:15 . In 12-TET, or twelve-tone equal temperament
(now the most common tuning system in the West), a minor chord has 3 semitone
s between the root and third, 4 between the third and fifth, and 7 between the root and fifth. It is represented by the integer notation
0,3,7. The 12-TET fifth (700 cents
) is only two cents narrower than the just perfect fifth (3:2, 701.9 cents), but the 12-TET minor third (300 cents) is noticeably (about 16 cents) narrower than the just minor third (6:5, 315.6 cents). The 12-TET minor third (300 cents) more closely approximates the 19-limit (Limit (music)
) minor third 16:19 (297.5 cents, the nineteenth harmonic
) with only 2 cents error. Ellis proposes that the conflict between mathematicians and physicists on one hand and practicing musicians on the other regarding the supposed inferiority of the minor chord and scale to the major may be explained due to physicists' comparison of just minor and major triads, in which case minor comes out the loser, versus the musicians' comparison of the equal tempered triads, in which case minor comes out the winner since the ET major third is 14 cents sharp from the just major third while the ET minor third closely approximates the consonant 19:16 minor third which many find pleasing.
Image:Major and minor triads.png|thumb|right|300px|Major and minor triads: The minor mode is considered the inverse of the major mode. (file)
poly 35 442 35 544 179 493 root of A minor triad
poly 479 462 446 493 479 526 513 492 third of A minor triad
poly 841 472 782 493 840 514 821 494 fifth of A minor triad
poly 926 442 875 460 906 493 873 525 926 545 fifth of A minor triad
poly 417 442 417 544 468 525 437 493 469 459 root of C major triad
poly 502 472 522 493 502 514 560 493 root of C major triad
poly 863 462 830 493 863 525 895 493 third of C major triad
poly 1303 442 1160 493 1304 544 fifth of C major triad
poly 280 406 264 413 282 419 275 413 fifth of E minor triad
poly 308 397 293 403 301 412 294 423 309 428 fifth of E minor triad
poly 844 397 844 428 886 413 root of E minor triad
poly 1240 404 1230 412 1239 422 1250 412 third of E minor triad
poly 289 404 279 413 288 422 300 413 third of G major triad
poly 689 398 646 413 689 429 fifth of G major triad
poly 1221 397 1222 429 1237 423 1228 414 1237 403 root of G major triad
poly 1249 406 1254 413 1249 418 1265 413 root of G major triad
poly 89 567 73 573 90 579 86 573 fifth of D minor triad
poly 117 558 102 563 111 572 102 583 118 589 fifth of D minor triad
poly 650 558 650 589 693 573 root of D minor triad
poly 1050 563 1040 574 1050 582 1061 574 third of D minor triad
poly 98 565 88 573 98 583 110 574 third of F major triad
poly 498 558 455 573 498 589 fifth of F major triad
poly 1031 557 1031 589 1047 583 1038 574 1046 563 root of F major triad
poly 1075 573 1059 580 1064 573 1058 567 root of F major triad
desc none
In the German theory by or derived from Hugo Riemann
, the minor mode is considered the inverse of the major mode, an upside down major scale based on (theoretical) undertones rather than (actual) overtones (harmonic
s) (See also: Utonality). The "root" of the minor triad is thus considered the top of the fifth, which, in the United States, is called "the" fifth. So in C minor, the tonic root is actually G, and the leading tone is A (a halfstep), rather than, in major, the root being C and the leading tone B (a halfstep). Also, since all chords are analyzed as having a tonic, subdominant, or dominant function, with, for instance, in C, A-minor being considered the tonic parallel (US relative), Tp, the use of minor mode root chord progressions in major such as A-major—B-major—C-major is analyzed as sP—dP—T, the minor subdominant parallel
, the minor dominant parallel
, and the major tonic. (Gjerdingen, 1990)
Music
Music is an art form whose medium is sound and silence. Its common elements are pitch , rhythm , dynamics, and the sonic qualities of timbre and texture...
, the adjectives major and minor can describe a musical composition
Musical composition
Musical composition can refer to an original piece of music, the structure of a musical piece, or the process of creating a new piece of music. People who practice composition are called composers.- Musical compositions :...
, movement
Movement (music)
A movement is a self-contained part of a musical composition or musical form. While individual or selected movements from a composition are sometimes performed separately, a performance of the complete work requires all the movements to be performed in succession...
, section
Section (music)
In music, a section is "a complete, but not independent musical idea". Types of sections include the introduction or intro, exposition, recapitulation, verse, chorus or refrain, conclusion, coda or outro, fadeout, bridge or interlude...
, scale, key
Key (music)
In music theory, the term key is used in many different and sometimes contradictory ways. A common use is to speak of music as being "in" a specific key, such as in the key of C major or in the key of F-sharp. Sometimes the terms "major" or "minor" are appended, as in the key of A minor or in the...
, chord
Chord (music)
A chord in music is any harmonic set of two–three or more notes that is heard as if sounding simultaneously. These need not actually be played together: arpeggios and broken chords may for many practical and theoretical purposes be understood as chords...
, or interval
Interval (music)
In music theory, an interval is a combination of two notes, or the ratio between their frequencies. Two-note combinations are also called dyads...
.
Major and minor are frequently referred to in the titles of classical compositions, especially in reference to the key of a piece.
Intervals and chords
With regard to intervalInterval (music)
In music theory, an interval is a combination of two notes, or the ratio between their frequencies. Two-note combinations are also called dyads...
s, the words major and minor just mean large and small, so a major third is a wider interval, and a minor third a relatively narrow one. The intervals of the second, third, sixth, and seventh (and compound intervals based on them) may be major or minor.
The other uses of major and minor, in general, refer to musical structures containing major thirds or minor thirds. A major scale
Major scale
In music theory, the major scale or Ionian scale is one of the diatonic scales. It is made up of seven distinct notes, plus an eighth which duplicates the first an octave higher. In solfege these notes correspond to the syllables "Do, Re, Mi, Fa, Sol, La, Ti/Si, ", the "Do" in the parenthesis at...
is one whose third degree
Degree (music)
In music theory, a scale degree or scale step is the name of a particular note of a scale in relation to the tonic...
is a major third above the tonic
Tonic (music)
In music, the tonic is the first scale degree of the diatonic scale and the tonal center or final resolution tone. The triad formed on the tonic note, the tonic chord, is thus the most significant chord...
, while a minor scale
Minor scale
A minor scale in Western music theory includes any scale that contains, in its tonic triad, at least three essential scale degrees: 1) the tonic , 2) a minor-third, or an interval of a minor third above the tonic, and 3) a perfect-fifth, or an interval of a perfect fifth above the tonic, altogether...
has a minor third degree. A major chord
Major chord
In music theory, a major chord is a chord having a root, a major third, and a perfect fifth. When a chord has these three notes alone, it is called a major triad...
or major triad, similarly, contains a major third above the root
Root (chord)
In music theory, the root of a chord is the note or pitch upon which a triadic chord is built. For example, the root of the major triad C-E-G is C....
, whereas a minor chord
Minor chord
In music theory, a minor chord is a chord having a root, a minor third, and a perfect fifth.When a chord has these three notes alone, it is called a minor triad....
or minor triad contains a minor third above the root. In Western music, a minor chord, in comparison, "sounds darker than a major chord".
Keys
The hallmark that distinguishes major keys from minor is whether the third scale degree is major or minor. "The crucial difference is that in the minor scale there is only a half step between the second and third tones as compared to the major scales where the difference between third and fourth note and between the seventh and the eighth note is half." This alteration in the third degree "greatly changes" the mood of the music, and "music based on minor scales tends to" be considered to "sound serious or melancholic".Minor keys
The minor scale can be described in two different ways. One way is to consider it as the sixth mode of a major scale, while the other is to call it a variation of the major scale, with the third scale degrees always lowered (or altered) and the sixth and seventh degrees often lowered.Minor keys are sometimes said to have a more interesting, possibly sadder sound than plain major scales. The minor mode, with its variable sixth and seventh degrees, offers nine notes, in C: C-D-E-F-G-A-A-B-B, over the major mode's seven, in C: C-D-E-F-G-A-B.
Relative major and minor
The relative minorRelative key
In music, relative keys are the major and minor scales that have the same key signatures. A major and minor scale sharing the same key signature are said to be in a relative relationship...
of a major key has the same key signature
Key signature
In musical notation, a key signature is a series of sharp or flat symbols placed on the staff, designating notes that are to be consistently played one semitone higher or lower than the equivalent natural notes unless otherwise altered with an accidental...
and starts down a minor third (or equivalently up a major sixth); for example, the relative minor of G major is E minor. Similarly the relative major of a minor key starts up a minor third (or down a major sixth); for example, the relative major of F minor is A major.
Relation to musical 'mode'
Contrastingly, changes of mode, which would involve the alteration of the third, and mode mixture, are often analyzed as minor or trivial changes unless structurally supported because the root and overall key and tonality remain unchanged. This is in contrast with, for instance, modulationModulation (music)
In music, modulation is most commonly the act or process of changing from one key to another. This may or may not be accompanied by a change in key signature. Modulations articulate or create the structure or form of many pieces, as well as add interest...
or transposition
Transposition (music)
In music transposition refers to the process, or operation, of moving a collection of notes up or down in pitch by a constant interval.For example, one might transpose an entire piece of music into another key...
. These latter operations are done by moving all intervals up or down a certain constant interval, and does change key
Key (music)
In music theory, the term key is used in many different and sometimes contradictory ways. A common use is to speak of music as being "in" a specific key, such as in the key of C major or in the key of F-sharp. Sometimes the terms "major" or "minor" are appended, as in the key of A minor or in the...
, but does not change mode
Musical mode
In the theory of Western music since the ninth century, mode generally refers to a type of scale. This usage, still the most common in recent years, reflects a tradition dating to the middle ages, itself inspired by the theory of ancient Greek music.The word encompasses several additional...
, which requires the alteration of intervals. The use of triad
Triad (music)
In music and music theory, a triad is a three-note chord that can be stacked in thirds. Its members, when actually stacked in thirds, from lowest pitched tone to highest, are called:* the Root...
s only available in the minor mode, such as the use of A-major in C major, is relatively decorative chromaticism
Chromaticism
Chromaticism is a compositional technique interspersing the primary diatonic pitches and chords with other pitches of the chromatic scale. Chromaticism is in contrast or addition to tonality or diatonicism...
, considered to add color and weaken sense of key without entirely destroying or losing it.
Gender
In western music theory, keys, chords, and scales are often described as having major or minor tonality, sometimes related to masculineMasculinity
Masculinity is possessing qualities or characteristics considered typical of or appropriate to a man. The term can be used to describe any human, animal or object that has the quality of being masculine...
and feminine
Femininity
Femininity is a set of attributes, behaviors, and roles generally associated with girls and women. Though socially constructed, femininity is made up of both socially defined and biologically created factors...
gender
Gender
Gender is a range of characteristics used to distinguish between males and females, particularly in the cases of men and women and the masculine and feminine attributes assigned to them. Depending on the context, the discriminating characteristics vary from sex to social role to gender identity...
s, especially in languages with insistent syntactical gender assignments. By analogy, the major scales are given stereotypically masculine qualities (clear, open, extroverted), while the minor scales are given stereotypically feminine qualities (dark, soft, introverted). German uses the word Tongeschlecht ("Tone gender") for tonality
Tonality
Tonality is a system of music in which specific hierarchical pitch relationships are based on a key "center", or tonic. The term tonalité originated with Alexandre-Étienne Choron and was borrowed by François-Joseph Fétis in 1840...
, and the words Dur (from Latin durus, 'hard') for major and moll (from Latin mollis, 'soft') for minor.
Scales and chords
Major and minor chords may each be found in both the major and minor scales, constructed on different degrees of each. For example in the parallel keys on C on the first degree of the major scale a major chord (C-E-G) is constructed while on the first degree of the minor scale a minor chord (C-E-G) is constructed:Major:
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
M m m M M m d
Natural minor:
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
m d M m m M M
Relative relationship:
M m m M M m d
m d M m m M M
Minor scales
There are two variations of the natural minor scaleMinor scale
A minor scale in Western music theory includes any scale that contains, in its tonic triad, at least three essential scale degrees: 1) the tonic , 2) a minor-third, or an interval of a minor third above the tonic, and 3) a perfect-fifth, or an interval of a perfect fifth above the tonic, altogether...
: harmonic and melodic. In a harmonic minor scale, the 7th note is raised a semitone, both ascending and descending. In a melodic minor scale, the 6th and 7th notes ascending are raised a semitone, and descending, the 6th and 7th notes are normal.
Intonation and tuning
Underlying perceived musical tuning of intervals is the frequency relationship expressed as a fraction. Simple fractions can sound more harmonious than complex fractions; for instance an octave is a simple 2:1 ratio and a fifth, also concordant is the relatively simple 3:2 ratio. The table below gives approximations of a scale to ratios that are rounded towards being as simple as possible.| C | D | E | F | G | A | B | C |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 9/8 | 5/4 | 4/3 | 3/2 | 5/3 | 15/8 | 2 |
In just intonation
Just intonation
In music, just intonation is any musical tuning in which the frequencies of notes are related by ratios of small whole numbers. Any interval tuned in this way is called a just interval. The two notes in any just interval are members of the same harmonic series...
, a minor chord is often (but not exclusively) tuned in the frequency ratio 10:12:15 . In 12-TET, or twelve-tone equal temperament
Equal temperament
An equal temperament is a musical temperament, or a system of tuning, in which every pair of adjacent notes has an identical frequency ratio. As pitch is perceived roughly as the logarithm of frequency, this means that the perceived "distance" from every note to its nearest neighbor is the same for...
(now the most common tuning system in the West), a minor chord has 3 semitone
Semitone
A semitone, also called a half step or a half tone, is the smallest musical interval commonly used in Western tonal music, and it is considered the most dissonant when sounded harmonically....
s between the root and third, 4 between the third and fifth, and 7 between the root and fifth. It is represented by the integer notation
Pitch class
In music, a pitch class is a set of all pitches that are a whole number of octaves apart, e.g., the pitch class C consists of the Cs in all octaves...
0,3,7. The 12-TET fifth (700 cents
Cent (music)
The cent is a logarithmic unit of measure used for musical intervals. Twelve-tone equal temperament divides the octave into 12 semitones of 100 cents each...
) is only two cents narrower than the just perfect fifth (3:2, 701.9 cents), but the 12-TET minor third (300 cents) is noticeably (about 16 cents) narrower than the just minor third (6:5, 315.6 cents). The 12-TET minor third (300 cents) more closely approximates the 19-limit (Limit (music)
Limit (music)
In music theory, limit or harmonic limit is a way of characterizing the harmony found in a piece or genre of music, or the harmonies that can be made using a particular scale. The term was introduced by Harry Partch, who used it to give an upper bound on the complexity of harmony; hence the name...
) minor third 16:19 (297.5 cents, the nineteenth harmonic
Harmonic
A harmonic of a wave is a component frequency of the signal that is an integer multiple of the fundamental frequency, i.e. if the fundamental frequency is f, the harmonics have frequencies 2f, 3f, 4f, . . . etc. The harmonics have the property that they are all periodic at the fundamental...
) with only 2 cents error. Ellis proposes that the conflict between mathematicians and physicists on one hand and practicing musicians on the other regarding the supposed inferiority of the minor chord and scale to the major may be explained due to physicists' comparison of just minor and major triads, in which case minor comes out the loser, versus the musicians' comparison of the equal tempered triads, in which case minor comes out the winner since the ET major third is 14 cents sharp from the just major third while the ET minor third closely approximates the consonant 19:16 minor third which many find pleasing.
Advanced theory
Image:Major and minor triads.png|thumb|right|300px|Major and minor triads: The minor mode is considered the inverse of the major mode. (file)
poly 35 442 35 544 179 493 root of A minor triad
A minor
A minor is a minor scale based on A, consisting of the pitches A, B, C, D, E, F, and G. The harmonic minor scale raises the G to G...
poly 479 462 446 493 479 526 513 492 third of A minor triad
A minor
A minor is a minor scale based on A, consisting of the pitches A, B, C, D, E, F, and G. The harmonic minor scale raises the G to G...
poly 841 472 782 493 840 514 821 494 fifth of A minor triad
A minor
A minor is a minor scale based on A, consisting of the pitches A, B, C, D, E, F, and G. The harmonic minor scale raises the G to G...
poly 926 442 875 460 906 493 873 525 926 545 fifth of A minor triad
A minor
A minor is a minor scale based on A, consisting of the pitches A, B, C, D, E, F, and G. The harmonic minor scale raises the G to G...
poly 417 442 417 544 468 525 437 493 469 459 root of C major triad
C major
C major is a musical major scale based on C, with pitches C, D, E, F, G, A, and B. Its key signature has no flats/sharps.Its relative minor is A minor, and its parallel minor is C minor....
poly 502 472 522 493 502 514 560 493 root of C major triad
C major
C major is a musical major scale based on C, with pitches C, D, E, F, G, A, and B. Its key signature has no flats/sharps.Its relative minor is A minor, and its parallel minor is C minor....
poly 863 462 830 493 863 525 895 493 third of C major triad
C major
C major is a musical major scale based on C, with pitches C, D, E, F, G, A, and B. Its key signature has no flats/sharps.Its relative minor is A minor, and its parallel minor is C minor....
poly 1303 442 1160 493 1304 544 fifth of C major triad
C major
C major is a musical major scale based on C, with pitches C, D, E, F, G, A, and B. Its key signature has no flats/sharps.Its relative minor is A minor, and its parallel minor is C minor....
poly 280 406 264 413 282 419 275 413 fifth of E minor triad
E minor
E minor is a minor scale based on the note E. The E natural minor scale consists of the pitches E, F, G, A, B, C, and D. The E harmonic minor scale contains the natural 7, D, rather than the flatted 7, D – to align with the major dominant chord, B7 .Its key signature has one sharp, F .Its...
poly 308 397 293 403 301 412 294 423 309 428 fifth of E minor triad
E minor
E minor is a minor scale based on the note E. The E natural minor scale consists of the pitches E, F, G, A, B, C, and D. The E harmonic minor scale contains the natural 7, D, rather than the flatted 7, D – to align with the major dominant chord, B7 .Its key signature has one sharp, F .Its...
poly 844 397 844 428 886 413 root of E minor triad
E minor
E minor is a minor scale based on the note E. The E natural minor scale consists of the pitches E, F, G, A, B, C, and D. The E harmonic minor scale contains the natural 7, D, rather than the flatted 7, D – to align with the major dominant chord, B7 .Its key signature has one sharp, F .Its...
poly 1240 404 1230 412 1239 422 1250 412 third of E minor triad
E minor
E minor is a minor scale based on the note E. The E natural minor scale consists of the pitches E, F, G, A, B, C, and D. The E harmonic minor scale contains the natural 7, D, rather than the flatted 7, D – to align with the major dominant chord, B7 .Its key signature has one sharp, F .Its...
poly 289 404 279 413 288 422 300 413 third of G major triad
G major
G major is a major scale based on G, with the pitches G, A, B, C, D, E, and F. Its key signature has one sharp, F; in treble-clef key signatures, the sharp-symbol for F is usually placed on the first line from the top, though in some Baroque music it is placed on the first space from the bottom...
poly 689 398 646 413 689 429 fifth of G major triad
G major
G major is a major scale based on G, with the pitches G, A, B, C, D, E, and F. Its key signature has one sharp, F; in treble-clef key signatures, the sharp-symbol for F is usually placed on the first line from the top, though in some Baroque music it is placed on the first space from the bottom...
poly 1221 397 1222 429 1237 423 1228 414 1237 403 root of G major triad
G major
G major is a major scale based on G, with the pitches G, A, B, C, D, E, and F. Its key signature has one sharp, F; in treble-clef key signatures, the sharp-symbol for F is usually placed on the first line from the top, though in some Baroque music it is placed on the first space from the bottom...
poly 1249 406 1254 413 1249 418 1265 413 root of G major triad
G major
G major is a major scale based on G, with the pitches G, A, B, C, D, E, and F. Its key signature has one sharp, F; in treble-clef key signatures, the sharp-symbol for F is usually placed on the first line from the top, though in some Baroque music it is placed on the first space from the bottom...
poly 89 567 73 573 90 579 86 573 fifth of D minor triad
D minor
D minor is a minor scale based on D, consisting of the pitches D, E, F, G, A, B, and C. In the harmonic minor, the C is raised to C. Its key signature has one flat ....
poly 117 558 102 563 111 572 102 583 118 589 fifth of D minor triad
D minor
D minor is a minor scale based on D, consisting of the pitches D, E, F, G, A, B, and C. In the harmonic minor, the C is raised to C. Its key signature has one flat ....
poly 650 558 650 589 693 573 root of D minor triad
D minor
D minor is a minor scale based on D, consisting of the pitches D, E, F, G, A, B, and C. In the harmonic minor, the C is raised to C. Its key signature has one flat ....
poly 1050 563 1040 574 1050 582 1061 574 third of D minor triad
D minor
D minor is a minor scale based on D, consisting of the pitches D, E, F, G, A, B, and C. In the harmonic minor, the C is raised to C. Its key signature has one flat ....
poly 98 565 88 573 98 583 110 574 third of F major triad
F major
F major is a musical major scale based on F, consisting of the pitches F, G, A, B, C, D, and E. Its key signature has one flat . It is by far the oldest key signature with an accidental, predating the others by hundreds of years...
poly 498 558 455 573 498 589 fifth of F major triad
F major
F major is a musical major scale based on F, consisting of the pitches F, G, A, B, C, D, and E. Its key signature has one flat . It is by far the oldest key signature with an accidental, predating the others by hundreds of years...
poly 1031 557 1031 589 1047 583 1038 574 1046 563 root of F major triad
F major
F major is a musical major scale based on F, consisting of the pitches F, G, A, B, C, D, and E. Its key signature has one flat . It is by far the oldest key signature with an accidental, predating the others by hundreds of years...
poly 1075 573 1059 580 1064 573 1058 567 root of F major triad
F major
F major is a musical major scale based on F, consisting of the pitches F, G, A, B, C, D, and E. Its key signature has one flat . It is by far the oldest key signature with an accidental, predating the others by hundreds of years...
desc none
In the German theory by or derived from Hugo Riemann
Hugo Riemann
Karl Wilhelm Julius Hugo Riemann was a German music theorist.-Biography:Riemann was born at Grossmehlra, Schwarzburg-Sondershausen. He was educated in theory by Frankenberger, studied the piano with Barthel and Ratzenberger, studied law, and finally philosophy and history at Berlin and Tübingen...
, the minor mode is considered the inverse of the major mode, an upside down major scale based on (theoretical) undertones rather than (actual) overtones (harmonic
Harmonic
A harmonic of a wave is a component frequency of the signal that is an integer multiple of the fundamental frequency, i.e. if the fundamental frequency is f, the harmonics have frequencies 2f, 3f, 4f, . . . etc. The harmonics have the property that they are all periodic at the fundamental...
s) (See also: Utonality). The "root" of the minor triad is thus considered the top of the fifth, which, in the United States, is called "the" fifth. So in C minor, the tonic root is actually G, and the leading tone is A (a halfstep), rather than, in major, the root being C and the leading tone B (a halfstep). Also, since all chords are analyzed as having a tonic, subdominant, or dominant function, with, for instance, in C, A-minor being considered the tonic parallel (US relative), Tp, the use of minor mode root chord progressions in major such as A-major—B-major—C-major is analyzed as sP—dP—T, the minor subdominant parallel
Subdominant parallel
In music theory, the subdominant parallel is the relative to the subdominant and is thus considered to have or fulfill the function of the subdominant. The term is derived from German theory and the writings of Hugo Riemann....
, the minor dominant parallel
Dominant parallel
In music theory, the dominant parallel is terminology used in German theory derived mainly from Hugo Riemann. The dominant parallel is abbreviated Dp, in major, and dP, in minor, where a capital letter denotes a major chord and a lowercase letter denotes a minor chord...
, and the major tonic. (Gjerdingen, 1990)
External links
- "Proper fingering for piano scales" [major and minor], Music Life.