Minor chord
Encyclopedia
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.
Some minor triads
with additional notes, such as the minor seventh chord
, may also be called minor chords.
A minor triad can also be described as a minor third interval
with a major third
interval on top or as a root note, a note 3 semitone
s higher than the root, and a note 7 semitones higher than the root. Hence it can be represented by the integer notation {0, 3, 7}.
A major chord
differs from a minor chord in having a major third above the root instead of a minor third.
It can also be described as a major third with a minor third on top, in contrast to a minor chord, which has a minor third with a major third on top. They both contain fifths, because a major third (4 semitones) plus a minor third (3 semitones) equals a fifth (7 semitones).
A diminished chord
is a minor chord with a lowered fifth.
An example of a minor chord is the C minor chord, which consists of the notes C (root), E (minor third) and G (perfect fifth):
The minor chord, along with the major chord, is one of the basic building blocks of tonal
music and the common practice period
. In Western music, a minor chord, in comparison, "sounds darker than a major chord" but is still considered highly consonant
, stable, or as not requiring resolution
.
Demonstration :
In just intonation
, a minor chord is often (but not exclusively) tuned in the frequency ratio 10:12:15 . This is the first occurrence of a minor triad in the harmonic series
(if on C: E-G-B). This may be found on iii, vi, vi, iii, and vii. 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. Other just minor chord tunings include the supertonic triad in just intonation (27:32:40) , 16:19:24 , 12:14:18 (6:7:9) (Septimal minor third
), and the Pythagorean minor triad (54:64:243) . More tunings of the minor chord are also available in various equal temperaments other than 12-TET.
Rather than directly from the harmonic series
, Sorge
derived the minor chord from joining two major triads; for example the A minor triad being the confluence of the F and C major triads. A-C-E= f-A-C-E-g. Given justly tuned major triads this produces a justly tuned minor triad: 10:12:15 on 8/5.
Music theory
Music theory is the study of how music works. It examines the language and notation of music. It seeks to identify patterns and structures in composers' techniques across or within genres, styles, or historical periods...
, a minor chord is a 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...
having a 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....
, a minor third
Minor third
In classical music from Western culture, a third is a musical interval encompassing three staff positions , and the minor third is one of two commonly occurring thirds. The minor quality specification identifies it as being the smallest of the two: the minor third spans three semitones, the major...
, and a perfect fifth
Perfect fifth
In classical music from Western culture, a fifth is a musical interval encompassing five staff positions , and the perfect fifth is a fifth spanning seven semitones, or in meantone, four diatonic semitones and three chromatic semitones...
.
When a chord has these three notes alone, it is called a minor triad.
Some minor triads
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...
with additional notes, such as the minor seventh chord
Minor seventh chord
In music, a minor seventh chord is any nondominant seventh chord where the "third" note is a minor third above the root.Most typically, minor seventh chord refers to where the "seventh" note is a minor seventh above the root...
, may also be called minor chords.
A minor triad can also be described as a minor third 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...
with a major third
Major third
In classical music from Western culture, a third is a musical interval encompassing three staff positions , and the major third is one of two commonly occurring thirds. It is qualified as major because it is the largest of the two: the major third spans four semitones, the minor third three...
interval on top or as a root note, a note 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 higher than the root, and a note 7 semitones higher than the root. Hence it can be represented by the integer notation {0, 3, 7}.
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...
differs from a minor chord in having a major third above the root instead of a minor third.
It can also be described as a major third with a minor third on top, in contrast to a minor chord, which has a minor third with a major third on top. They both contain fifths, because a major third (4 semitones) plus a minor third (3 semitones) equals a fifth (7 semitones).
A diminished chord
Diminished chord
A diminished triad chord or diminished chord is a triad consisting of two minor thirds above the root — if built on C, a diminished chord would have a C, an E and a G. It resembles a minor triad with a lowered fifth....
is a minor chord with a lowered fifth.
An example of a minor chord is the C minor chord, which consists of the notes C (root), E (minor third) and G (perfect fifth):
- .
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...
music and the common practice period
Common practice period
The common practice period, in the history of Western art music , spanning the Baroque, Classical, and Romantic periods, lasted from c. 1600 to c. 1900.-General characteristics:...
. In Western music, a minor chord, in comparison, "sounds darker than a major chord" but is still considered highly consonant
Consonance and dissonance
In music, a consonance is a harmony, chord, or interval considered stable, as opposed to a dissonance , which is considered to be unstable...
, stable, or as not requiring resolution
Resolution (music)
Resolution in western tonal music theory is the move of a note or chord from dissonance to a consonance .Dissonance, resolution, and suspense can be used to create musical interest...
.
Acoustic consonance of the minor chord
A unique particularity of the minor chord is that this is the only chord of three notes, in which the three notes have one harmonic - hearable and with a not too high row - in common (more or less exactly, depending on the tuning system used) : This harmonic, common to the three notes, is situated 2 octaves above the high note of the chord : This is the harmonic of row 6 of the fundamental of the chord, the one of row 5 of middle note, the one of row 4 of the high note:- In the example do, mi
, sol : a sol, 2 octaves above.
Demonstration :
- Minor third = 6/5 = 12/10
- Major third = 5/4 = 15/12
- So the ratios of Minor chord : 10:12:15
- And the explication of the unique harmonic in common, between the three notes, is verified by : 10*6 = 12*5 = 15*4
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 . This is the first occurrence of a minor triad in the harmonic series
Harmonic series (music)
Pitched musical instruments are often based on an approximate harmonic oscillator such as a string or a column of air, which oscillates at numerous frequencies simultaneously. At these resonant frequencies, waves travel in both directions along the string or air column, reinforcing and canceling...
(if on C: E-G-B). This may be found on iii, vi, vi, iii, and vii. 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. Other just minor chord tunings include the supertonic triad in just intonation (27:32:40) , 16:19:24 , 12:14:18 (6:7:9) (Septimal minor third
Septimal minor third
In music, the septimal minor third , also called the subminor third, is the musical interval exactly or approximately equal to a 7/6 ratio of frequencies. In terms of cents, it is 267 cents, a quartertone of size 36/35 flatter than a just minor third of 6/5...
), and the Pythagorean minor triad (54:64:243) . More tunings of the minor chord are also available in various equal temperaments other than 12-TET.
Rather than directly from the harmonic series
Harmonic series (music)
Pitched musical instruments are often based on an approximate harmonic oscillator such as a string or a column of air, which oscillates at numerous frequencies simultaneously. At these resonant frequencies, waves travel in both directions along the string or air column, reinforcing and canceling...
, Sorge
Georg Andreas Sorge
Georg Andreas Sorge was an organist, composer, and, most notably, theorist. His references to Johann Sebastian Bach show that they were friends, and he composed three fugues for organ on the name BACH...
derived the minor chord from joining two major triads; for example the A minor triad being the confluence of the F and C major triads. A-C-E= f-A-C-E-g. Given justly tuned major triads this produces a justly tuned minor triad: 10:12:15 on 8/5.
Minor chord table
| Chord | Root | Minor Third | Perfect Fifth |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cm | C | E | G |
| C | E | G | |
| D | F (E) | A | |
| Dm | D | F | A |
| D | F | A | |
| E | G | B | |
| Em | E | G | B |
| Fm | F | A | C |
| F | A | C | |
| G | B (A) | D | |
| Gm | G | B | D |
| G | B | D | |
| A | C (B) | E | |
| Am | A | C | E |
| A | C | E (F) | |
| B | D | F | |
| Bm | B | D | F |
See also
- Major and minorMajor and minorIn 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.-Intervals and chords:With regard...
- Musical tuningMusical tuningIn music, there are two common meanings for tuning:* Tuning practice, the act of tuning an instrument or voice.* Tuning systems, the various systems of pitches used to tune an instrument, and their theoretical bases.-Tuning practice:...
- Major chordMajor chordIn 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...
- Otonality and UtonalityOtonality and UtonalityOtonality and Utonality are terms introduced by Harry Partch to describe chords whose notes are the overtones or "undertones" of a given fixed tone. For example: 1/1, 2/1, 3/1,.....