Chords: major & minor

C E G

A major triad consists of root, major third and perfect fifth, for : C E G. The major third gives it its bright, cheerful sound.

💡 Did you know? Major sounds bright and cheerful to most people: a strikingly cross-cultural impression.

C E♭ G

A minor triad has a minor third instead of a major one, for : C E♭ G. This gives it its darker, melancholy sound.

💡 Did you know? The minor third (three semitones) instead of the major one turns a major chord into a minor chord.

D♭ F A♭

A major triad consists of root, major third and perfect fifth, for : D♭ F A♭. The major third gives it its bright, cheerful sound.

💡 Did you know? The major third spans four semitones: it is what makes the chord a major chord.

D♭ F♭ A♭

A minor triad has a minor third instead of a major one, for : D♭ F♭ A♭. This gives it its darker, melancholy sound.

💡 Did you know? In minor too the fifth stays perfect: only the third is lowered a semitone compared to major.

D F♯ A

A major triad consists of root, major third and perfect fifth, for : D F♯ A. The major third gives it its bright, cheerful sound.

💡 Did you know? The triad of three notes stacked in thirds is the basic building block of Western harmony.

D F A

A minor triad has a minor third instead of a major one, for : D F A. This gives it its darker, melancholy sound.

💡 Did you know? Every minor chord has a „relative“ major chord a minor third higher, with which it shares all its notes.

E♭ G B♭

A major triad consists of root, major third and perfect fifth, for : E♭ G B♭. The major third gives it its bright, cheerful sound.

💡 Did you know? Enharmonics: F sharp major and G flat major sound the same on the piano but are written differently.

E♭ G♭ B♭

A minor triad has a minor third instead of a major one, for : E♭ G♭ B♭. This gives it its darker, melancholy sound.

💡 Did you know? Whether a piece is in major or minor often decides its whole mood.

E G♯ B

A major triad consists of root, major third and perfect fifth, for : E G♯ B. The major third gives it its bright, cheerful sound.

💡 Did you know? A chord in „root position“ has its namesake at the bottom: if another note is lowest, it is an „inversion“.

E G B

A minor triad has a minor third instead of a major one, for : E G B. This gives it its darker, melancholy sound.

💡 Did you know? A minor is the „relative“ of C major: both consist only of the white keys of the piano.

F A C

A major triad consists of root, major third and perfect fifth, for : F A C. The major third gives it its bright, cheerful sound.

💡 Did you know? Confusing for non-Germans: what German calls „B“ is „B flat“ in English; the English „B“ is the German „H“.

F A♭ C

A minor triad has a minor third instead of a major one, for : F A♭ C. This gives it its darker, melancholy sound.

💡 Did you know? The wistful sound of minor comes solely from the third being a semitone lower.

F♯ A♯ C♯

A major triad consists of root, major third and perfect fifth, for : F♯ A♯ C♯. The major third gives it its bright, cheerful sound.

💡 Did you know? Major sounds bright and cheerful to most people: a strikingly cross-cultural impression.

F♯ A C♯

A minor triad has a minor third instead of a major one, for : F♯ A C♯. This gives it its darker, melancholy sound.

💡 Did you know? The minor third (three semitones) instead of the major one turns a major chord into a minor chord.

G B D

A major triad consists of root, major third and perfect fifth, for : G B D. The major third gives it its bright, cheerful sound.

💡 Did you know? The major third spans four semitones: it is what makes the chord a major chord.

G B♭ D

A minor triad has a minor third instead of a major one, for : G B♭ D. This gives it its darker, melancholy sound.

💡 Did you know? In minor too the fifth stays perfect: only the third is lowered a semitone compared to major.

A♭ C E♭

A major triad consists of root, major third and perfect fifth, for : A♭ C E♭. The major third gives it its bright, cheerful sound.

💡 Did you know? The triad of three notes stacked in thirds is the basic building block of Western harmony.

A♭ C♭ E♭

A minor triad has a minor third instead of a major one, for : A♭ C♭ E♭. This gives it its darker, melancholy sound.

💡 Did you know? Every minor chord has a „relative“ major chord a minor third higher, with which it shares all its notes.

A C♯ E

A major triad consists of root, major third and perfect fifth, for : A C♯ E. The major third gives it its bright, cheerful sound.

💡 Did you know? Enharmonics: F sharp major and G flat major sound the same on the piano but are written differently.

A C E

A minor triad has a minor third instead of a major one, for : A C E. This gives it its darker, melancholy sound.

💡 Did you know? Whether a piece is in major or minor often decides its whole mood.

B♭ D F

A major triad consists of root, major third and perfect fifth, for : B♭ D F. The major third gives it its bright, cheerful sound.

💡 Did you know? A chord in „root position“ has its namesake at the bottom: if another note is lowest, it is an „inversion“.

B♭ D♭ F

A minor triad has a minor third instead of a major one, for : B♭ D♭ F. This gives it its darker, melancholy sound.

💡 Did you know? A minor is the „relative“ of C major: both consist only of the white keys of the piano.

B D♯ F♯

A major triad consists of root, major third and perfect fifth, for : B D♯ F♯. The major third gives it its bright, cheerful sound.

💡 Did you know? Confusing for non-Germans: what German calls „B“ is „B flat“ in English; the English „B“ is the German „H“.

B D F♯

A minor triad has a minor third instead of a major one, for : B D F♯. This gives it its darker, melancholy sound.

💡 Did you know? The wistful sound of minor comes solely from the third being a semitone lower.