What Makes a Chord Minor?

This is Part Three in series about chords:

1. What is a Chord?

2. What Makes a Chord Major?

3. (You are here) What Makes a Chord Minor?

What Makes a Chord Minor?

Minor triads in root position consist of an interval of a third from the root note to the “third,” or middle note, and another interval of a third from the middle note (“third”) to the top note, called the “fifth.”

The other interval at play in a triad is the distance from the “root” to the “fifth,” which is an interval of a fifth.

Thirds

An intervals of a third can be either qualified as major or minor.

A major third is four half steps, and a minor third is three half steps.

An interval of a “perfect” fifth is seven half steps.

So What Makes A Triad “Minor”?

A minor triad in root position (the root being the lowest note) is made up of an interval of a minor third from the “root” to the “third,” and another interval of a major third from the “third” to the “fifth.”

In the chart below the intervals are represented:

Major third = M3
Minor third = m3
Perfect fifth = P5

Minor Triads are written with a lower case “m” after the route (letter name) of the chord, or with a dash (-) fter the route (letter name) of the chord.

Ex.: “Cm” or “C-“