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What is the difference between a Minor chord and a Major chord?

Melissa McDermott
Music Instructor
Melissa McDermott is a Musician and accomplished Social Media Manager at coBranding Studio based in New York City. She has over seven years of experience teaching piano and music theory, she currently works as a Piano Instructor at O DiBella Music Inc. Additionally, she specializes in creating meaningful, informative, and quality social media content for health and wellness brands and musicians. Melissa received her B.A. in popular music studies from William Paterson University.

Melissa McDermott

Music Instructor

Expert Answer

So let me start off by explaining what a chord is to provide some context. A chord is three notes put together, and each of the notes has a very specific function and interval in the chord. So, typically, when we have things like C major and C minor, it refers to a change in the third degree of the chord. In a chord, we have the first note, the third note, and the fifth note: 1, 3, 5. And so, typically, the difference between major and minor lies with the third one. And if it's a minor, the distance between the first note and the third note will be what is known as a minor third, whereas if it's a major, the note between the first note and the third note will be known as a major third. So, typically, the difference between a minor third and a major third is one-half step.

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Question

Where can I find piano tabs?

Community Answer

You can find them online, or go to a music store in your area to buy some.

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Question

How do I read music with numbers on it?

Ilt Animal jam

Community Answer

The numbers correspond with which finger to use. A five means that you should use your pinkie, and a two, your index finger.

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Question

How do I know if I am supposed to play the notes together, like in a chord?

Community Answer

The notes will typically be on top of each other in the same beat of the measure you're playing.

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Question

I'm a new piano player, and I don't get it. I don't see any piano sheets with A, C, D, E or anything like that on it. Any help?

Gods_and_monsters

Community Answer

The notes you are talking about are shown on a staff; the notes look a bit like a dot with a line connected to it. Where the notes on the line are signal which "letter" it is. The wikiHow article Read Piano Sheet Music will help you decipher them.

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