WHAT ARE MINOR PIANO CHORDS?
Minor chords, like major chords, contain three basic keyboard notes, a root note, third, and fifth. To play a minor chord, select any root note, then count three half-steps up to the third. From the third, count two whole-steps (or four half steps) to find the fifth.
Minor chords are also very common in rock and pop music. “Comfortably Numb” is an example of a rock song that begins with a minor chord. Most rock and pop songs use a mixture of major and minor piano chords.
The third interval in a minor chord is called a “minor third.” The fifth interval in a minor chord is the same as in a major chord, the interval of a “perfect fifth.”
Minor chords, like major chords, contain three basic keyboard notes, a root note, third, and fifth. To play a minor chord, select any root note, then count three half-steps up to the third. From the third, count two whole-steps (or four half steps) to find the fifth.
Minor chords are also very common in rock and pop music. “Comfortably Numb” is an example of a rock song that begins with a minor chord. Most rock and pop songs use a mixture of major and minor piano chords.
The third interval in a minor chord is called a “minor third.” The fifth interval in a minor chord is the same as in a major chord, the interval of a “perfect fifth.”
PRO TIP: LISTEN TO YOUR FAVORITE POP SONGS!
Minor Chords are used in almost every slow and sad you hear. The opening chord of “All of me” by John Legend is an F minor chord. Listen to some of your favorite songs and see if you can hear the sound of minor chords.
Minor Chords are used in almost every slow and sad you hear. The opening chord of “All of me” by John Legend is an F minor chord. Listen to some of your favorite songs and see if you can hear the sound of minor chords.
HOW DO YOU PLAY A MINOR CHORD ON THE PIANO?
To play a minor chord, begin by choosing a root note, which can be any of the keyboard notes.
From the root note, count up one and a half steps. This note is the “third,” named for being the third note in the key beginning with the root note. From the third, count up two whole steps. This note is the “fifth.”
When you play these three keyboard notes together, you hear a minor triad, which has a sad sound. Minor keyboard chords are used in almost every rock and pop song.
Common minor piano chords include:
To play a minor chord, begin by choosing a root note, which can be any of the keyboard notes.
From the root note, count up one and a half steps. This note is the “third,” named for being the third note in the key beginning with the root note. From the third, count up two whole steps. This note is the “fifth.”
When you play these three keyboard notes together, you hear a minor triad, which has a sad sound. Minor keyboard chords are used in almost every rock and pop song.
Common minor piano chords include:
- C minor (Cm). C - Eb - G
- C# minor (C#m). C# - E - G#
- D minor (Dm). D - F -A
- Eb minor (Ebm). Eb - Gb - Bb
- E minor (Em). E - G - B
- F minor (Fm). F - Ab - C
- F# minor (F#m). F# - A - C#
- G minor (Gm). G - Bb - D
- Ab minor (Abm). Ab - Cb - Eb
- A minor (Am). A - C - E
- Bb minor (Bbm). Bb - Db - F
- B minor (Bm). B - D - F#