![\"\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ethanhein.com\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/what-you-feeling.jpg?resize=600%2C591&ssl=1\")
<\/p>\nThis summer I am writing more music theory teaching materials for beginners. In this post, I will be explaining major thirds, minor thirds, major chords, and minor chords.<\/p>\n
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So, what are these things? The definitions are annoyingly circular.<\/p>\n
Maybe it’s more helpful to count piano keys, guitar frets, or spaces on the MIDI piano roll. Each of these increments is called a half-step or a semitone. Why not just call them steps? The ancient Greeks came up with whole steps\/whole tones first, and the idea of splitting them in half came later. Anyway, now we can come up with more satisfying definitions:<\/p>\n
Here are three different visual representations of the major third between C and E, the first and third degrees of the C major scale. The left shows Western staff notation; the center is the MIDI piano roll in Ableton Live, and the right is the scale wheel<\/a> developed by the NYU MusEDLab<\/a>.<\/p>\n Here is the minor third between C and E-flat, the first and third degrees of the C minor scale.<\/p>\n Here is the major third between D and F-sharp, the first and third degrees of the D major scale.<\/p>\n Here is the minor third between D and F, the first and third degrees of the D minor scale.<\/p>\n Just as there are major and minor thirds, there are also major and minor chords. But now things get confusing: to make major and minor chords,<\/i>\u00a0you have to mix major and minor thirds together.<\/em><\/p>\n Here is a C major chord, the first, third and fifth degrees of the C major scale. There’s a major third between C and E, and a minor third between E and G.<\/p>\n Here is a C minor chord, the first, third and fifth degrees of the C minor scale. There’s a minor third between C and E-flat, and a major third between E-flat and G.<\/p>\n Here is a D major chord, the first, third and fifth degrees of the D major scale. There’s a major third between D and F-sharp, and a minor third between F-sharp and A.<\/p>\n Here is a D minor chord, the first, third and fifth degrees of the D minor scale. There’s a minor third between D and F, and a major third between F and A.<\/p>\n All major chords have the same intervallic structure: a major third plus a minor third. All minor chords have the same intervallic structure: a minor third plus a major third. Learning all the note names and their associated sharps and flats takes a while, but in the meantime, if you can count piano keys or guitar frets or piano roll spaces, you can make whatever chords you want.<\/p>\n The Online Etymology Dictionary<\/a> says that the word “major” comes from the\u00a0Latin\u00a0maior<\/span><\/em>, a version of magnus<\/span><\/em> meaning “large” or “great”. The word minor comes from<\/a> Latin\u00a0minor,<\/em><\/span> meaning “less” or “smaller”. A major third is wider than a minor third. That explains the names, but what is the origin of the intervals themselves? They must be incredibly ancient. This Paleolithic bone flute plays the major pentatonic scale<\/a>, which includes both major and minor thirds.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ethanhein.com\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/C-major-third.png?resize=640%2C192&ssl=1\")
<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ethanhein.com\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/C-minor-third.png?resize=640%2C192&ssl=1\")
<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ethanhein.com\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/D-maj-third.png?resize=640%2C193&ssl=1\")
<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ethanhein.com\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/D-minor-third.png?resize=640%2C193&ssl=1\")
<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ethanhein.com\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/C-major-triad.png?resize=640%2C192&ssl=1\")
<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ethanhein.com\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/C-minor-triad.png?resize=640%2C192&ssl=1\")
<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ethanhein.com\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/D-major-triad.png?resize=640%2C192&ssl=1\")
<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ethanhein.com\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/D-minor-triad.png?resize=640%2C192&ssl=1\")
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