How to Build Major and Minor Chords - Music Theory

Learn how to build and recognise major and minor chords. This music theory lesson teaches you how to construct major and minor chords above any given note. Two techniques are explained, one based on intervals and the other based on counting semitones / half steps. The difference between major and minor chords is explained and how major and minor chords are used within major and minor keys.

🕘 Timestamps
0:00 - Introduction to how to build major and minor chords
1:28 - How to form major chords
6:11 - How to form minor chords
8:59 - Hearing the difference
10:46 - Conclusion

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[stathiszoulakis]

I really enjoy your videos and I have learned so much .thank you sir

[isaacshaw]

Could you do how to use parallel keys. Like best chord progressions for using minor four. I am happy writing pieces I am getting one published but incorporating colour like using the parellel minor or variations on the main diatonic key I struggle to incorporate. For example you might decide instead of having a minor in c major you decide to use a major.

[christinachan]

Could you please make a video teaching us how to strength the 4th and 5th fingers and how to use them for playing a chord. Thank you.

[DavidWoodardMMED]

Gareth, what application do you use to make your keyboard show up in color on your videos? Thanks, Dave

[LonelyRiverLilly]

its very easy to forget how close any given major or minor scale is to one another. Its just 3 semitones

A major is

A-B-C#-D-E-F#-G#

A minor is

A-B-C-D-E-F-G

the 3rd, 6th, and 7th note go up 1 semitone in the major scale

But A Minor is also C Major which is

C-D-E-F-G-A-B

The last 2 notes of C major are the first 2 notes of A Major. If you wanna learn more about music theory I highly recommend writting out all the major and minor scales on paper and finding the patterns in each

[jayducharme]

When you go up the C major scale, I've never understood why chords turn minor or diminished. If a major chord is 1-4-7, why wasn't that sequence carried through all the way up the scale? I suddenly realized while watching this that (duh!) the key of C major has no sharps or flats, so you have to progress accordingly.

[Ana_crusis]

This is just for the very beginners in music theory

[isaacshaw]

The F# above middle C sounds really different to every other key in tone. Or is it just me? I haven't got perfect pitch so if you played a note by itself I wouldn't know inherently the pitch but the F# on your keyboard sounds quite different to me than the other notes. Perfect pitch is an interesting topic however and trying to explain the difference between relative pitch which is something I have learnt versus perfect pitch which you either just have or don't I find people get confused. If you get fluent with relative pitch it can seem very much like you have perfect pitch.

[bossshrek]

So this lets you find the chord itself, not the minor or major scale right