Life is a b****, and so is my chord book

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Geeze! This book is all over the place with trying to explain chords. It's building up chapter after chapter, but in just about every paragraph they explain things briefly that you are to read in like chapter 8! It has me lost, one thing that is throwing me off 3 chapters into the book is this: It shows a Triad in C Major, it shows the traid C-E-G as major, ok i'm still with it, then it shows D-F-A as being minor, what the hell? Is it because E and F are a half step from one another, is that what makes it a minor rather than a major? I'm trying to learn this, and this book is not making it easy on me. I may not have explained myself clearly out of frustration. But I was just hoping someone could clear this up for me? It would be very appreciated.

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Do you understand intervals?

In a major chord( ie C-E-G): the interval between the root(C) and the 3d(E) is a major 3d.

In a minor chord(ie D-F-A): the interval between the root(D) and the 3d(F) is a minor 3d.

Hope that helps.

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It'sbecoming a bit clearer to me. I do understand intervals, but for some reason I just can't seem to understand what makes this a minor. I assume it is because there is just one half step in between E and F?
"You are going to let the fear of poverty govern your life and your reward will be that you will eat, but you will not live."

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Consider how you make a C Major chord. You choose your tonic (C) then you count 4 half-steps from C [c#,d,d#,e] to get E. Keep counting up to 7 half-steps from C [...f,f#,g] to get to G. This is your major chord.

Repeat the process with D and you get D,F#,A. Note that both Major and Minor triads have the 7 half-step interval (the perfect fifth). The difference is that Major contains the interval 4 h-s from the Tonic (Major 3rd) while minor triads contain the interval 3 h-s from the Tonic (minor 3rd).

On what instrument are you working?
Hope my explanation is clear.
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Yes. If you have a major chord (C-E-G) there are 4 half steps between the root and the third. To make it a minor chord you lower the third one half step (C-Eb-G). now there are only 3 half steps between the root and the third. If you count the steps between D and F you will find there are only 3, thus making it a minor 3d. :wink:

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Wow, very clear indeed. I'm using a keyboard right now.
"You are going to let the fear of poverty govern your life and your reward will be that you will eat, but you will not live."

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J_Starner wrote: I'm using a keyboard right now.
Thats good. Keyboard, I think, is the easiest to learn this kind of stuff.

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Ok I got it now, you guys are informative. I've been struggling with this! I see now that from D up to F is only three half steps. Thanks so much for helping me.
"You are going to let the fear of poverty govern your life and your reward will be that you will eat, but you will not live."

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I struggled for years with chords. Until I realised you were allowed to make up your own.
And what about 12 bar blues? You play a MAJOR progression chord sequence and play a MINOR PENTATONIC (almost) over the top.
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"Hell is other People" J.P.Sartre
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I'm in the process of learning, and I am still thinking sometimes like "what the hell am I learning this all for again, will it be of any use?". I really want a concrete way to make notes into melodies though, so I think it is worth it. I've been doing music since I was about 12 and I have never looked into chords the whole time, KVR is a very insightful place. You can find alot of good stuff like instruments and all, and you sort of feed off others inspiration and their music. Being around such experienced people really helps you as a musician. I'm glad I had come across this site.
"You are going to let the fear of poverty govern your life and your reward will be that you will eat, but you will not live."

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The curse: I'll start a new fred.
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"Hell is other People" J.P.Sartre
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This is one of the only good theory books I have seen. Maybe a little advanced but it might be better than the book you have.

Also, you might concider a music fundamentals class at a local community college, if you can.


I'm majoring in music BTW. :wink:

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Chords and scales; essential stuff. As you learn it you will find that use it without thinking about it. Just like playing techniques, it becomes part of the way one plays.
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There was an excellent thread, a primer, really, written by peel here. It's great reference tool 8) Check it out;
http://www.kvraudio.com/forum/viewtopic ... s+interval
..what goes around comes around..

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o'malley wrote: I'm majoring in music BTW. :wink:
Doing the same myself :-D Only thing is, I haven't even began yet.

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