minor chords question

[StuartAmbient]

more specifically 13th or 6th note

i'm learning here so
if i make a minor chord from a major one i lower the 3rd and 7th note. well 7th if not already a seventh chord (the dominant chord).

However what I notice is that if i transition from a major scale to it's counterpart minor (e.g. C major to A minor)the 6th or 13th note is flattened as well from the perspective of the first method.

I haven't reached that part of the book yet but i know a bit so maybe this is the difference between the natural and melodic minor or something ?

any clarity would be appreciated.

thanks
stuart

[nuffink]

That's the nature of modality.
If you make a minor 7th on the 2nd degree of the major scale (D in C major) the 6th(B) will be natural. This is the Dorian mode.
If you make a minor 7th on the 3rd degree of the major scale (E in C major) the 6th(C) will be flattened and so will the 2nd/9th (F).
It's the different intervals these non-chord tones (the so called tensions) form over the chord which give each mode its flavour.

[StuartAmbient]

Thank you nuffink

btw i'm using this learning method "Chord Wizard Theory" , they have a few products. Going back a bit where they start to introduce minor chords it says something like the only difference between the major and minor is it's flattened 3rd. Further on though in this system i see both the natural and harmonic minor with the lowered 6th degree. So I guess it looks like the first statement is misleading. but yes I see the modal differences, though they are hurting my head for the moment .
i just thought at this point I could have a clear distinction between a minor and a major.

[nuffink]

Thank you nuffink

btw i'm using this learning method "Chord Wizard Theory" , they have a few products. Going back a bit where they start to introduce minor chords it says something like the only difference between the major and minor is it's flattened 3rd. Further on though in this system i see both the natural and harmonic minor with the lowered 6th degree. So I guess it looks like the first statement is misleading.

They're correct (as far as minor and major chords go). The 6th degree (lowered or not) doesn't form part of the chord. Neither do the 2nd or the 4th.

[StuartAmbient]

They're correct (as far as minor and major chords go). The 6th degree (lowered or not) doesn't form part of the chord. Neither do the 2nd or the 4th.

so is this false information cause they show:
minor 7th, minor 9th, minor eleventh, and minor thirteenth

then also 6th, 9th and 6th and 9th. it looks as though they say these are the standard minor chords.

these all are lowered 3rds and lowered 7ths , again from their major relatives.

however nuffink , i think what you are saying , is the triad itself is the minor (or major) and the extensions vary depending ??

[nuffink]

however nuffink , i think what you are saying , is the triad itself is the minor (or major) and the extensions vary depending ??

Absolutely.

[StuartAmbient]

however nuffink , i think what you are saying , is the triad itself is the minor (or major) and the extensions vary depending ??

Absolutely.

wild...thank you for the

[JumpingJackFlash]

It important to distinguish between chord, scale and key. They are all different, yet related, and saying something like "F# minor" could apply to any one.

The only difference between a minor chord and a major chord built on the same root is the third. In major chords, the third is 4 semitones above the root, whereas in minor chords, the third is only 3 semitones above the root.

For example, F major is F, A, C.
F minor is F, Ab, C.

So, a chord could be a "major chord", and have a minor seventh in it. (The resultant chord is called a dominant seventh). It is still a fundamentally a major chord. (The minor bit refers to the interval of the seventh).

Regarding scales, major scales all have the pattern:
Tone, Tone, Semitone, Tone, Tone, Tone, Semitone. (Starting at the root and moving upwards).

There are different forms of minor scale; the natural minor, harmonic minor, and melodic minor. All have slightly different pattern of intervals.

Keys can be major or minor. Within a key, many scales and many chords can be used. All minor keys refer to the natural minor, however in both minor and major keys, accidentals and other chromatic notes can be used which introduce notes that do not belong to the key. Keys can also change, either temporarily or permanently.

For more information look at the links in my sig:

[djgroovy]

For more information look at the links in my sig:

That's some great stuff, thanks.