Hearing major and minor

Knowing shapes is one thing. Hearing whether a song's chord is major or minor is what lets you work songs out for yourself. This short lesson trains that.

Play each pair slowly, letting each chord ring, and listen to what changes.

In every pair, only one note moves, and only by one fret. Try to hear that note: pick through each chord string by string and find it.

• In E to Em it is the G string: first fret, then open.
• In A to Am it is the B string: second fret, then first.
• In D to Dm it is the high E string: second fret, then first.

Close your eyes, strum one of the six chords at random, and say whether it sounded major or minor before you open them. Words help: major usually feels open, bright, finished; minor feels darker, softer, unresolved.

It is not always obvious. Some major chords sound wistful in the right song, and some minors sound strong. But after a few days of this, you will hear the difference almost without thinking.

Next time you open a song in OnPitch, switch to its chord view and look at the chord names: m after the letter means minor. Play along and listen for the change of colour when the music moves from a major chord to a minor one.