You will notice there are actually three different notes between a major scale and a natural minor scale which start on the same note (compare the diagrams above).
This gives them their major and minor sound qualities. Again, flatting the third makes the scale’s third a minor third interval instead of a major third.
Notice the third of the major scale (C#) is one note lower in the minor scale (C).
Let’s compare a few examples of major and minor scales and chords: The Difference Between the Major and Natural Minor ScaleĪn A Major Scale is spelled: A B C# D E F# G# (A).Īn A Natural Minor Scale is spelled: A B C D E F G (A). Intervals are essential to understanding scale and chord construction.) (Please review intervals if you are still confused on this. Remember, it’s the distance between the notes that forms the interval and its unique sound. A flat third can be spelled with any letter of the musical alphabet whether its a natural note name, flat note name, or sharp note name. For example, these intervals all form minor thirds: A to C, A# to C#, D to F, C to Eb, Bb to Db, and many others. That does not mean the minor 3rd must be spelled with a flat letter name. Since the minor third is always one note lower than the major third, we often describe the minor third as a flatted 3rd. To flat a note means to lower it by one note. Here is an example of a major 3rd (C to E) and a minor 3rd (C to Eb) :Īll major-sounding scales and chords contain major 3rds while all minor-sounding scales and chords contain minor 3rds. A minor 3rd is one note lower than a major 3rd. If you’ve studied the basic intervals that are the building blocks of all scale and chord patterns, you should remember there were two types of thirds major thirds and minor thirds. Compared to major scales and chords, minor scales and chords have different 3rds. Similarly, most chords and arpeggios usually contain 3 or 4 different notes like a Root, 3rd, and 5th (triads), or a Root, 3rd, 5th, and 7th (seventh chords).Īll of these scales and chords contain that important note the 3rd in them. For example, the major scale contains a Root, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, and 7th. If you’ve spent any time studying a few scales you should know many scales contain seven different notes. The third is what gives major-sounding scales and chords their brighter, cheerier sound, and what gives minor scales and chords their darker, sadder sound. The difference between major and minor chords and scales boils down to a difference of one essential note the third. I hear this question from beginning students all of the time: What Is the Difference Between Major and Minor?
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