The term "minor chord" is used in music to describe a specific type of chord that sounds melancholic or sad. The spelling of "minor" follows the general rule of English spelling, where the letter "i" typically represents the "ai" sound (/aɪ/), and the letter "o" represents the "o" sound (/ɔː/). In IPA phonetic transcription, the word "minor" is transcribed as /ˈmaɪnər/, where the stress is on the first syllable (/ˈmaɪn/), and the vowel sounds are represented by the letters within the slashes.
A minor chord is a type of musical chord that consists of three individual notes played simultaneously or stacked on top of each other. It is characterized by its distinct tonal quality, which imparts a sense of sadness, melancholy, or introspection. The cornerstone of a minor chord is the minor third interval, formed by the first and third notes played in the chord.
In terms of music theory, a minor chord is constructed by combining a root note, a minor third above that root, and a perfect fifth above the root. For example, in the key of C minor, a typical minor chord would consist of the notes C, E♭, and G. The root note provides the foundation of the chord, while the minor third and perfect fifth, also known as the intervals, give the chord its distinct minor tonality.
Minor chords are commonly used in various musical genres, including classical, jazz, blues, and rock. They often evoke emotional depth and convey a more somber or introspective mood than major chords. Although minor chords are frequently associated with sadness, they can also create tension or enhance a song's overall harmonic progression. Musicians and composers often utilize minor chords to evoke specific feelings or to express a particular musical idea within a piece of music.
In summary, a minor chord is a three-note chord characterized by a root note, a minor third, and a perfect fifth. It imparts a sense of melancholy and is commonly used to convey sadness or introspection within a musical composition.
The word "minor" is derived from the Latin word "minor", which means "smaller" or "lesser". In music theory, a minor chord is considered to have a "lesser" or "smaller" tonality compared to a major chord. The term originated in the medieval period, and it refers to a chord that is built on a minor scale. The etymology of "minor" in this context primarily focuses on the musical sense of the word rather than its broader usage.