Re: Minor Major Problem

Larry Lamb wrote:
...If someone could explain what's going on
here that would be greatly appreciated.

Start with the more consonant interval.

In C E G or C Eb G, the most consonant interval
is the perfect 5th, C G in either chord.

So play C G. It doesn't sound Maj or min.
Now insert the E or the Eb. When you do you
hear it as Maj or min.

So it's the placement of the note *"between" the
perfect interval that defines Maj or min. If there
are 3 semitones between the root and that middle note,
the chord sounds minor. If there are 4 semitones between
the root and the middle it sounds Major.

But the E (or Eb) doesn't have to be physically or
sonically "between" the other two notes.
If the middle note (the 3rd) is transposed up or down
as in E C G or C G E, it's still the 3rd of the chord.
It doesn't become the 10th or any other interval. E is
a 3rd above C regardless of octave.

Transpose it too far above or below the rest of the notes
and our ears can no longer easily discern the Maj or min
interval. For example, play on the guitar -

0 x x 0 x 8

Those notes are E G C but they are so far apart it's
not easily recognized as a C Maj chord. But bring that
low E up two octaves

x x x 0 5 8

and it sounds more like C Maj.

In all cases above, the C is the root, the E is the
3rd, the G is the 5th, regardless of their
individual octaves.

Now how 'bout that sweet home alabama done with
88 note chords on the piano!


Lumpy

Will you do my answering machine message?
Yes. Who would you like people to think you are?

www.lumpyvoice.net




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