What is a Minor Chord? Minor Chord List with Images

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Minor Chords Made Easy (With Images!)

Want to add a touch of melancholy or mystery to your piano playing? Minor chords are the key! Let’s unlock the secrets of minor chords and how they can add depth to your music.

We will cover the following topics on minor chords:

  • What is a minor chord?
  • What are the building blocks of a minor chord?
  • Different ways to construct a minor chord
  • A list of all minor chords with images for each chord

What is a Minor Chord?

A minor chord is a chord consisting of three notes (triads): the root, the minor third, and the perfect fifth.

In piano, a minor chord is typically played by simultaneously pressing down the keys corresponding to these three notes, i.e.: the root, the minor third, and the perfect fifth.

Minor chords are known for their slightly sad, melancholy, or introspective sound when compared to the brighter feeling of major chords. They are essential to building emotional depth in music.

The Building Blocks of a Minor Chord?

Here’s how a minor chord is constructed:

Root note

The base of the chord (e.g., C in a C minor chord).

The root note is the starting point of the chord. The root of the chord determines its name and is the note from which the chord is built.

For example, in a C minor chord, the note C is the root.

Minor Third

Three half-steps (or semitones) above the root note.

The minor third is an interval of one and a half steps (or three half steps) above the root note. 

In a C minor chord, the minor third is E-flat (Eb).

Perfect Fifth

Seven half steps (three and a half whole steps) above the root note. This is similar to the major chord.

The perfect fifth is an interval of three and a half steps (or seven and a half steps) above the root note. 

G is the perfect fifth in a C minor chord. (Even in the C major chord, G is the perfect fifth.)

So, a C minor chord on the piano consists of the notes C, Eb, and G played together. 

The A minor chord is often abbreviated as Am or Amin. When you play these three notes together, you create the characteristic sound of a minor chord. Minor chords tend to evoke a sad or dark quality, and they complement major chords in various styles of music.

List of Minor Chords with Images

C minor
C – Eb – G

As shown in the following image, C minor chord is made from keys C, Eb and G, where C is the root note, Eb is the minor third, which is three half steps after C note and G is the perfect fifth which is seven half steps after C.

C minor chord

C# minor / Db minor
C sharp minor :
C# – E – G#
D flat minor :
Db – Fb – Ab

C# minor chord / Db minor chord

D minor :
D – F – A

D minor chord

D# minor / Eb minor
D sharp minor :
D# – F# – A#
E flat minor :
Eb – Gb – Bb

D# minor chord / Eb minor chord

E minor :
E – G – B

E minor chord

F minor :
F – Ab – C

F minor chord

F# minor / Gb minor
F sharp minor : F# – A – C#
G flat minor : Gb – Bbb – Db

F# minor chord / Gb minor choard

G minor :
G – Bb – D

G minor chord

G# minor / Ab minor
G sharp minor : G# – B – D#
A flat minor : Ab – Cb – Eb

G# minor chord / Ab minor chord

A minor :
A – C – E

A minor chord

A# minor / Bb minor
A sharp minor :
A# – C# – E# (F)
B flat minor :
Bb – Db – F

A# minor chord / Bb minor chord

B minor :
B – D – F#

B minor chord

Different Ways to Construct a Minor Chord

There are many different ways to construct a minor chord. We have given 3-4 different ways to construct a minor chord, so you can select the method that best suits your needs.

  1. Using Half Steps
  2. Using Key Numbers on a Keyboard – 1
  3. Using Key Numbers on a Keyboard – 2
  4. Using the Difference in Keys

Experimenting with each method can deepen understanding and proficiency in playing minor chords on the piano.

Using Half Steps

The most fundamental way to understand a minor chord is through its intervals.

A minor chord is made of a root note, a minor third above the root, and a perfect fifth above the root.

A minor third is 3 half steps above the root.

A perfect fifth is 7 half steps above the root.

Example: C Minor Chord

  • C (root)
  • Eb (minor third – 3 half steps above C)
  • G (perfect fifth – 7 half steps above C)

Using Key Numbers on a Keyboard – 1 (1, 4, 8)

Think of a standard piano keyboard

Each key (white or black) represents a unique note with a number.

To form a minor chord, consider your root note as the first key:
So, Root note as 1
Minor third will be 4
and the Perfect fifth will be 8

Example: C Minor Chord

  • Root: C (Kwy Number 1)
  • Minor Third: Key Number 4 (This will be Eb)
  • Perfect Fifth: Key number 8 (This will be G)

Using Key Numbers on a Keyboard – 2 (1, +3, +7)

Think of a standard piano keyboard
Each key (white or black) represents a unique note with a number.
To form a minor chord, take your root note’s key number and add these:
+3 for the minor third
+7 for the perfect fifth

Example: C Minor Chord

  • Root: C (Find its key number)
  • Minor Third: C key number + 3 (This will be Eb)
  • Perfect Fifth: C key number + 7 (This will be G)

Using the Difference in Keys

This method is like #3, but focuses on the spaces between keys.
From the root, the minor third is 3 keys away
From the root, the perfect fifth is 7 keys away
Example: C Minor Chord

  • Root: C
  • Minor Third: Count 3 keys to the right (This is E)
  • Perfect Fifth: Count 7 keys to the right (This is G)

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