Learn-by-doing lessons for quickly internalizing the Minor Triads in all spellings… by ear, intellect, eye and muscle…
Table of Contents
Lesson Goal
To quickly internalize Minor Triads in all spellings… using all four musical intelligences.
Prerequisites
Basic music reading skills… the LOVE of music… and the discipline to study and practice.
C Minor Triad Theory & Ear Training
- Chord symbol: Cmin, Cm, Cm, C-, or c
- Chord structure: 1-b3-5
- Character: consonant, sad, heavy, brooding.
back to… Table of Contents
Common Uses for Minor Triads
Common uses (using Roman Numeral Analysis) for Minor Triads include, but are not limited to, the following:
- i in Minor or Dorian tonality.
- iv in Minor tonality.
- vi in Major tonality.
- ii in Major tonality.
- iii in Major tonality.
back to… Table of Contents
Minor Triads, All Spellings
Here are the chord symbols, spellings, common usages, and keyboard layouts for all the Minor Triads…
Sidebar advice from Frank: Skip all the widely-touted counting half-steps nonsense and simply learn to spell each chord just as you spell any three-letter word in English. For example, you spell cat C-A-T and dog D-O-G. Likewise, you spell a C minor chord C-Eb-G and D minor chord D-F-A.
C Minor Triad
- Chord Symbol: Cm or C-
- Spelling: C-Eb-G
- Common Usage: i chord in C minor or C dorian, iv chord in F minor, vi chord in Eb major, ii chord in Bb major, iii chord in Ab major.
C Sharp Minor Triad
- Chord Symbol: C#m or C#-
- Spelling: C#-E-G#
- Common Usage: i chord in C# minor, vi chord in E major, ii chord in B major, iii chord in A major.
D Minor Triad
- Chord Symbol: Dm or D-
- Spelling: D-F-A
- Common Usage: i chord in D minor or D dorian, vi chord in F major, ii chord in C major, iii chord in Bb major.
E Flat Minor Triad
- Chord Symbol: Ebm or Eb-
- Spelling: Eb-Gb-Bb
- Common Usage: i chord in Eb minor or Eb dorian, vi chord in Gb major, ii chord in Db major.
E Minor Triad
- Chord Symbol: Em or E-
- Spelling: E-G-B
- Common Usage: i chord in E minor or E dorian, vi chord in G major, ii chord in D major, iii chord in C major.
F Minor Triad
- Chord Symbol: Fm or F-
- Spelling: F-Ab-C
- Common Usage: i chord in F minor or F dorian, vi chord in Ab major, ii chord in Eb major, iii chord in Db major.
F Sharp Minor Triad
- Chord Symbol: F#m or F#-
- Spelling: F#-A-C#
- Common Usage: i chord in F# minor, vi chord in A major, ii chord in E major, iii chord in D major.
G Minor Triad
- Chord Symbol: Gm or G-
- Spelling: G-Bb-D
- Common Usage: i chord in G minor or G dorian, vi chord in Bb major, ii chord in F major, iii chord in Eb major.
G Sharp Minor Triad
- Chord Symbol: G#m or G#-
- Spelling: G#-B-D#
- Common Usage: i chord in G# minor, vi chord in B major, iii chord in E major.
A Flat Minor Triad
- Chord Symbol: Abm or Ab-
- Spelling: Ab-Cb-Eb
- Common Usage: ii chord in Gb major.
A Minor Triad
- Chord Symbol: Am or A-
- Spelling: A-C-E
- Common Usage: i chord in A minor or A dorian, vi chord in C major, ii chord in G major, iii chord in F major.
B Flat Minor Triad
- Chord Symbol: Bbm or Bb-
- Spelling: Bb-Db-F
- Common Usage: i chord in Bb minor or Bb dorian, vi chord in Db major, ii chord in Ab major, iii chord in Gb major.
B Minor Triad
- Chord Symbol: Bm or B-
- Spelling: B-D-F#m
- Common Usage: i chord in B minor or B dorian, vi chord in D major, ii chord in A major, iii chord in G major.
back to… Table of Contents