Minor triad shapes and inversions

Chapter 2: Minor Triads

In this second chapter, we're going to turn our attention to minor triads. The difference between an A major triad and an A minor triad lies in the middle note.

Understanding G Major and G Minor

• G Major Triad:

  • Major third on the bottom
  • Minor third on top
  • This refers to the intervals between those notes.

• G Minor Triad:

  • Flatten the middle note to make it B flat.
  • Now, the interval relationship has flipped:
    • Minor third on the bottom (three semitones)
    • Major third on top (four semitones or one and a half tones)

The Shape of Minor Triads

Thinking about the shape of these minor triads, similar to major triads:

• All white note triads:

  • C, F, & G are all white notes.

• The equivalent minor triads using only white notes are:

  • A minor
  • D minor
  • E minor

These happen to be the relative minors of the majors.

Relative Minors

A relative minor key or chord is a tone and a half lower than its relative major:

• C Major → A Minor (minor third down)
• F Major → D Minor
• G Major → E Minor

Conveniently, we can play I, IV, and V in A minor, which gives us three white note triads, just like 1, 4, 5 in C major.

Extended Minor Triads

We can also extend this further:

• Major triad shape (with a black note in the middle):
  • A, D, & E have the same shape representing 1, 4, and 5 in the key of A.

The equivalent chords are:

• C Minor
• F Minor
• G Minor

While there isn't a clear relationship between A, D, and E compared to C minor, it's useful to remember that these three chords share the same shape, just as the previous three do.

Summary of Minor Triads

Now you've learned six minor triads. Well done!

Practicing Minor Triads

In the same way we played major triads around the cycle, we will do the same with minor triads. Not immediately, but let's begin the process:

1. Play E minor like this.
2. Next, play A minor by using a second inversion.
3. Move to D minor (toned down).
4. Finally, play G minor like that.

You could start by playing some five-finger positions in the right hand.

Chord Progression Exercise

Let's play around the first few chords of the cycle using minor five-finger positions in the right hand, starting with E minor instead of E major.

Here we go:

1. E minor
2. A minor
3. D minor
4. G minor
5. And so on...

Continue around all 12 keys until you know them all.

Inversions of Minor Triads

Another important routine is to get familiar with all the inversions of each minor triad. You don't need to cover them all in one go.

• For example, when playing G minor, remember you have three places you can play it.

Practicing with a metronome is a great routine. I will play each chord for two clicks at 120 BPM:

1. 1, 2, 3, 4.

If this is too difficult, go back down to four clicks per chord:

1. 3, 4.

Don't forget to do this with the left hand as well, starting with 5, 3, 1 fingering:

1. 1, 2, 3, 4.
2. Back up to root position.
3. Try two clicks:

Fingering for the Triads:

• Right Hand:

  • One, three, five
  • One, two, five
  • One, three, five

• Left Hand:

  • Five, three, one
  • Five, three, one
  • Five, two, one