Beginner+ · Lesson 1 of 6 · 12 min
Lesson 1: Major and minor, side by side
E and Em, A and Am — one finger's difference, a world of sound.
One finger makes major or minor
With E and A, the difference between major and minor comes down to exactly one finger. Take the index finger off E major and you play Em. Take the index finger off A major and you play Am.
That one finger sets the third of the chord. The major third sounds bright and cheerful (major), the minor third sounds darker (minor).
Click and compare
Play them one after another now and then: E and then Em. You'll hear the difference right away.
Exercise
Exercise: major, minor, major, minor
Play E (2 bars), Em (2 bars), A (2 bars), Am (2 bars) and repeat a few times. Say out loud what you're playing.
This exercise trains your ear — just as important as training your fingers.
Finished practising?
See also
Lesson 2: The pop trio: G, C and D
With G, C and D you can play thousands of songs. Really.
Lesson 3: Even more colour: seventh chords
A7, D7 and E7 give your playing tension — the blues recipe.
Lesson 4: Power chords: your first rock chord
Two fingers, the same shape anywhere on the neck — rock guaranteed.