6 String Freedom

Part 5: Understand the chords you already hold · Lesson 040 / 117

Change major to minor with one note

Today’s one thing

Lower the third while keeping root and fifth fixed.

C major is C–E–G. Lower E by one semitone to Eb while keeping C and G. The result is C minor: C–Eb–G. Its formula is 1–b3–5, where b3 means a minor third above the root.

The flat in the formula is a relationship to the major-third reference. It does not mean that every minor chord must contain a note with a flat in its name. A minor, for example, uses A–C–E.

For this comparison, use the top three strings. C major at G5, B5, high E3 becomes C minor at G5, B4, high E3. Only the B-string note moves. If holding the grip is awkward, pick the ingredients separately; the theoretical change is the same.

Listen with the same timing and volume. Keeping the rest of the example fixed makes the change in the third clear.

Hear it

C Major Minor

Audio file

Four-beat count-in · 60 BPM · Warm sampled electric guitar. Listen once before playing along.

A concrete example

C major: C–E–G. C minor: C–Eb–G. Top-three-string addresses change from 5–5–3 to 5–4–3 in G–B–high-E order.

C chordCEADGBe×Cm chordCmEADGBe×××
Low E is left; high E is right. Open circles mean open strings; × means leave the string silent. Use relaxed, comfortable voicings.

Fretboard view

High E (string 1) is the top line, matching guitar tablature. Select a note to hear it.

Root / tonicChord toneTargetChanged / colour noteOther note
C major, top-three-string voicing
G-string 5, B-string 5 and high-E 3: C–E–G.
Guitar fretboard diagram: C major, top-three-string voicing. High E string on top, frets 3 to 5. Notes C, E, G.
Compare with C minor: only the note on the B string moves down one fret.
Play notes from a larger button list
C minor, same position
G-string 5, B-string 4 and high-E 3: C–E♭–G.
Guitar fretboard diagram: C minor, same position. High E string on top, frets 3 to 5. Notes C, Eb, G.
The other two notes remain C and G.
Play notes from a larger button list

One small map at a time. Hear the notes, then play the example without looking.

Try it, slowly

  1. Name C, E and G before playing.
  2. Lower only E to Eb and name the new collection.
  3. Alternate the two slowly, then explain which ingredients remained unchanged.

Check one idea

Which note must stay fixed when lowering the third of C major?

Show the explanation

Both the root C and the fifth G stay fixed. Only E moves down one semitone to Eb.

A good place to stop

You can hear, play and explain the single-ingredient change.

Return to the example after a short break. A clear explanation matters more than speed.