Question for any guitar players on TCS

[essayons89]

I've been learning some music theory with the help of my guitar instructor. Right now I'm working with intervals in scales and then harmonizing chords from a scale: 1a) Find the scale;1b) Make it playable; 2)Find the notes in the scale (ex: A B C# D E F# G# A); 3) Harmonizing the scale into chords; 3a) Write the scale out twice (such as the one in the previous example).

For the exercise I was working on I had to use each one of those notes as the roots for my chords and then find 3d and 5th note for each chord. This is easy. For a three note chord I start with the root then use every other note for my 3d and 5th. The notes I ended up with are:

A C# E
B D F#
C# E G#
D F# A
E G# B
F# A C#
G# B D

The next thing I had to was to say which of these chords are major and which are minor. This where I'm confused. I know that a three note minor chord contains a R (root), b3d (flat third), and a 5th. I don't know how the sharps fit in. Wouldn't all of these chords be major?

Thanks. I hope this makes sense. I'm just getting into theory and it's a little difficult for me to explain on the 'puter.

 

[sk_pacer]

play the chords, and you will catch which is the minor out of each sequence by the tone. They look like 3 chord progressions so it should be the middle chord that is the minor.....generally speaking, it is the odd man out that is the minor. The sharps are just notes as part of a scale rather than sharps in a tune and enter into it as such, nothing more; could have just as easily been flats. Hope this makes sense.....I know what I mean but it doesnt always translate well to 'paper'

 

[ut0pia]

It is hard to explain, but for this scale that you have (A major) you can make these chords
A B C# D E F# G# A

A C# E major
and
A C E minor

The major one is just 1st, 3rd, 5th so it is the first one. The minor one, you have to diminish the third note so you take away the sharp from the C to do that.

If you want to have a chord with the root note as B C# D E F# G#, you have to write out the scales starting at those notes, and then do 1st, 3rd and 5th for major and 1st, diminished ( put a flat or remove sharp if sharp is there) 3rd and 5th for minor.
For example the B major scale
B, C♯, D♯, E, F♯, G♯, A#

chords would be:
B, D#, F# major
B, D, F# minor (so the second one is minor)

next C sharp major
C♯, D♯, E♯, F♯, G♯, A♯ B♯

chords
C# E# G# major
C# E G# minor so the third one is minor

I am not sure what the exercise is asking it is confusing me ...I guess they are asking you to just recognize which ones are minors but the only way to do that is to know your scales really well

unless someone else knows an easier better way...of course you can just play them but then you would be cheating cuz you'd know it by ear

but generally, if it follows the rule 1st, 3rd, 5th it is a major

If it follows the rule 1st, dimished 3rd, 5th it is minor
maybe someone can tell you an easier explanation, I hope so cuz I am not sure I made much sense.

 

[ut0pia]

I will do the rest too

D, E, F♯, G, A, B, C♯

chords

D F# A major
D F A minor

E, F♯, G♯, A, B, C♯, D♯

chords

E G# B major
E G B minor

F♯, G♯, A♯, B, C♯, D♯ E♯

chords

F# A# C# major
F# A C# minor

G♯, A♯, B♯, C♯, D♯, E♯
(or more commonly known as A flat major A♭, B♭, C, D♭, E♭, F, G)

chords
G# B# D# major (A♭, C, E♭)
G# B D# minor (A♭, B, E♭)

So the final answer would be
A C# E major
B D F# minor
C# E G# minor
D F# A major
E G# B major
F# A C# minor
G# B D# minor

Did that make sense???? Are you learning all the scales?? Let me know if I can make something more clear...

Here is a chart to help sort this mess unless you already know of it