Beginning Guitar VII - Ear Training

Lesson 4 - Minor Chords

check your tuning

Lyle: For starters, you'll be testing your ears with these minor chords:

Minor Chords

Lyle: Listen to this MP3 clip and see if you can figure out which of these minors chords it is.

chord quiz 01

chord quiz answer 01




Lyle: How did you all do, and do you get it right away, or does it take a couple tries?

gpg: Got it! Usually in about 1 or 2 tries the minor sound is tougher than the major.

Zeph: I have way more trouble with minor chords compared to major.

Lyle: Zeph, me too and I think it's because they are more colorful sounding than plain major chords.

Lyle: Ok, let's try more:

chord quiz 02

chord quiz answer 02






Zeph: I agree

chord quiz 03

chord quiz answer 03


Zeph: I have fits with the minor chords that are barred. What is the secret to getting your finger to lay on all the strings?

Lyle: Zeph, bar chords are tough, hyper-extend your finger and lay it down parallel to the fret.



chord quiz 04

chord quiz answer 04




chord quiz 05

chord quiz answer 05


Zeph: Hey, I got that one (because of Horse with No Name)

Lyle: Good! That's how you can do it, by association.



chord quiz 06

chord quiz answer 06




chord quiz 07

chord quiz answer 07




Lyle: Next you'll try to pick out which 3 chords I'm playing. Each MP3 clip will have me playing three chords in a row, three times. Here's the first one:

chord quiz 08

chord quiz answer 08


Lyle: Ok, let's try more. Here we go:



gpg: Lyle, which note in the minor triad gives it the dark sound, is it the flatted 3rd?

Lyle: Yes, the flatted 3rd in the minor chords give it the dark, soft sound compared to the major chords.

chord quiz 09

chord quiz answer 09




chord quiz 10

chord quiz answer 10





chord quiz 11

chord quiz answer 11


Lyle: Now you'll be listening to major and minor chords thrown together. These are the chord shapes you'll be using:

Major Chords

Lyle: And the same minor chords you've been using:

Minor Chords

Lyle: Here's your next quiz that combines major and minor chords:

chord quiz 12

chord quiz answer 12


gpg: Lyle, that was not fair ;-)

Lyle: gpg, did I fool your ear?

gpg: Yea :-)

chord quiz 13

chord quiz answer 13





chord quiz 14

chord quiz answer 14





gpg: It is a good exercise the way you change the first tone between maj and min in the mp3s

Lyle: Helps to train your ear when you listen to the difference between the two. Quiz #15, 16, and 17 will be a little harder than the others.....

chord quiz 15

chord quiz answer 15


Joel: my piano teacher is training me the same way... going to chord also helps the hand - eye coordination and trains the ear too.. Guitar same thing.. and develop barring too. :)



chord quiz 16

chord quiz answer 16




chord quiz 17

chord quiz answer 17




Lyle: Let's give your ears a rest for now.