JLTP 059: The Color of Chords: Recognizing Major, Minor, Diminished & Augmented by Ear
The Jeff Lewis Trumpet PodcastShow Notes
🎧 Episode Summary: In this episode of “The Jeff Lewis Trumpet Podcast”, I explore the emotional “colors” of chords—major, minor, diminished, and augmented. Learn how to hear each chord by its intervals and emotional quality. A perfect guide for trumpet players building their ear training skills!
🧠 Key Topics:
Major chords: bright and happy (C–E–G)
Minor chords: introspective and cool (C–Eb–G)
Diminished chords: tense and spooky (C–Eb–Gb)
Augmented chords: dreamy and mysterious (C–E–G#)
Importance of recognizing major and minor 3rds
📌 Previous Episode Reference: Be sure to revisit the last episode (JLTP 058-) where we covered interval recognition by ear—it’s foundational for today’s content!
You can find Episode 58 here;
https://www.jefflewistrumpet.com/jltp-058-music-theory-basics-part-1-intervals/
🎺 Practice Challenge: Build and compare C major, minor, diminished, and augmented chords. Notice the emotional difference.
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