A minor

Let's try our first minor chord. To finger A minor, or Am, start with your middle finger on the fourth string, second fret, and your ring finger on the third string, second fret. Then add your index finger to the second string, first fret. Strum from the fifth string.

Here's an interesting thing to listen for. Go back to A major for eight beats and then over to A minor for eight beats. 

A    A    Am    Am

Although these two chords don't very often appear together in a song, playing them like this gives us the chance to listen to the difference between a major chord and a minor chord, with the same tone A, as the root. 

We begin to make visual associations about the world at a very early age. Little boys and girls all know that blue is the sky, green is the grass, yellow is the dandelions, white is the snow, and so forth. How then, do we make the same visual associations to the things we hear? What is a D chord, for example?  

To begin recognizing that which distinguishes A major from A minor is to begin making your own aural associations with the sounds that come from your guitar. As corny as it may seem, close your eyes and strum A major. Think about what words you might use to describe the sound you are hearing. If words like 'whole' or 'complete' or 'sunny' or 'circle' come to mind, then your list or words is a lot like mine. For some reason, I always think of the color yellow when I hear A major.

Try the same thing with A minor. My list of words includes 'dark,' 'sad,'moody,' 'gloomy,' and others. You get the idea. Let's try this exercise.

A    A    Am    Am

A    A    A7    A7

If A major is sunny and A minor is moody, what's A7? Whatever you decide; the point of all of this is that for every root tone, there is a major, minor and dominant seventh chord that can be built around it. 

Here's another way to say it. If A is the color yellow, the Am is that same yellow with a little blue added. And A7 might be yellow with a little red added instead. If D is brown, then Dm would be  brown with the same blue added, and D7 would be brown with a little red. Something like that.

If you are able to identify the sounds of a major, minor and dominant seventh chord by listening means you are using your ears well. If you're not able to do this so well, no matter. Our main focus is on learning chord forms, identifying them by name, and gaining the skill to change from one to another. Try again some other day.