Interval · 3 half steps
Minor third
A minor third is 3 half steps. From C, a minor third up is E♭.
- Half steps
- 3
- Short name
- m3
- Guitar frets
- 3
How it sounds
The interval that makes a chord minor. Going up it sounds a little wistful. The “nyah nyah” playground taunt is a minor third going down.
Songs to remember it by
Hum the start of Greensleeves or the Smoke on the Water riff. The jump between the first two notes is a minor third. Reference songs get you started; after a while you will hear the interval itself.
On the guitar
3 frets up on the same string, or on the next higher string, 2 frets back. With the lower note on the low E or A string in standard tuning; shapes that cross from the G string to the B string move up one fret.
A minor third up from every note
| From | Up a minor third | Hear it |
|---|---|---|
| C | E♭ | |
| C♯ | E | |
| D | F | |
| E♭ | G♭ | |
| E | G | |
| F | A♭ | |
| F♯ | A | |
| G | B♭ | |
| G♯ | B | |
| A | C | |
| B♭ | D♭ | |
| B | D |
Chords with a minor third above the root
This interval is one of the answers in the game’s “How far apart?” round.