Why Do Minor Chords Make Us Cry?

Join your host PJ Pats in this heartfelt episode of 'It's 1 Louder Podcast' as he explores the emotional power of minor chords. PJ breaks down the science and psychology behind why minor chords make us feel all the feels, diving into their cultural significance and personal experiences. Discover why these somber sounds tug at our heartstrings, learn about the difference between major and minor chords, and find out how minor chords can offer emotional release. 

00:00 Welcome and Introduction
00:57 Exploring Minor Chords
01:29 The Science Behind Minor Chords
02:52 Cultural Perspectives on Minor Chords
03:26 The Emotional Impact of Minor Chords
04:47 Personal Reflections and Conclusion

Transcript

[00:00:00] Welcome, welcome rock fan. I really appreciate you joining. I'm your host PJ pats and welcome to another edition of it's one about our podcast. In case you didn't know, I actually have a YouTube channel. And it's called Rock with PJ Pack, or you can go on YouTube and search for It's One Louder Podcast and it'll come up for sure.

[00:00:31] There's a lot of visual representation sometimes. I'll show what I'm talking about. And also, lucky you, you can see my ugly mug. So, if that's of interest to you, I feel like we can have more of a conversation on YouTube, and with comments and exchange ideas and pleasantries back and forth versus this podcast platform.

[00:00:51] It's kind of hard to do that here. So definitely check me out if you haven't yet on YouTube at Rock with PJ Patz. Okay, without further ado, here's an episode about minor chords. The minor chords, as you know, always gets us right in the gut. And if you want to ever know why, this is the episode for you.

[00:01:10] Alright, enjoy. Have you ever noticed why certain chords just hit you right in the feels? More often than not, it's because of a simple musical ingredient called minor chords. But why do these chords sound so sad? And why do they tug at our emotions and make us feel all reflective and stuff? Today, we're diving deep into the psychology and science of why minor chords seem to carry the weight of the world.

[00:01:40] Okay, first of all, let's talk about what a minor chord is. In music, chords are built by stacking notes together. A major chord has a happy, bright sound, and a minor chord has a darker, more somber tone. The difference lies in one of the key notes, the third. So in a major chord, the third is a little higher, which gives it a, more of an uplifting vibe.

[00:02:02] But in a minor chord, the third is slightly lower, creating tension and that distinct, melancholy feel. The minor naturally gives it that instant emotional depth. It's like the difference between a smile and a sigh, you could say. Don't you ever wonder why does a minor chord make us feel genuinely sad?

[00:02:19] Part of it has to do with how our brains process sound. Research shows that a minor chord mimics the way human voices sound when expressing sadness, believe it or not. Think about it. When someone's sad, their voice tends to drop in pitch and become more monotone. Minor chords replicate that emotional tone, so our brains naturally associate them with sadness or introspection.

[00:02:40] Isn't that crazy? Studies also show that music in minor keys activates the amygdala, the part of the brain tied to emotion. This is why minor chords can evoke feelings of longing, loss, or nostalgia. Having said all that though, interestingly, not every culture associates minor chords with sadness. In western music, minor keys have been tied to sorrow for centuries.

[00:03:02] Think of funeral marches or tragic operas. But in some other traditions like the Middle East or Indian music, minor chords can evoke a range of emotions from mystery to spirituality even. This shows that while some of our response to minor chords is biological, part of it is learned through cultural exposure.

[00:03:19] What we hear growing up pretty much shapes how we feel about music. Changes depending on where you live in the world. But here's the twist. So even though minor chords make us feel sad, we like them. Why? Because they let us process and express emotions in a safe way. Listening to a sad music can be cathartic, like a good cry after a tough day.

[00:03:39] I remember in high school, when I used to get into fights with. My parents all the time. I would go back to my room and just crank that Metallica up to the max and just instantly feel better. Angry, but better. You get your anger out, you get all your emotions out, and it's like purging all the negative stuff.

[00:03:58] And it really works. Plus, minor chords aren't just about sadness, they're also about beauty, depth, and complexity. That's why some of the greatest songs in history from, for example, Yesterday by the Beatles to Adele's Someone Like You are built around them. Now in modern music, minor chords are everywhere, from pop to rock to film scores.

[00:04:16] They're used to create mood and emotion, obviously. Think of the haunting theme of The Godfather or the intense soundtrack of a suspenseful movie. Songwriters love minor chords because they're so versatile. They can make a love song feel deeper or turn a simple melody into something unforgettable. So why do minor chords make us feel sad?

[00:04:34] It's part biology, part psychology, part culture, as we discussed, but ultimately it's because they reflect the complexity of human emotions. They remind us that sadness isn't just a negative feeling. It's part of what makes us human. Now I'm personally drawn to that minor chord, sadness, sorrow, or whatever you want to call it.

[00:04:53] I'm just drawn to it. Maybe it's because of anytime I've had really bad experiences in my life so far, I've always been drawn to that type of music. And it's that type of music, like the black Sabbath of the world. And that's really lifted me out of that hole and out of that. sadness and allow me to just purge my feelings safely.

[00:05:16] Like I said earlier, don't get me wrong. Obviously happiness is part of the human emotion, but I think what a lot of people are drawn to the more melancholy and minor stuff is in times of trouble and in times of challenges, that's where I think music really saves you and gets you out of that funk. And it's just more appreciative.

[00:05:37] Whereas happiness is always there. When you're happy, you're just happy and you're just doing your thing, but it's when you're challenged and you reach these pain points in life that you're looking for something to hold on to and to help you and to save you and music, like a lot of us is that thing. Now, that's just one thing, obviously.

[00:05:56] A lot of people is reading, a lot of people is watching movies, or drawing, or painting. But for people like us, it is music that really grips us and really understands us throughout our whole lives. Music never lets us down. It's always there. Whenever I'm feeling sad, I know I can always turn a Megadeth song or a The Cure song and immediately feel better.

[00:06:18] So I'm really curious to know what's your favorite song in the minor key. I'm super curious to know. Please leave it in the comments and hopefully you'll teach me a thing or two. Thanks so much for watching and hit like and subscribe for more of this musical deep dives that I plan to do in the near future.

[00:06:33] Thank you.