Cole Cuchna

So I want to take a moment to unpack this opening chord a bit.

The primary notes in the chord are A and E, which together sound like this.

This is what we call an interval of a fifth, meaning they are five scale degrees away from each other.

In most western music there are seven notes and a key,

and we label each of these notes with a number or scale degree.

So a fifth simply means two notes that are five scale degrees apart.

Fifths are known for their neutral sound, not bright, not dark, just kind of open.

This neutral but stoic quality is why fifths are the foundation for traditional chords, giving them a solid supporting bass.

What gives a chord its emotional character is the third, the note in between the fifth.

So here's our fifth.

And now let's add a third right in the middle.

Hear how that instantly changes the emotional character?

This is what's called a major chord, the most basic chord in music.

There's also what's called a minor chord, where the third is a single step lower.

Hear how shifting that one note changes the entire emotional feeling of the chord?

The minor chord is much darker and more pensive.

Major and minor chords are the most fundamental chords in music.

However, the chord played at the beginning of Digital Love is neither major nor minor.

Instead of a third, it plays a second, the second scale degree in the key.

So again, let's start with an open fifth and now add the second.