Why are certain chords considered “happy” or “sad”? Are those moods universal? Like do all cultures from around the world consider the same chords happy/sad/etc, or is it just from learned association?

Question

I know very little about music theory. I’ve tried to learn piano, guitar, other instruments… but always failed because I don’t understand what makes a good chord or bad one. I know a happy song or sad song based on context, but listening to a single chord doesn’t strike me as having any mood.

So it got me thinking: am I missing out on a universal experience, or am I just not in sync with the culture I was raised in? If you played the chords from “Walkin On Sunshine” to someone in, say, 5th century Korea — would it make them feel happy & peppy?

Also: could you write a sad song with happy chords? A peppy song with somber chords? etc

Please make explanations really for a 5 year old — I really don’t understand music, I don’t get what major/minor keys are, or even why certain notes make a chord while others don’t. Keep it simple, please!

Thanks!

In: Other

Answer 1

I think the quick answer here is culture. There are [cultures](http://philipball.blogspot.com/2010/01/is-minor-key-music-sad-for-everyone.html?m=1) where the minor chord is not considered “sad” for example.

It may be better to consider chords in terms of brightness instead like how [Jacob Collier](https://youtu.be/mLJVvjqMjbo) describes them. (This is really worth a watch even if you don’t know any music theory)

To answer your second question, any two notes can be considered a chord. Probably not a very interesting chord but a chord nonetheless.

Personally different chords or melodies definitely have moods. Though the “mood” is strongly affected by the wider context of the music playing.