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Step 1
Lay out your major chromatic scale. This is the "do re mi..." you've probably heard before. It's a collection of whole steps and half steps that make up the pattern you use to climb octaves. For the key of C, it's C-D-E-F-G-A-B-C.
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Step 2
Make this major scale into a minor scale by flating the third, sixth and seventh scale notes to come up with this scale: C-D-D#-F-G-G#-A#-C. If this is confusing, look at it this way: C-D-Eb-F-G-Ab-Bb-C. It's the same scale with the same notes either way; you're just dropping the third, sixth and seventh scale notes down a half step.
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Step 3
Note the first, fourth and fifth scale notes (C, F and G). If you build a chord off of these notes, you'll get a major chord.
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Step 4
Mark the third, sixth and seventh scale notes. If you build chords off of these notes, you'll get minor chords.
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Step 5
Play the second scale note diminished. If you build a chord off of this note, you'll get a diminished chord.
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Step 6
Practice building chords off of your harmonized minor scale. You'll hear how the minor scale creates the different sounds, the relative "melancholy" of the minor chord and the sound of the diminished chord that some call "otherworldly." Learning the basics of music theory helps you progress in using these common chords.
