What do the M and m symbols mean in this piece of music?

[PowerBarry43]

Hi

I can confirm that M and m definitely mean Major and minor but I don't think it's for more than one musician as this is a piano part which would normally be read by one person at a time. I believe it has to do with the chord changing from an open octave like in the first bar in the image where you have posted. a major chord requires the first note in the scale, the third and normally the fifth so Eb M is Eb G and Bb, if all you have is 2 Ebs an octave apart than the chord is neither major or minor until you add a G making it major or a Gb making it minor so when notes that define the chord are added the M or m is written.

Hope that helps/makes sense!

Barry

[forrestcupp]

Hi

I can confirm that M and m definitely mean Major and minor but I don't think it's for more than one musician as this is a piano part which would normally be read by one person at a time. I believe it has to do with the chord changing from an open octave like in the first bar in the image where you have posted. a major chord requires the first note in the scale, the third and normally the fifth so Eb M is Eb G and Bb, if all you have is 2 Ebs an octave apart than the chord is neither major or minor until you add a G making it major or a Gb making it minor so when notes that define the chord are added the M or m is written.

Hope that helps/makes sense!

Barry

It makes sense, but why wouldn't they just represent the major or minor chords with the notes? The only thing I can think is that the M and m with the base note might make it easier for a guitar player.