Why does this song sound sad?

[Fiel]

Link to the song

It's an excerpt from the music for Starcraft. After hearing it so many times during play, I began to wonder, "I know this sounds sad, but why does it sound sad? There has to be a reason."

Here's what the melody looks like:

[Horusmaster]

doesn't sound sad to me o.O

[mrcowcow]

At first I was confused by reading that, then I realized it was treble clef... and I have difficulty reading anything other than alto clef.

So... G# E G# E A G# for the first two measures.

I'm guessing it's F# minor since something that sounds like that wouldn't be in A major scale. Dunno how to explain it, so yeah. Maybe Rick can tell you more.

[Kurtle]

Do you want us to tell you why you perceive it to be sad, or why minor chords generally give the air of melancholy?

[Kabanaw]

My guess would be, like Kurtle said, is that the song is in minor chords.

[Eos]

Because it's evocative of an elegy or requiem.

[Russt]

I can't help pointing out that this is wrong. The interval is a perfect fifth, not a major third. And as has been stated, it's in a minor key. Assuming it's in C# minor (which I'm not sure of and can't care to check), the notes for the first measure should be G#, C#, G#, C#, A, G#.

If you don't really read music, it's excusable getting the precise melody wrong, but the precise melody has everything to do with the topic.

(Besides the minor chords, instrumentation also has to do with it, I guess.)

Edit: Realized that your melody wasn't as different from mine as I originally thought. Eh.

[Yotsuba]

I dunno, it sounds sad to you, but for me it sounds more like a background song from a horror scene. I'm not good with music theory.

[Xiger]

Guess this song has different effects to different people.
The song sounds, eerie, kinna creepy.

[Holypie]

Minor chords make things sound sad.

[Cyadd]

Sad.mp3

Need anymore reason?

It is because of the minor chords. I like it, it's like a mournful song.