Economical Guitar Triads - An Easy Way to

Dominate the Neck

Triads are the most basic chords you can play on guitar, consisting of just three
notes. Therefore, we only need three strings to play them.

Now, I like to make your time learning guitar as productive as possible. So in this
lesson I'll not only show you the most economical way to play these triads, but I'll
also show you how to dominate the neck, in any key, using a simple method
known as scale harmonization.

First, take a look at the video below for a clear introduction to this powerful
method...

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Guitar Triads in Theory

There are four triad types that form the basis of harmony in music:

 Major triads, which consist of a root (1), major 3rd (3) interval, and perfect
5th (5) interval. 1 3 5.

 Minor triads - root (1), minor 3rd (b3) and perfect 5th (5). 1 b3 5.

 Diminished triads - root (1), minor 3rd (b3) and diminished 5th (b5). 1 b3
b5.

 Augmented triads - root (1), major 3rd (3) and augmented 5th (#5). 1 3 #5.
Note: In the video, we didn't use augmented triads, because they don't exist in
the particular scale we were harmonizing. That doesn't mean you can't try using
them in places. Your ears are always the judge!

Extra info...

One way to see triads is a sequence of major 3rd and/or minor 3rd intervals. For
example:

Major triad = 1 - major 3rd - 3 - minor 3rd - 5

Minor triad = 1 - minor 3rd - b3 - major 3rd - 5

Diminished triad = 1 - minor 3rd - b3 - minor 3rd - b5

Augmented triad = 1 - major 3rd - 3 - major 3rd - #5

Triads exist on the fretboard in many different shapes and positions. For
example, if you've learned barre chords, you'll most likely be familiar with these six
string major (1 3 5) and minor (1 b3 5) triad forms...

Even though there are six strings being used in these chord shapes, there are
still only three tones (the triad) in the chords. We just repeat some tones to fill out
the voicing of the chord.

Barre chords are useful, especially when it's just you playing, but this lesson is all
about economising our triad playing for more of a voice leading effect. As there
are three notes in a triad, we only need three strings to voice the chord.

3 String Guitar Triad Chart

In each of the shapes below, look at where the root (1) note is positioned,
because this will tell you where to position the shape to get the chord you want
(e.g. for G major, position the major shape on the root of G)...

Major Triads

Minor Triads
Diminished Triads

Augmented Triads

I'm sure you're wondering... why are the augmented shapes the same? I won't
get into that now, but it's to do with the symmetry of their intervals.

In later lessons, we'll look at additional triad shapes that cover other strings, but
the above is a great starting point (and easy on your fingers!).

Major Scale Triad Harmonization

The major scale is the harmonic and melodic basis for a lot of songs you'll hear
(and write). It contains both the natural (diatonic) major and minor key centers.

Using the above triad shapes, we can cover the entire width of the neck on the
top three strings in any given key.

The example key I used in the video was A major:

This A major key corresponds to the A major scale, which we can visualize on the
same three strings "underneath" our chord shapes (if you don't already know the
major scale by heart, don't worry because we're bringing together a lot of
elements here).

Recommended...

To fully understand how scales, keys and chords are related, take a look at
Jonathan Boettcher's easy to follow guitar theory crash course - Unlocking I IV V.

When you've established a key, simply find the scale's root (1) on one of the top
three strings and build its related major triad shape. So for A major, there are
three positions as shown below. This is our I (or tonic) chord...
For the next triad in the scale (ii) we move each shape up by one note. The root
becomes the 2 of the scale...

On to the iii chord, again we move each note in the ii chord up by one degree.
The root becomes the 3 of the scale...

Follow the degrees of the scale up to the IV chord...

V chord...

vi chord (our relative minor key tonic, F#m in this case - more on this in another
lesson)...

and the vii chord - the "odd one out" because it's the only diminished triad in the
scale...
So we now have three positions for each of the seven triads that exist in A major.
Amazing how it all fits together isn't it?

Together, these triads make up the seven notes of the A major scale. Hopefully,
by following this process, you can see the intrinsic connection between the
"parent scale" and its chords.

So what if we wanted to harmonize a different key? Simply move the 1 of the

scale (the root of the tonic major chord) to the appropriate note. For example, for
C major harmony, we'd move the 1 to the note... C and build the sequence from
there.

Your task is to explore this triad sequence in different keys so you can internalize
it and commit it to memory. Take your time.

To make this process more fun, and to test your knowledge, come up with
exercises that move between the triad degrees in interesting ways, like the
following (we're back in A major again)...
Click to hear

Listen closely to the melody you create as you move between chords. This is the
musical statement formed through the movement of each note to the next. For
example, you could focus your ear on the highest note in the triad as the melody,
the middle or the low note. More on chord melody another time.

Remember you can also arpeggiate these chords (play them one note at a time).
Go nuts!

As demonstrated in the video, we can also harmonize the scale/key by using two
string, root-3rd forms...

Click to hear

The more ways you can come up with to explore the fretboard in this way, the
better.
The whole purpose of this method is to bring together harmony and melody into a
unified musical expression. Use the scale as the "scaffolding" for your triad
playing, even embellish your triads with short melodic phrases.

The great thing about this method is, once the roadmap is memorized, you can
improvise ideas fluidly and musically, without getting lost.

Let us know what you come up with using the comments form below (upload a
tab with your comment if you have time).