Learn The Triads

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Guitar

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Learn The Triads

What is a triad? It is a simultaneous (played at once) or arpeggiated (played not at once, but note after note) sounding of three different notes. For instance, if we play the first three strings on the guitar (the G, B and E string), we are in effect sounding a triad.

Triads are the basic building blocks of the harmonically advanced guitar playing. To play a series of triads on a guitar means to unambiguously establish the tonal center as well as some (eventual) harmonic modulations. Both the strong tonal center, and the excursion into the harmonic modulation, are the essential ingredients of the tasteful guitar playing.

Basic Triads

There are only two groups of basic triads: major and minor triads.

A major triad consists of the root note, followed by the major third interval, followed by the minor third interval. For example:

Major C triad consists of: C - E - G

A minor triad consists of the root note, followed by the minor third interval, followed by the major third interval. For example:

Minor C triad consists of: C - Eb - G

Notice how only the middle note (the first interval) differs; it is diminished for the minor triad (all the other notes remain the same). One more thing to notice: the last note of the triad is always the perfect fifth interval from the root note.

Practise The Triad Positioning

It should be immediately obvious from the preceding study of the guitar fretboard, that there is more than one way to play the above C minor and C major triads. And we should practice exactly that: try and find all the possible ways to play those triads on the fretboard.