Finding Triads Under Your Fingers

[JGAdmin]

Let the magic start! Finding triad chords on the fretboard is incredible - and it's time for you to do it!

View the full lesson at Finding Triads Under Your Fingers | JustinGuitar

[Fncanuk]

Interesting to see that the open Low E is ignored for the C chord, seems like it would go perfect there, but we all know how good a C chord sounds when you accidently hit the 6th string

[Phoenix97]

2-3 hours trying study, analyze how the notes are organized in the 6 major chords and try to memorize the triads (jumbled ones included)… my mind really starting overheating
From there I tried to experiment the grips by myself before moving to the next lesson

Here are my results:
D: x x 1 5 1 3 /// 1 triad (c)
c 3rd string

A: x 1 5 1 3 5 /// 2 triads (a c)
c 4th string
a 3rd string

E: 1 5 1 3 5 1 /// 3 triads (a c b)
c 5th string
a 4th string
b 3rd string

F: x x 1 3 5 1 /// 2 triads (a b)
a 4th string
b 3rd string (like E chord)

C: x 1 3 5 1 3 /// 3 triads (a b c)
a 5th string
b 4th string
C 3rd string (like D chord)

G: 1 3 5 1 3 1 /// 3 triads (a b c)
a 6th string
b 5th string
c 4th string (like A chord)

Kind reminder:
1 3 5 being the grade of the notes in the major scale
a b c being the notations for inversions in classical music, taught in the previous lesson

I guess all this is worth the effort, figuring this out by myself will make it easier once Justin will teach the grips in the next lessons since I already know how it is constructed

[sticktothemuse]

I’m not sure if this will make it’s way to Justin but this course saved my life!

I’m taking a music theory course at a local college and the professor has a doctorate in music. Smart man but he makes understanding the theory so bloody difficult!!! If I didn’t have this course I would be completely lost. Thank you!!!

[Richard_close2u]

@Fncanuk

Interesting to see that the open Low E is ignored for the C chord

Used judiciously, in a situation where there is movement in the bass line, voice leading using low notes, the C/E chord can work really well.
I hope that helps.

Cheers

| Richard | JustinGuitar Approved Teacher, Official Guide & Moderator

[RemusV]

I found that on the open chords, the notes E and B are the only notes that are doubled (besides the main note for the chord). We also don’t really see E and B sharps very often.

Is this just a coincidence?

[Richard_close2u]

@RemusV

We also don’t really see E and B sharps very often.

They are very rarely used enharmonic equivalents of the much more commonly used notes F and C.

[johnny0]

I think one of the interesting things is that if we leave the C and G maj chords to the side, the other chords have that common ordering of intervals of 1 5 1 3 (5 1) going from thicker to thinner strings.

The F chord would also apply because when we extend to include strings 5 & 6, this pattern appears again, since it would then ultimately be an E maj shape shifted up one fret.

The A, E, D open chord shapes will be moveable up the fretboard and the intervals will remain the same, only the note names change.

I’m hoping that by committing those 3 shapes and the interval patterns to memory that it will be easier to figure out what notes are what on the fretboard, using the patterns as a sort of stepping stone to full memorization of all the notes on the neck.

[Richard_close2u]

Hello @johnny0 and welcome to the community. Thanks also for taking a subscription to the theory course.

@johnny0

I’m hoping that by committing those 3 shapes and the interval patterns to memory that it will be easier to figure out what notes are what on the fretboard, using the patterns as a sort of stepping stone to full memorization of all the notes on the neck.

There are easier ways to learn notes on the fretboard than thinking of the order of intervals within chord shapes - although that is useful knowledge.

this: https://www.justinguitar.com/modules/notes-on-the-fretboard-cycle-of-5ths

or this: https://www.justinguitar.com/guitar-lessons/notes-on-the-whole-fretboard-mt-433

Cheers
| Richard | JustinGuitar Approved Teacher, Official Guide & Moderator

[LamphunLamyai]

I’m working on the MT_405_Notes_In_Chords_Q.pdf.

I’ve questions regarding some of the muted strings.

The C triad is comprised of C-E-G.
The 6th string is muted.
So from string 6 to 1 we’d have: x-C-E-G-C-E. These notes do comprise the C Maj chord.
If we un-mute the 6th string we’d have: E-C-E-G-C-E
Why would we not play the 6th string?

The D triad is comprised of D-F#-A.
The 6th and 5th strings are muted.
So from string 6 to 1 we’d have: x-x-D-A-D-F#. These notes do comprise the D Maj chord.
If we un-mute the 5th string we’d have: x-A-D-A-D-F#
Why would we not play the 5th string?

The F triad is comprised of F-A-C.
The 6th and 5th strings are muted.
So from string 6 to 1 we’d have: x-x-F-A-C-F. These notes do comprise the F Maj chord.
If we un-mute the 5th string we’d have: x-A-F-A-C-F
Why would we not play the 5th string?

If the reason was covered somewhere else, please point out where.
Does it have something to do with those forms being 1st inversions?

[sequences]

I’m just starting the triads, so I am really asking questions at this point and not authoritative.

Isn’t the idea of a triad to be three strings, with the shape moveable along the neck? You are adding more strings, so it wouldn’t be a triad now? And especially the open strings you are looking at - those would now require barre.

[stitch]

@LamphunLamyai open chord have the Lowest Note as the Root. C for open C, D for open D, F for open or Mini F. A full barre chord F also has F as it lowest note.
All of this is covered in the beginner course.

@sequences The term Triad in music actually mean 3 notes so technically any Major or minor open or Barre chord can be called a triad. When teaching chords on 3 strings teacher use the word triad which is also correct. But to make life easier and less confusing most people call open chords open chords, Barre chords Barre Chords and 3 string chords Triads.
Hope this helps

[Peterctid]

I have an old chord book where the low e is included as part of an open position A chord.

[stitch]

@Peterctid that would be a slash chord A/E. Open A chord with an E in the bass. This kind of chord is used a lot with alternating Bass strumming or picking.

[Richard_close2u]

@LamphunLamyai

If the reason was covered somewhere else, please point out where.

It is a commonly asked question.

You started a topic in September that covered this issue:

Down a rabbit hole - Fmaj7 chord - Chord diagram reality check

I’m on PMT Mod2 where there is a blank chord chart download of “Common Open Chords.” So the first thing my eyes to is go to the chords I don’t have memorized, like Fmajor7. [Screenshot from 2023-09-17 14-40-33] Now my “old learning” kicks in and is trying to remember major7 vs dominate7. So I chart the chord. (If I got this wrong let me know) [Fmajor7] I found this JG chord diagram for Fmaj7. [6zujalptqj_142_FMaj7_chord-1527620164] So a question from down in the rabbit hole. Why are …

Others …

Why mute E-string in the C chord?

OK, I do understand that lower E shouldn’t be played, but that’s the case for the E & A strings in the D chord as well. Will lower E ruin the C chord more than an unfortunate A in the D chord?

Are you supposed to strum the thickest string on the C-chord?

Long story short: as Justin explained, the third finger will consecutively play the A string while muting the thickest E string. Do we still strum/play the muted thick E string in the C-Chord? If we don’t strum it, then why do we bother muting it? Just in case we accidentally strum it?

Questions on playing the C Chord pre-February 2023

Hello Maddie and welcome to the community! Not sure if I understand correctly, but if you are asking if it must only be your thumb touching the back of the neck and not the palm/fleshy, soft part below the thumb (like in having air between your palm vs. touching the back of the neck with more than just one point of contact) I can say the following: In most traditional and even classical methods of teaching it is considered a bad habit to have anything other then the thumb touching the neck (at…

[LamphunLamyai]

@Richard_close2u

You started a topic in September that covered this issue:

Yeah, well. I’m an old guy an I’ve got memory issue. No doubt, I probably did start a topic and then forgot about it.

Hopefully none of you out there ever get old or have cognitive impairment.

[Richard_close2u]

Be assured, I meant no offense by my comment. I was responding to your request of pointing out where the topic had been covered previously. I simply used the search tool and the search phrase ‘C chord mute string’.

[vanessa_z]

wow! Mind blowing this lesson! I always have the curiossity of why E and A chords shapes were called it Minor or Mayor! Now starting to understand this triad thing. Hope It will be more live sessions about triads in the next couple of months.

[backtolearning]

Is there any specific reason why notes in a chord gets doubled? I also realize after doing the exercise that chords with a bass note on the 4th string will only have the 3rd and 5th to exist on the grip once while for 6th and 5th string the 3rd and 5th will more likely get doubled, sometimes it’s the third and sometimes it’s the 5th that gets doubled. Any particular reason why?

[stitch]

@backtolearning

Is there any specific reason why notes in a chord gets doubled?

There are only 3 notes in Major (R 3rd 5th)and minor (R b3rd 5th) chords. There are 6 strings on a guitar. Chords with E string Roots like EM and GM have 3 Root notes in them and use all 6 strings leaving 3 string and 2 notes. Chords with A string Roots have 2 root notes and use 5 strings leaving 3 strings for 2 notes. Chords with D string Root notes have 2 root notes and only use 4 string so the 3rd and 5th get the last 2 string.

It’s how the guitar is laid out. This all changes with chord extensions and chord inversions and slash chords. Then there is muting strings in some variations of chord like G having the A string muted leaving only 1 B (3rd) note