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?
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.
@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 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.
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’.
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.
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?
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
In short - to make it sound fuller and more harmonic. As stitch said thats how guitar and standard tuning are laid out, so why not take advantage of it and play something more than just 3 notes on 3 strings?
‘the more discoveries you make on your own the better’.
There are only five possible open position chord shapes for major chords - C, A, G, E, D.
You know that a triad must contain the 1, 3 and 5 (for minor 1, b3 and 5).
Use your knowledge of chord shapes, notes in the first three frets, triad construction etc. to find all possible triads on adjacent strings in all five of these shapes. Repeat for Am, Dm and Em chords.
it may be that this question has been already asked and addressed somewhere else, I give it a try: are triads as defined in this module always to be found on consecutive strings? 1-2-3, 2-3-4, 3-4-5, 4-5-6 ?
Memorising the possibilities with the classical C-A-G-E-D shapes, one can transfer the triads along the neck to any key, an easy way to memorise notes on the neck and also visualise triads.
They are often the easiest to play on adjacent strings, but they don’t necessarily have to be. If you play, say, x32xx3 (on strings 1-4-5), it will still be a C major triad.
Thanks Richard, as mentioned to József, having triads on conjoint strings as well as open triads open up quite a huge territory of tone for the same chord.
So let our ears define what shall be the right one in the melodic context. The rest will be a question of musical taste.
