Ta-Dah!
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Thank you Richard.
Will now explore this on a vertical plane. I see I can go from A to F#m to D going down 1 string and moving one note, using 3rd, 4th and 5th string roots. Lets see where we can go from there.
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Hey,
Is anybody else in the strange situation I am? I have played guitar (not very well) for a while- so I’m now returning to the guitar to learn what I didn’t do in the first place. That’s why I’m doing the theory course. Anyhow, I have found it fine to learn the positions and grips for the the triads . . . but, when Justin says ‘have some fun, find some songs with Triads in them’. does he just mean, find a song with some chords and play the triad versions of them?
I have found over the last couple of months I am not really interested in learning songs . . . it’s strange I can’t quite work out why. I’ve learned a few different little picking patterns, various licks etc, but i feel as if I now started learning a song on my own, i’d be back to being just an average strummer, even if I was using triads.
Am I overthinking this? Any comments gratefully received. Cheers
Hey Paul,
I suppose it comes down to why you’te playing the guitar. For many its learning songs, for some its composing and singing, for others its doing their own thing, improvising over some backing tracks etc. Often its a combination of all of these things.
Having said that, you have to ask yourself why are you learning, in this instance triads, if not to utilise them in songs, whether it be others’ songs, or your own. Otherwise its just an intellectual exercise.
Triads are absolutely everywhere in songs, and not just the strummy strummy variety. They are also a big part if lead playing as well. Enormousy useful, and versatile little gems.
A couple of songs that come to mind that use triads extensively, and are really fun to play, are Jack and Dianne, and Listen To The Music. Thousands of others. Plus as you said, you can play triads against another guitar part, which can sound pretty awesome.
And I think with triads as with anything, its in the musical application where the real learning, development, and fun happens.
All the best.
Cheers Shane
I wouldn’t stress about it Paul. I’ve never been interested in learning whole songs. There’s quite a few songs I’ve learned the intro to, but rarely the whole song. I have no ambition to play the guitar around a campfire for my friends, so I don’t see the point in learning a whole song. I like improvising and that’s where I’m focussing my energy.
Focus on what interests you.
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Hi Paul,
It’s up to you to decide how to use triads, whether to play legit songs with them, to use them for comping or to play them randomly and then realize you have something like a song coming together. They are really versatile. You may want to check this out:
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Basically, yes. Triads make for a great 2nd guitar part, adding harmonic layers and textures.
Say what?
My mantra: learn songs, learn songs, learn songs.
Why do you not want to learn and play songs? If your interest in in writing songs then learning songs will make you a better writer. If your interest is in playing lead guitar and improvisation then learning songs will help you better understand harmonic movement, rhythmic groove and melodic feel.
Can I point you to this topic also: Triads & Soloing & Targeting Chord Tones Part 1 - getting started
Thanks Richard, and all who have replied.
I hear y’all. I guess I’m in a bit of a confused state, becuase whenever I pick up my guitar I want to work on what I’m learning, I guess the trick is make the songs I learn relevant to what I’m actually working on in the course.
I went to see a great Zydeco band yesterday and from my 2 row seat could really see how the guitarist was using triads, not just for chords but for his mini lead licks.
I’ll just have to try to stop learning everything at once I guess. cheers
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Thanks Shane, I appreciate your input. As you may see from my answer to @Richard_close2u Richard_close2u below, I am starting to get my head around it.
I seem to be working on this theory course as I’m simultaneously learning some fingerstyle tunes and trying to improve my Travis picking, as well as going through extensive ‘learn the entire fretboard’ exercises. So maybe I’m trying to do too much. I will re focus. Meanwhile, thanks so much for your advice, much appreciated.
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Thanks @jacksprat good to hear. As I’m not really a singer, I would rather learn tunes that mean something without words, so I’m doing a lot of fingerstyle stuff as well as learning various solos and licks. I do see the relevance of triads, and therefore spend a lot of time with random note generators finding the various triads. Hell, maybe I should learn to sing. Thanks again mate.
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I reckon we all should. But that would open up another can of worms!
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The 3 major triad grips for strings one, two and three are (logically enough) labeled 1, 2 and 3. But that logic doesn’t work on the other 3-string sets. Is there another correlation between the root notes and the grips for these other string groups? (Or I should just not over-think and just learn them?)
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The labels are completely irrelevant. You just need to know which is the root note for each shape on each string set.
Oh, and I found some of the shapes nearly impossible to play, so I don’t play them. There are SO many options that learning them all doesn’t seem necessary to me. In fact, there is one guitar training method which advocates learning only three triad shapes- those with the root on the middle string. I think that’s the direction I’m heading.
Dana …
The triads are all fragments of CAGED chords (think barre chords). More specifically, they are fragments of E-shape, A-shape and D-shape or C-shape CAGED chords.
Look at these triads on the G, B & E strings.
They derive from D-shape, E-shape and A-shape respectively.
Look at these triads on D, G & B strings.
They derive from A-shape, E-shape and C-shape respectively.
Numbering the triad shapes might be helpful but does not add to understanding. Plus, there is no ‘first’ triad as they simply follow along from one another all the way along the fretboard and the first available triad shape is wholly determined by the string sets and the key.
Cheers
Richard
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Commenting as a leftie, does anybody else have e a problem “reading” the grips for these triads (or chord boxes for that matter). In an effort to stop myself tearing out what little hair I have left I am reduced to laboriously writing them all out in tab. Am I missing something?
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Hi John, @JohnnyW
It is an often heard complaint … hopefully this above will be of some use to you, because you can also click here for the lick-handed so I hope this helps a little with other stuff… for use in these types of lessons to play with directly, I have not been able to think of a solution other than simply just write it out yourself (which is a good exercise)…
be kind to your last hairs 
Greetings
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Hi Rogier
Thank you for your response. I had come across the Chord Library and it’s left handed diagrams but I’m so “into” Triad Theory & Practice at the moment, I had forgotten them.
You’re so right about the value of writing them out, all sorts of light bulbs are going on at the moment!!!
Kind regards, John
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Thank you Richard
Kind regards, John
Richard, my original comment was regarding the Resources provided alongside PMT Module 4.1 More Triad Grips etc. The Chord Library immediately switches to Left Hand Chord Boxes when the Account Preferences are set as per your post but the downloads in the Module do not. Not a big problem, it’s been good for me to work them out for myself.
Kind regards, John
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