Guitar triads are a simple yet powerful tool to elevate your guitar playing. Think of them as streamlined versions of the chords you already know, offering a pathway to inject bright, melodic, and sophisticated tones into your music.
These alternative voicings of familiar chords significantly expand your sonic palette and bring a new dimension to your playing. Mastering triads is a surefire way to distinguish yourself from the vast majority of guitarists.
Despite their immense value, triads remain surprisingly underutilized. Many guitarists, even those with decades of experience, are often unaware of their existence. This series of lessons aims to change that, by demystifying guitar triads and exploring 12 essential shapes – what we like to call “killer 3-string chords.”
If you’re newer to the guitar or encountering challenges, you might find our 27 tips on how to play the guitar helpful.
The beauty of guitar triads lies in their simplicity: there are only 3 fundamental shapes to learn, each with 4 variations.
In this lesson, we’ll delve into shape #1 and its four variations.
What Exactly Are Guitar Triads?
Johnny Marr at the AIM awards 2019 by Jwslubbock, licensed under (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Johnny Marr of The Smiths, a guitarist known for his melodic and inventive use of triads.
Let’s clarify what makes triads so special:
- Top Three Strings Focus: Guitar triads, especially the most effective ones, are played exclusively on the top three strings (1st, 2nd, and 3rd – high E, B, and G).
- Moveable Shapes: Each triad shape is completely moveable across the fretboard. This means one shape can create 12 different chords, simply by shifting it up and down the neck.
- Versatile and Practical: These four triad shapes are incredibly practical in real-world musical scenarios, serving as an excellent bridge between basic open chords and more complex barre chords.
Here’s why guitar triads are a game-changer:
They make you stand out musically.
Most guitarists are primarily taught open chords in the lower fret positions.
Imagine being asked to play a G chord on guitar. Most guitarists would instinctively reach for the standard open G chord shape.
(The root note of each chord is indicated in red in the diagrams below.)
Now, consider wanting to play a G Major chord with a richer, more interesting, and higher-pitched quality. Many guitarists would be at a loss – and that’s a missed opportunity.
This lesson series will equip you with the knowledge to surpass those limitations, enabling you to create sounds that will impress both yourself and other musicians.
Prepare to unlock a new level of guitar expression.
Enter the Realm of Guitar Triads: Charting the Course
The four chord types we will explore using triads in this series are:
- Major
- Minor
- Sus 2
- Sus 4
Let’s dive into learning these straightforward yet impactful shapes that will accelerate your journey towards becoming a more accomplished intermediate guitarist.
The Guitar Triads Chart: Shapes and Forms
Below is your Guitar Triads Chart, illustrating the shapes we’ll be working with. Let’s begin exploring them.
Major Triad
The Major triad shape is fundamental and frequently used, making it essential to memorize.
Notice this G Major triad is positioned high on the 12th fret, resulting in a significantly higher pitch compared to the open G chord.
Minor Triad
Can you spot the subtle difference between the Major and minor triad shapes in the guitar triads chart?
The change of just one fret is the key.
To transform a Major triad into a minor triad, simply move the note on the 2nd string down one fret, from the 12th fret to the 11th fret in this example.
Sus 2 Triad
Continuing from the minor triad, move the note on the 2nd string down another fret. This adjustment creates a Sus2 triad. Sus2 chords are unique because they are neither definitively Major nor minor, offering versatility in musical contexts.
Sus 4 Triad
This shape, while requiring a bit of a stretch, yields a very distinctive and appealing sound.
You’ll need to use your pinky finger to fret the B string at the 13th fret to form the Sus4 triad. Like Sus2 chords, sus4 triads possess a neutral quality, fitting well in both Major and minor contexts.
Power Tip for Fluid Triad Transitions:
Try barring your first finger across the first and second strings at the 10th fret, as demonstrated in the Sus2 chord diagram, and maintain this barre throughout all four triad variations.
This technique greatly simplifies switching between the different triad types.
To summarize the shape relationships:
- The G string (3rd string), which carries the root note, remains constant across all variations.
- The high E string (1st string) also stays the same.
- The B string (2nd string) is the only note that changes to create the different triad types.
Committing these relationships to memory will be beneficial!
Practice transitioning smoothly between all four variations of this triad shape.
You’ll immediately notice the higher pitch of these chords. This is precisely the goal – to introduce sonic diversity.
Now, you’re not limited to just a low-pitched G Major chord; you can access higher-pitched variations, including Major, minor, sus2, and sus4.
This is the true potential of utilizing the higher frets and strings! Many guitarists primarily use the 12th fret and above for solos, overlooking a wealth of harmonic possibilities.
To master this lesson and fully enjoy these chords, focus on developing fluidity in changing between the four shapes.
Remember, the barre across the 1st and 2nd strings at the 10th fret is crucial for seamless transitions.
A Quick Guide to Using the 4 Triad Variations Musically…
G Major Context: The following triad variations blend beautifully together because their notes are all within the G Major key:
- G Major
- G sus2
- G sus4
G Minor Context: Similarly, these variations complement each other within a G Minor key:
- G minor
- G sus2
- G sus4
Feel free to experiment with mixing and matching these triads according to your artistic preferences. However, be mindful that G Major and G minor triads typically don’t naturally fit together unless you are intentionally aiming for a contrasting or unusual sound.
Let’s explore a few musical examples demonstrating these triads in action.
Triad Ditty #1 (G Major Example)
3 string chords 1
Guitar tab demonstrating a triad progression using Major, Sus2, and Sus4 triads.
Example 1 presents a simple and effective way to play through the Major, Sus 2, and Sus 4 triads.
You can strum this progression using all downstrokes or a down-up strumming pattern, depending on your desired feel.
Triad Ditty #2 (G Minor Example)
Example 2 mirrors the structure of Example 1, but substitutes the Major triad with a minor triad, creating a minor key variation.
Triad Ditty #3 (Combination Example)
3 string chords 3
Guitar tab showcasing a combination of Major and minor triad progressions.
Example 3 creatively combines both Major and minor triad variations, resulting in a slightly more unconventional yet harmonically rich sound.
Integrating Guitar Triads into Your Playing: Real-World Applications
The focus here is on practical, real-world guitar techniques. These triad lessons are inspired by the approaches of renowned guitarists and validated through teaching experience, ensuring their effectiveness for your playing.
Crucially, it’s vital to actively incorporate these newly learned triads into your regular practice and musical explorations.
Here are several ways to use these 3-string triad shapes in practical musical contexts, before we progress to Part 2, where we’ll explore even more exciting applications:
Practical Ways to Use Guitar Triads
- Strumming: Replace ordinary open chords with triads for strumming. This technique, favored by guitarists like Johnny Marr of The Smiths, adds a shimmering quality to rhythm guitar parts.
- Picking: Arpeggiate triad shapes to create melodic lines. Adding effects like delay can evoke the style of The Edge or shoegaze bands, adding texture and atmosphere.
- Jamming: When playing with another guitarist, try using triad versions of the chords while the other guitarist plays standard open chords. This creates a layered, almost 12-string guitar effect, filling out the sonic space beautifully.
- Lead Guitar: Incorporate triads into your lead playing and solos. Strategically placed triads can introduce harmonic richness and melodic interest, moving beyond single-note lines.
- Chord Melody: Develop melodic riffs and hooks based on triads, similar to the iconic intro of “Brown Eyed Girl” by Van Morrison. This blends melody and harmony in a captivating way.
- Effects Pedals: Experiment with electric guitar effects on triads. Delay, tremolo, flanger, or wah pedals can transform triads into synth-like textures, expanding your sonic possibilities while maintaining harmonic integrity.
Listen to the Examples…
To hear these examples in detail, download the Guitar Pro files.
Right-click HERE and select “save as” to download. Extract the Guitar Pro files to listen back to the examples. You’ll need Guitar Pro software or the free Tux Guitar (download Tux Guitar here) to play these files.
Join us in Part 2 where we will build upon these foundations and create even more compelling musical phrases!
Your homework from this lesson is to experiment with the provided triad combinations. Become comfortable transitioning between them. In Part 2 of this series, we will explore exciting examples of how to make these triads sound truly exceptional.
See you in the next lesson!
Continue to Part 2 by clicking HERE.
