Triads on every string set

In the harmony module you played triads on the top three strings. The same three inversions exist on every group of three adjacent strings. Learning them on the middle and lower sets fills the gaps between your CAGED shapes, gives you small, clear voicings for playing with other instruments, and makes smooth voice leading possible anywhere on the neck.

By the end of this lesson you will be able to:

• Play C major in root position, first and second inversion on strings 4-3-2, 5-4-3 and 6-5-4.
• Turn any of these major triads into minor by lowering the third.
• Play a progression on a single string set with the closest voicings.

A triad has three notes, so on any three adjacent strings it can be played three ways: with the root, the third or the fifth at the bottom. Those are root position, first inversion and second inversion.

You learned them on the top three strings. There are three more sets of three adjacent strings:

• Strings 4-3-2 (D, G, B)
• Strings 5-4-3 (A, D, G)
• Strings 6-5-4 (E, A, D)

Each set has its own three shapes for a major triad. The shapes on strings 5-4-3 and 6-5-4 are the same as each other (those strings are all a fourth apart). The shapes on 4-3-2 are different, because the B string is tuned a major third above the G.

Minor is one fret away. In any shape, find the third and lower it by a fret. Always know where the root is: it is what lets you move a shape to a new chord.

Why bother? Small triads stay out of the way of other instruments, sit neatly between your CAGED shapes, and let you lead each voice to the nearest note of the next chord. A whole progression can live on one string set with the hand barely moving.

Learning a set.

1. On strings 4-3-2, play the first-inversion C (frets 2-0-1). Pick the notes one at a time: E, G, C.
2. Find the next shape up the neck: frets 5-5-5 (G, C, E). One finger can flatten across all three.
3. Then frets 10-9-8 (C, E, G): root position.
4. Play all three up the neck and back, saying the bottom note each time.

Making it minor. In each shape, find the E (the third) and lower it one fret to E♭. On strings 4-3-2 that gives 1-0-1, 5-5-4 and 10-8-8.

Voice leading. Play C at 5-5-5 and change to F. Instead of jumping to a new area of the neck, look for F's notes (F, A, C) nearby: 7-5-6 keeps the C and moves the other two notes by a step.

Do these in order. Each one is small. Tick the ones you have practised.

• 1.C on the middle strings

  4 min

  1. Strings 4-3-2 (D, G, B): play C first inversion at frets 2-0-1, second inversion at 5-5-5 and root position at 10-9-8.
  2. Play them up the neck and back, naming the lowest note each time (E, G, C).
  3. Lower the E in each shape by one fret to make C minor.

  You have it when

  • You can play all three C major shapes on strings 4-3-2 without looking.
  • You can make each one minor.
  I practised this one

• 2.The lower sets

  5 min

  1. Strings 5-4-3: root position 3-2-0, first inversion 7-5-5, second inversion 10-10-9.
  2. Strings 6-5-4: second inversion 3-3-2, root position 8-7-5, first inversion 12-10-10.
  3. Play each set up the neck and back, picking the notes one at a time so you hear all three.

  You have it when

  • All three notes ring in every shape, with no other strings sounding.
  I practised this one

• 3.One string set, one progression

  4 min · 60 → 80 BPM

  1. On strings 4-3-2, play C (5-5-5), F (7-5-6), G (5-4-3) and back to C (5-5-5).
  2. Notice how little the fingers move: each note goes to the nearest note of the next chord.
  3. Now find the same progression on strings 5-4-3, between frets 7 and 12.

  You have it when

  • You can play C, F, G, C on strings 4-3-2 without the hand jumping.
  • You find a working version on a second string set.
  I practised this one

Shapes are untimed. For the progression, 60 BPM with one chord per bar, picked as a three-note arpeggio or plucked together.

• Letting nearby open strings ring. Pick the three strings only, or mute the neighbours with spare fingers. These are small, precise voicings.
• Learning shapes without knowing which note is which. Always name the root in each shape. The root is what lets you move a shape to a new chord.
• Assuming every string set has the same shapes. The B string is tuned differently, so any shape that uses it changes. Learn each set's shapes on their own.

Small triads are ideal when another guitarist or a keyboard is already playing full chords: they add colour without clutter. They are also the backbone of many funk and soul rhythm parts. Play the progression of a song you know on one string set only.

Try it in: Let It Be.

Short version (10 minutes)

Learn the three C shapes on strings 4-3-2 and make them minor.

Standard version (about 30 minutes)

Do all three exercises, then play the chords of Let It Be (C, G, Am, F) on strings 4-3-2 with the closest voicings.

• Every set of three adjacent strings has three triad shapes.
• Name the root in each shape; lower the third for minor.
• Shapes that include the B string are different from those that don't.
• Good voice leading: move each note to the nearest note of the next chord.

You are ready to move on when you can honestly say:

• I can play a major triad in all three inversions on strings 4-3-2, 5-4-3 and 6-5-4.
• I can turn any of these shapes into a minor triad.
• I can play a four-chord progression on one string set with smooth voice leading.