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From: LIVENGOOD.MIKE@a1gw.gene.com (Mike Livengood) Date: 29 Jun 1995 16:48:06 -0500 Subject: LESSON: TRIADS More triads For those who have been following the lessons that have been posted recently (and for those who haven't) there have been lots of references to triads (See Judy's excellent lesson on Chord Theory). So while we're on the subject I thought I'd continue the discussion with more triad usage and examples. First let's run through a few triad shapes Shape I Shape II A Major (A-C#-E) A Minor (A-C-E) E----- E----- B--5-- B--5-- G--6-- G--5-- D--7-- D--7-- A----- A----- E----- E----- Shape III Shape IV F Major (A-C-F) D Major (A-D-F#) E----- E----- B--6-- B--7-- G--5-- G--7-- D--7-- D--7-- A----- A----- E----- E----- Shape V Shape VI F# Minor (A-C#-F#) D major (D-F#-A) E----- E--5-- B--7-- B--7-- G--6-- G--7-- D--7-- D----- A----- A----- E----- E----- Shape VII Shape VIII D Minor (D-F-A) G major (D-G-B) E--5-- E--7-- B--6-- B--8-- G--7-- G--7-- D----- D----- A----- A----- E----- E----- Shape IX Shape X G Minor (D-G-A#) A Major (C#-E-A) E--6-- E--5-- B--8-- B--5-- G--7-- G--6-- D----- D----- A----- A----- E----- E----- Shape XI Shape XII A Major (E-A-C#) A Minor (E-A-C) E----- E----- B----- B----- G--6-- G--5-- D--7-- D--7-- A--7-- A--7-- E----- E----- These shapes represent twelve very common and very useful triads. All are completely movable. I just kept them in the same position for simplicity. So what good are triads? I can see that they're just parts of chords that I already know...what's the big deal? Well, let's see...one advantage of playing just the triad and not the full 6 string chord is you can still play chords if you hurt one of your fingers....duh... Another plus is simplicity of sound. Like Judy mentioned in her article, if two guitars are playing...full 12 string chords get pretty muddy. But if one guitar plays the major triad (say Shape I above) and the other guitar plays the complimentary major triad (Shape X or XI above) you get a cleaner more harmonious tone. Another advantage is ease of transition between chords, and maintaining the same tones. Take a classic example of the use of triad Shapes I, III, and IV above. This is the intro to Amazing Journey by The Who from Tommy. The chords are C-G...A-E..D-A. Playing the triads makes a real nice progression. C G A E D A <Chord E------------------------------ B---8---8-----5---5-----3---2-- G---9---7-----6---4-----2---2-- D--10---9-----7---6-----4---2-- A------------------------------ E------------------------------ I III I III I IV <Shape Also you'll find that if you play an acoustic guitar a lot that these triad fingerings are a lot easier on your hands than barre chords. Here's another example that you youngsters won't recognize but is worth noodling with anyway. Here is intro to Squonk by Genesis off the Trick of the Tail CD. The use of the triads again is critical to imitate the keyboard line. G D 4x G A E------------------]-----------------] B--8---8-8---8-7---]--3---3-3---3-5--] G--7---7-7---7-7---]--4---4-4---4-6--] D--9---9-9---9-7---]--5---5-5---5-7--] A------------------]-----------------] E------------------]-----------------] III IV I I As long as we're on the Genesis theme here is another one that uses triads. The tune is Everyday by Steve Hackett from the Spectral Mornings CD. A B E A B E Esus E B 4x E---------------------------------] B--5--7--9---5-7---9-10---9--7----] G--6--8--9---6-8---9-9----9--8----] D--7--9--9---7-9---9-9----9--9----] A---------------------------------] E---------------------------------] Bass plays E I I IV I I IV I D E G D E G Gsus G E 4x E--5--7--9---5-7---9--10--9---7---] B--7--9--10--7-9---10-10--10--9---] G--7--9--9---7-9---9--9---9---9---] D---------------------------------] A---------------------------------] E---------------------------------] Bass plays A VI VI VIII VI VI VIII VI Using these triads allows chord formations around the main melody tone, which in this case is E-F#-G# for the first little section and A-B-C# for the second section, without losing the melody. Here are a few other triad fingerings. Shape a (IV) Shape b (IV) Dsus4 (A-D-G) Dsus2 (A-D-E) E----- E----- B--8-- B--5-- G--7-- G--7-- D--7-- D--7-- A----- A----- E----- E----- Shape c (VIII) Shape d (VIII) Gsus4 (D-G-C) Gsus2 (D-G-A) E--8-- E--5-- B--8-- B--8-- G--7-- G--7-- D----- D----- A----- A----- E----- E----- Shape e (I) Shape f (VI) Asus4 (A-D-E) Dsus2 (D-E-A) E----- E--5-- B--5-- B--5-- G--7-- G--7-- D--7-- D----- A----- A----- E----- E----- Take a look at the intro to Panama by Van Halen. Eddie uses the triads fingerings above and adds the suspended 4th triad fingering. E Esus B E Esus B D Dsus A E-------------------------------------] B--9--9-10--7--9---10--7---7--7-8--5--] G--9--9-9---8--9---9---8---7--7-7--6--] D--9--9-9---9--9---9---9---7--7-7--7--] A-------------------------------------] E-------------------------------------] IV IV a I IV a I IV IV a I Notice how Shape a, the suspended 4th triad, sounds a lot like Shape III?? Play this: D Dsus D G E----------------------] B--7---8-----7---8-----] G--7---7-----7---7-----] D--7---7-----7---9-----] A----------------------] E----------------------] Weird huh? Maybe not...Why would a Dsus4 sound like a G? Because in substituting a 4th for the third in a D chord we're adding a G! So G is a fourth up from D. See how much we've learned? Here's another example using yet another triad shape. This is the main theme to Lawyers, Guns and Money by Warren Zevon. Notice the use of the suspended triads. Asus A Asus A Asus A E E----------------------------------] B--5--5-5---5-5-5-5----5--5-5---9--] G--7--7-6---7-7-7-6----7--7-6---9--] D--7--7-7---7-7-7-7----7--7-7---9--] A----------------------------------] E----------------------------------] e e I e e e I e e I IV Using triads in this way is the best way to cop keyboard progressions, because the inversions are similar to the way keyboardists play them. Here's another example. This is the way I play Solsbury Hill by Peter Gabriel. I use the triad shapes pictured above. F# B-E B E B F# E--------------------------------] B--------2---4h5-----4---5-4--2--] G--3--4--3---4---4---4---4-4--3--] D--4--4------4h6--4--4---6-4--4--] A--------------------------------] E--------------------------------] I IV-III III IV I F# E B E B F# E----------------------------------] B--------2----5---7----4--5--4--2--] G--3--4--3-----4---4---4--4--4--3--] D--4--4---------6---6--4--6--4--4--] A----------------------------------] E----------------------------------] I III IV III IV I Notice that a triad can be a number of different chords depending on the bass note? For example: Shape III can be a major when played over an F or a minor seventh when played over a D. Shape IV can be a major when played over a D or a minor seventh when played over a B. Shape III Shape IV F Major (A-C-F) D Major (A-D-F#) E----- E----- B--6-- B--7-- G--5-- G--7-- D--7-- D--7-- A----- A----- E----- E----- Shape V can be a minor when played over an F# or a dominant seventh when played over a D. Shape V F# Minor (A-C#-F#) E----- B--7-- G--6-- D--7-- A----- E----- Here are some rather obscure triads that could have a number of names depending on the bass note. These triads utilize seconds, fourths and sixths, rather than the familiar thirds and fifths. E----- E----- B--7-- B--7-- G--5-- G--9-- D--7-- D--7-- A----- A----- E----- E----- E--9-- E--7-- B--7-- B--9-- G--9-- G--7-- D----- D----- A----- A----- E----- E----- Some of these yield really cool progressions. Here is one that I have been trying to incorporate into a solo. E--x-x-9--x-x-7--x-x-7--x-x-5--x-x-5-- B--x-x-7--x-x-7--x-x-6--x-x-5--x-x-5-- G--x-x-9--x-x-8--x-x-5--x-x-6--x-x-7-- D------------------------------------- A------------------------------------- E------------------------------------- x= percussive muted strums I guess I have rambled on enough. Once you start playing with triads instead of the normal fingerings for chords a whole new world of progressions, transitions and altered chords will open for you. Comments? M.L.