Learning the Neck with Triads

The following exercise is one that greatly opened up my understanding of the fretboard. It starts with this: how many ways can you play this C triad arpeggio on the neck? (Fig. 1)

Figure 1

For the sake of this lesson on learning the neck with triads, I’m going exclude the options of playing all three notes on one string and the use of open strings.

Figure 2

In Fig.1, we started off with a root position triad in form - CEG. If we move the 5th of the triad, G, to the 2nd string (Fig. 2), we get this:

Figure 3

If we then move the 3rd, E, to the 3rd string, we get Fig. 3:

Figure 4

We’ve now relocated the 5th and the 3rd of the original chord form triad. The only thing left to move is the root. Doing this will bring us back to a chord form triad, except the root is now on the D string (Fig. 4).

When looking at the triads all together, a pattern emerges. We started with a chord form triad (CF), where each note is on separate string. The following pattern has the root on one string followed by the 3rd and 5th on the next (1-2). The last pattern has the root and 3rd on the same string, followed by the 5th on a string by itself (2-1). The pattern then starts over on the next lowest string.

If we were to follow this pattern of CF, 1-2, and 2-1 through all the strings (Fig. 5), we get this:

Figure 5

Try practicing this in different keys as well as the different chord types: major, minor, diminished, and augmented. Also, the triads with two notes on one string give you the option of playing more legato, which is well worth exploring.

If you are looking for the right instructor to help you take your playing to the next level, I'd love to help. Contact me by clicking here. Let's see if guitar lessons for the advancing student are what you need to become the greatest guitar player you can be.