Active Melody

Learn to play blues guitar.

Play like a PRO with these 3 Triad positions – Guitar Lesson – EP574

Description

In this week’s guitar lesson you’ll learn how to sound like a Pro by using these 3 essential Triad positions (giving you a total of 6 triads). You’ll learn both major and minor versions.

Part 1 - Free Guitar Lesson

Part 2 - For Premium Members

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Slow Walkthrough

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Comments

    • alon z says

      I used to think there are millions guitarists that can make lessons and weekly compositions, so why woudn’t them?
      apparantly its not that easy, and brian do have all it takes to do it.

  5. Mike R says

    I forget that some of your really hot blues tunes come from these triads. Sometimes I just wait for you to create something that I would like to learn but mastering these triads will really allow me to create hot sounding progressions of my own. Your other triad lessons get me thinking a lot and I have a lot of fun just playing around with them but then I forget how much I learn from them and move on to something new. Thanks for coming back to these basics triads over and over. I get better with them each time I’m reminded to play them. They actually make me think more and that’s what I need to do more of. Remember the chord progression and how to move around and connect the chords in a meaningful way.

    • Derek F says

      Thanks Brian. This was a very valuable lesson. It would be great to have one of these triad lessons dedicated to more bluesy use that covers the 7th form of these triads. I think that’s were they can really help us get to grips with playing the blues.

  6. Tom B says

    Thank you, Brian.

    I watched the previous series of 5-sehape arpeggios and although I understand it all and where it is coming from, I was struggling to see how I could apply it (especially in real time). I think the simplicity of this lesson is a better launching pad (although I still need to slow it down and practice each step)… but it is getting me launched in using the arpeggios… hallelujah!

    Tom

  7. Harry B says

    This lesson, Brian, unlocks so many of the things about the relationships between majors, minors, inversions—not to mention what you refer to as the three “containers” of C, E, and A of the CAGED system—that will keep me studying all week long.

    And it is all related to what I have always thought of as the relatively simple concept of triads which shows me how much I have to learn.

    You always come up with good stuff, Brian, for those of us who are trying to become better guitar players. I always look forward to Fridays just to see what you have for us. Thanks so much.

  14. Peter R says

    I initially thought I was to advanced for this lesson, as I already know the triads, but as the lesson progressed I realised that practicing the connection of triads and the scales and being able to play around with this is actually what I need. It is easy to practice too. Lesson I learned today, even if it seems easy, always watch the entire lesson anyway. There is always something new I can learn from it.

  15. Don R says

    I am going to skip the next session of a conference I am attending (with my Taylor mini) to digest this short piece. I am here to learn, right? Which is more important, triad connections or industry regulatory issues?

  16. Dale G says

    Thanks for helping me to connect the dots with the triads. Lot of light bulb moments in this on as to the whys. Know I’ve been trying to make it complicated when you’ve showed how simple it really can be.
    Great lesson!

  21. Daniel H says

    EP362 (triads) was a break through lesson for me. I thought this lesson might end up being a review, but as always you added new material to working with triads. I don’t remember where or how I found AM, but I am glad I did. You are a master teacher Brian, and continue to get better. Thank you for keeping some repetition in the lessons. For some reason it makes the new incremental material easier to learn, retain, and use!

  25. James S says

    I realize these kinds of backing tracks with one simple progression are probably not as much fun for you to create, but they are VERY appreciated by us. We don’t have to think as much and can focus so much easier on playing the changes.

  27. slopace says

    Hey Brian , thanks to you I can play triads anywhere on my fret board that I want. My issue has not been how to play but what to play. My light bulb moment was when you started playing a simple song using the triads. So simple, but sounded great!

  30. Thierry says

    Love this lesson Brian, plenty of wonderful material to work from, creating plenty of links! I made so much progress since joining a couple of years ago thanks to your explanations and clarifications in each lesson!

  32. Alan V says

    Love it as usual, Brian. You are an exceptionally gifted teacher, which is actually quite rare with talented musicians. For me basing everything on triads in practical positions – largely the first four strings – is such a practical way to improvise. As lessons go by, a lot of little gem bits of embellishment ideas are meticulously repeated, which I reckon is SO GOOD. The repetition makes for strong retention in the memory banks.
    The pretty compositions like this are my favourites, but I also enjoy the blues.
    Keep up the wonderful service you are giving us knowledge-hungry guitarists

  35. Wade O says

    Good day all!
    This is a great 40 minute lesson! And a very good way to learn but how? My suggestion, Brian makes a point Eg. 1 3 5 and do an inversion. Stop the video and work through that point. His 30 seconds of instruction might translate into 10 minutes of student time.
    Ever sit in a private lesson, the instructor blasts through a ton of information, just like this video, you leave the private lesson and have little or nothing to take away. Learning through the videos gives you the time you need to go over that 30 second point over and over again until it becomes second nature for you.
    These lessons are the synthesis of years of experience. Our part, as the student, is the analysis or breaking down of the lesson and learning all the points. It’s a lot of work being a student, however, if you really want to learn, just do it! You will excel your playing!
    Enjoy the music! Wade

  36. Steve says

    Nice couple of lessons, I am catching up after holidays.

    I would like to learn how to think about and use some non-diatonic chord progressions and how that might work, e.g. using I with iv, v, VI, II or III for example not just secondary dominants but how to think about where these odd chords lead and how to resolve back to I. These seem less common in blues etc but perhaps more used in pop, Beatles etc?

  37. mritalian says

    Hi Brian, I see the heads up display in my head as Tim Pierce likes to explain it. Thank you so much for this lesson it really helps out to see the intervals so much clearer. Keep em coming. Ron T

  39. James S says

    This is helping me connect things I know but didn’t quite know how to put together. I know all the triads and even the embellishments, but I’d been struggling to do more than one things that always sounds the same. So thanks Brian!

  41. Peter B says

    I have been following your lessons now for quite a time and have thought how useful triads are in my playing , could you please do a lesson showing the 7th cord triads in the same way that you have shown in this excellent lesson.

    Many thanks for all your lessons and the information you show us to improve our playing, the best.

  42. Brad S says

    This lesson was wonderful. Having learned the CAGED system and other lessons, this lesson brought a lot of it together and made sense. Thanks again Brian! Now …. off to practice!

  44. Andre H says

    I absolutely love this, and these lessons are the reason why I became a member in the first place. However, I do have a comment. Not sure if Brian reads this but here we go: I think I am an Active Melody member now for almost 5 years, and I do feel that I already have seen these light bulb moment lessons with triads in one form or another.

    How and where will the lessons be where we move to the next phase? Maybe incorporate difficult arpeggio patterns. I recently was on another site that showed the benefits of these triads, but combined them with harmonized 6th, and then incorporated some difficult John Coltrane type of arpeggios. These arpeggios, for example, 1-2-3-5, or 1-2-3-5-b7, where totally new to me. Or it showed me how the b7 of the V chord is only one semitone higher than the major 3rd of the I chord, and it showed you how to get back via this way from the V to the I chord Or maybe incorporate more difficult chords as the 11 or 6th chords ?

    I guess I am saying that I have grown thanks to Brian, and now I am ready to tackle harder stuff. An example is the gypsy jazz lead lesson that Brian posted early 2023. Thanks, Andre

    • Geoff says

      Hi Andre, I think the odd difficult lesson from Brian is what keeps me going too but I suspect most of us are nowhere near this advanced yet. Part of the whole appeal of this site is the way Brian explains things in simple terms and does a lot of beautiful music that is playable to beginners and more advanced guitarists alike. It really shows that you don’t have to be a technical wizard to come up with great sounding music and that is what I really appreciate about these lessons.

      Then again, too , I know a lot of people who are quite happy with the just the blues and never feel a need to go beyond that. To me, at least, it is amazing how many styles Brian covers with what are, in reality, just a few simple concepts that he emphasizes and reinforces over and over again.

      … just my 2c of course 🙂

  45. Michael C says

    This was a great lesson on learning triads, with one of the best practical explanations of what they can do to improve your playing.
    You continue to inspire and amaze me week after week.

  48. DAVID M says

    The concept of ‘containers’ is really clicking for me; eg the ‘C’ container with its upper and lower triads, its pentatonic major and minor shapes, its scales etc- all of ’em just sitting there under your fingers waiting to be learnt, and played ! Thanks for a great lesson Brian 👍

  50. Chuck S says

    Brian,
    These insightful lessons are great. This is a great follow-on to some of the earlier ones you did on Triads and some of it is actually starting to sink in – still hard to remember all root and 3rd locations.

    Can’t keep up with it all (:

    Thanks

  52. Robert Burlin says

    Brian this is a brilliant lesson and I would love to see a part 2 and part 3 and even part 4. The more simple it seems the more profound. Please take us deeper into this rabbit hole you have opened up here.

  53. Tim A says

    Hey Brian, thanks for the lesson! You had previous lessons on triads before which I learned from you. Play these all the time when jamming with others. I like to think I’m colouring in the song with the triads while others play the “cowboy” cords
    Great stuff!
    Thank you for the music
    Tim

  55. Frank X says

    What I’m working on getting clearer on is how you take any set of three notes and determine if it’s an inversion or not. I’m guessing it’s the full bar chord of whichever three notes, and that makes sense when it’s a major or minor chord, but when it gets into harmonized, diminished, flat this, sharp that – I get lost as far as how you determine the 1, 3, & 5 note. Hope that makes sense. Cheers

  56. David H says

    Great lesson! I think I hear a lot of these triads in the soundtrack to Pat Garrett and Billy the Kidd title track, which I would like to learn to play. Thanks for the lesson / tips.

  62. Paul G says

    Great lesson Brian. I’ve seen some of your earlier lessons on Triads, but this one seemed to really pull it together for me. I’ll spend a lot of time with this one! 🙂
    With thanks!
    Paul

  63. Paul G says

    Ooops, I wanted to add… If you have any hints on learning to keeping with the chord progressions, I’m all ears. It’s one thing to learn the triads and little accoutrements/add-ons, but one has to be able to plan in advance and know the next chord in the progression. I find that difficult at the best of times for songs that are more than 3 chords and/or the chorus differs from the verses etc.
    P

  65. Sean H says

    Hey Brian, This latest Video Lesson looks to a great Transition Video, from Acoustic to Electric and back, especially with the Blues Transition you speak of during the latter part of the Video! Looks like it could become an Awesome newer approach to Transitional Jam Playing in my case especially!! Thanks again Brian!

    • Georg B says

      Hi Georg,
      My name is also Georg and I live in Bavaria as well. Just in case you would like to get in touch with me, I could send you my email address or my mobile number. You only have to let me know.
      All the best,
      Georg

  67. Georg B says

    Hello Brian,

    What a beautiful melody you’ve written in your solo! Another catchy tune for me over the past week. Really great!

    As soon as I have the solo under my fingers, I’d like to play it together with a friend. He would take over the backtracking part, so to speak. Do I understand it correctly that when backtracking, the guitar plays a strum pattern with the chords that are written above the bars of the solo? The first bar would be a G, the second bar a Bm, the third bar a C, the fourth bar a D and so on. As I have the option of playing the chords G, Bm, C and D in the CAGED system in different spots, I wanted to ask whether there is a clue as to which of them is best to use.

    Thank you for your excellent teaching,

    Georg

  69. Brady H says

    This lesson on Triads is just excellent. Extending this to include the seventh, major seventh, and ninth chords would also be really helpful. Your lessons are really treasures!

  70. Geoff says

    Very helpful lesson Brian. I have touched on a number of your triad lessons since I started following this site.

    What I liked out of this lesson was showing how the 1, 3,4,5 chords can be played very close to one another on the fretboard. It means I can play a rhythm part economically without the nee d to jump around all over the fretboard – that is great to know.

    How to add embellishments to the triads like a 6 or 7 or sus 4 is something I am very aware of but nice to have it reinforced again.

  71. Millar L says

    Best lesson for me so far
    Simple but highly effective and also puts perspective on previous lessons.
    I am sliding into triads and using the demonstrated embellishments using an electric guitar with added chorus and reverb…
    Sounds pretty professional
    Thanks Brian

  73. Mr. Larry P says

    Brian,

    I love playing triads and have been doing so for a couple of years now. This is an awesome lesson regarding embellishments and going from major to minor triads. I posted a triad root chart that I’ve gotten some good feedback on from other members. Instead of 1, 3, 5 I started by learning the shape and the root of each shape. Now I’ll go back and learn the 1, 3, 5 notes as well.

    If you get a chance have a look at the root chart for triads; it might be worth mentioning to other in the group.

  75. Karlos says

    Somehow you manage to time these lessons just at the right time for me. I get so far and the a question pops in my head. No worry because you will do a great weekly lesson that answers my question perfectly.

  76. Jim R says

    I like the chord shapes and am starting to get it about how to use them up and down the fretboard. Thanks for that. I have a continuing problem with my lowest or lower finger muting the string just above it. I put a wide Warmoth neck on my strat to help alleviate this, but I still run into problems almost constantly. Very discouraging. Anything I can do to make this work better? With scales and arpeggios I can lift the offending finger out of the way, but not with chords. I’m embarrassed to bring up such a dopey beginner problem, but I want to progress.

  77. Phillip F says

    It’s really coming together now and everything in the first video I know from your other videos. I’m playing the chord shapes caged all that and I started recording myself. That’s helpful much appreciated 👍

  78. Eric says

    Howdee Brian,

    This lesson is just what the doctor ordered.
    Not as complex as some others, at least for me. I feel, practice after practice, that I’m getting somewhere interesting.

    Continue having fun and working magic.

    Cheers,
    Eric

  80. Scott R says

    When transitioning into the next chord I know where the next triad or scale is it just seems like I can’t find a comfortable way to get into it to make it sound like a natural transition. Is there a lesson on that?

  81. Pete K says

    Man, I love these lessons. I’ve been doing some slide embellishments in standard tuning and this whole package is so liberating. Easy triads and swift, effective riffing off of them. Thank you again!

  84. Sandra K says

    Nice! Easy to follow when you know triad theory. I hadn’t seen the easy switch from major to minor before. What I discovered and am fooling around with is adding base notes to the triads with my thumb. It rounds out the sounds and also adds different color to the tones so that they aren’t necessarily major and relative minor. For the G chord at the third fret I added the bass G note on that fret. For the Bm ladder position I added the F# note, for the C, I used the A shape and added the bass A, still working on D. Also starting in different position and seeing if bass note works. Really opens up the harmonic possibilities beyond the kind of boring 1-4-5. Doing this on electric guitar so the bass is richer and chords blend. Just started this after watching the course so I have a lot of experimenting to do to see where I can take it. I hope to get to jazzier sounds that I can’t normally reach with traditional shapes. Its making me think about the fret board differently. I don’t know every note but and at 74 it’s not easy to remember. Patterns are more doable. Thanks for developing a simple lesson that doesn’t require as much dexterity as some and really opens up the possibilities.

  86. Mike L says

    These triad lessons are magic. For me, if I can absorb and learn these, this will take me from being someone who plays guitar to someone who can improvise on the guitar. Great stuff Brian, lets have more as this is the secret to this instrument.

  88. Charles W says

    Guitar Stroke Recovery Charlie Here,

    Sir I cannot thank you enough for your lessons and sharing your gift as “Excellent” Guitar Player.

    You need to know, your lessons have accelerated my Stroke recovery 10 fold, yes, I understand I had to put in the work, however, you showed me the direction, I am forever grateful: Note I hope you do not mind sharing this.

    The link below is my interpretation of this lesson, hopefully you will give it a listen. Sir, I have come a long way, and still have long way to go.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nyltNtFKXU8

    Charlie ♫♫

  89. Robert R says

    A breakthrough moment…..again. I had watched EP 574 previously. So many of your lessons have been breakthrough moments. I guess that’s why I’ve been a Premium Subscriber for about 8 years now. Thank you Brian.

  90. Eric H says

    This is a GREAT lesson. So much to take in. You can noodle on these triads and embellishments for hours a day. This will be part of my daily practice routine. So glad to be a premium member to get the second half. Great work Brian.

  91. nneihaus says

    Loved this lesson! Been playing for many years and never had this explained before. Thank you! I’m really an acoustic rhythm player and any lesson where I can break away from the typical cowboy chord sounds I find very valuable. Thanks again!

  92. James M says

    Great, great lesson! I would like to give a KUDOS to who does your technical stuff, like the tab display and all the things to go with it: speed control, visuals, looping, etc.. I find it very helpful! Thanks!

  94. Frank X says

    What I’m still trying to grasp is how you know which is the I, III, & V – it’s easier for me at this point to think in terms of the three shapes, but when it comes to flatting the III I’m just kind of reverting to minor shapes for reference, rather than confidently knowing which note is the III. Guessing practice will make it more clear. Cheers

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