Triads on the high strings: three notes, three places — Intermediate, step 7

Triads on the high strings

A six-string chord takes up a lot of room. Triads keep just three of its notes, on the high strings: light and precise, they leave room for the bass, the piano or another guitar. Goal: play a progression in triads, in a single area of the neck.

Time

15 minutes a day, for a week

Before you start

Slash chords and descending bass lines; Building a chord

You’ll be able to

Play a progression in triads on the high strings

Three notes, three orders

A major triad has three notes: root, third, fifth. On the three high strings (G, B, high E), you can stack them in three different orders, called inversions. Each one sits in a different place on the neck.

For C (C, E, G):

Where	G string	B string	High E	Order
Near the nut	G (0)	C (1)	E (0)	5, 1, 3
Around the 5th fret	C (5)	E (5)	G (3)	1, 3, 5
Around the 8th fret	E (9)	G (8)	C (8)	3, 5, 1

e|-0-3-8-|
B|-1-5-8-|
G|-0-5-9-|
D|-------|
A|-------|
E|-------|

Find the root (C) in each shape: it tells you where to put the triad for another chord.

Minor triads

Same principle with a minor third. A minor (A, C, E):

Where	G string	B string	High E
Near the nut	A (2)	C (1)	E (0)
Around the 5th fret	C (5)	E (5)	A (5)
Around the 9th fret	E (9)	A (10)	C (8)

e|-0-5-8--|
B|-1-5-10-|
G|-2-5-9--|
D|--------|
A|--------|
E|--------|

The 5th-fret shape is the easiest: a small three-string barre. Compare it with C in the same spot: only the high E changes (3rd fret for C, 5th for A minor).

A progression without moving your hand

C, Am, F, G, in triads around the 5th fret:

C: G 5, B 5, E 3;
Am: G 5, B 5, E 5;
F: G 5, B 6, E 5;
G: G 7, B 8, E 7.

e|-3-5-5-7-|
B|-5-5-6-8-|
G|-5-5-5-7-|
D|---------|
A|---------|
E|---------|

Your fingers barely move from one chord to the next: that’s the whole point of triads. Strum only the three high strings, with a light pick, or pluck them with three fingers.

The pop strumC · Am · F · G

↓1
·&
↓2
↑&
·3
↑&
↓4
↑&

Tempo 70 Drums and bass Guide guitar Metronome

Learn the pop strum step by step →

This player plays the full chords: play your triads on top, like a second guitar.

What they’re for

With another guitar: while one plays open chords, the other plays triads up the neck. The two parts don’t get in each other’s way.
In a band: the bass plays the roots, so you don’t need to double them.
For intros and bridges: a progression in arpeggiated triads changes color without changing chords.

You’ve got it when…

You play the C triad in three places on the high strings
You play the A minor triad in three places
You play the progression C, Am, F, G in triads around the 5th fret, without stopping