Triads have been the harmonic infrastructure in music for the last one-thousand-plus years.

Some of the great composers of all time, (Bach, Mozart, Haydn, Beethoven, Brahms, Wagner, Chopin, etc.), based the majority of the harmony in their compositions on triads. However, for most jazz guitarist, we are often not too impressed with triads as they pertain to jazz; we are eager to learn 7th chords and chords that contain extensions. (Ahhh---the 7th chords and their luscious colors). After all, 7th chords are what are typically used in virtually all the repertoire we learn as jazz musicians, there is no place for triads, right? Wrong---learning your triads well on the guitar can offer fresh new sounds and perspectives on improvising and comping that one may have never thought possible. In this lesson, we will begin by reviewing both closed position triads and open position triads in all keys. For now, all the examples involve just a G major triad; however, every example should be practiced with minor, augmented, and diminished triads in all keys. These examples, if practiced correctly, will not only offer you with more comfortably with playing triads in all keys, but your awareness of the fretboard will be significantly improved. Next issue, we will begin looking at playing triads over standards and superimposing triads over underlying harmonic progressions to get the colors we desire.

Triad Practice Techniques G Major Triad (Do the same exercise with minor, augmented, and diminished triads.) 1. Play each inversion including the octave on each string group. Begin each string group with lowest possible voicing.(There are four possible string groups with closed position triads.)

2. Now play the triad and its inversions in succession using two triads per string group.

3. Do the same exercises using triad spread voicings. (There are three possible strings groups using triad spread voicings).

4. Now practice both closed position triads and spread triads using suspensions. The Three suspensions we will use are 6-5, 4-3, and 2-1. Practice utilizing the techniques discussed in exercises 1 and exercise 2. Suspensions in Triad Closed Position Voicings

Suspensions in Triad Spread Voicings

5. Practice all of these exercises in all keys. The way I recommend is to go around the Cycle of Fifths. To make things interesting, try going around the cycle focusing on different voices of the triad. As mentioned earlier, practice all of these examples with major, minor, augmented, and diminished triads.