We have seen in the previous lesson al the major triads in close (or closed) position. As already stated if these notes of the triad (or ‘voices’) are contained within an octave we call it in ‘close’ or ‘closed’ position, as opposite as ‘spread’ position (more than an octave). Just watch the video where I go through all the most popular shapes for the latter.
OTHER TRIADS
Just like for the close position, it is really simple to find other (minor, augmented, diminished) triads from the major triad.
Major triad – R,3,5 – C,E,G
Minor triad – R,m3,5 – C,Eb,G (Lower the 3rd one 1/2 step)
Augmented triad – R, 3, #5 – C,E,G# (Raise the 5th one 1/2 step)
Diminished triad – R,m3,dim5 – C,Eb,Gb (Lower both the 3rd and 5th one 1/2 step)
Download –here– the page with all the triad inversions on a printable PDF file or click the image below (2 pages, both close and spread voicings).
In this lesson I go through all inversions for the most popular major triad ‘shapes’ on guitar.
The theory behind triads is quite simple: a major triad is basically the 1st, 3rd and 5th note of a major scale. If analysed in intervals: from the root I will have a first note that is a major 3rd apart and a second note that is a perfect 5th apart. As an example, for the key of C major (C,D,E,F,G,A,B) my C major triad will be C,E,G (C-E major 3rd, C-G perfect 5th).
If these notes (or ‘voices’) are contained within an octave we call this ‘close’ or ‘closed’ position, as opposite as ‘spread’ position (more than an octave). We will see the triads in Spread Position in another lesson.
INVERSIONS
When the triad is in its Root-3rd-5th configuration we call it ‘root position’ – C,E,G
If we move the root up an octave we have the first inversion – 3rd, 5th, Root – E,G,C
If we then move the 3rd up an octave we have the second inversion – 5th, Root, 3rd – G,C,E
OTHER TRIADS
It is really simple to find other (minor, augmented, diminished) triads from the major triad.
Major triad – R,3,5 – C,E,G
Minor triad – R,m3,5 – C,Eb,G (Lower the 3rd one 1/2 step)
Augmented triad – R, 3, #5 – C,E,G# (Raise the 5th one 1/2 step)
Diminished triad – R,m3,dim5 – C,Eb,Gb (Lower both the 3rd and 5th one 1/2 step)
Download –here– the page with all the inversions on a printable PDF file or click the image below.
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(in 60 JPG’s and a 71 page PDF eBook) BLANK MUSIC PAPER TEMPLATES:
BLANK STAFF PAPER TEMPLATE
BLANK TREBLE CLEF STAFF (without Barlines)
BLANK TREBLE CLEF STAFF (with Barlines)
BLANK TREBLE CLEF STAFF+TAB (without Barlines)
BLANK TREBLE CLEF STAFF+TAB (with Barlines)
BLANK TAB ONLY (without Barlines)
BLANK TAB ONLY (with Barlines)
BLANK PAGE WITH BARLINES
BLANK GUITAR NECK BOX 6 FRETS
BLANK GUITAR NECK BOX 12 FRETS
BLANK GUITAR NECK BOX 24 FRETS SCALES:
MAJOR/MINOR PENTATONIC SCALE/ BLUES SCALE (5 SHAPES)
MAJOR SCALES (5 SHAPES)
MAJOR SCALES 3 NOTES PER STRING (7 SHAPES)
MELODIC MINOR (5 SHAPES)
MELODIC MINOR 3 NPS (7 SHAPES)
HARMONIC MINOR (5 SHAPES)
HARMONIC MINOR 3 NPS (7 SHAPES)
WHOLE TONE SCALE
DIMINISHED SCALE
MODES OF C MAJOR
MODES OF C MAJOR, PARALLEL APPROACH
MODES OF C MELODIC MINOR
MODES OF C HARMONIC MINOR
ALL MODES – FORMULAS CHORDS:
BASIC CHORDS CHART (Most popular open chords and Barre chords)
7TH CHORDS CHART :maj7, m7, 7, m7(b5)
CHORD VOCABULARY:
MOST POPULAR CHORDS (TONIC:C)
MOST POPULAR CHORDS (TONIC:Db/C#)
MOST POPULAR CHORDS (TONIC:D)
MOST POPULAR CHORDS (TONIC:Eb/D#)
MOST POPULAR CHORDS (TONIC:E)
MOST POPULAR CHORDS (TONIC:F)
MOST POPULAR CHORDS (TONIC:Gb/F#)
MOST POPULAR CHORDS (TONIC:G)
MOST POPULAR CHORDS (TONIC:Ab/G#)
MOST POPULAR CHORDS (TONIC:A)
MOST POPULAR CHORDS (TONIC:Bb/A#)
MOST POPULAR CHORDS (TONIC:B) ARPEGGIOS:
MAJOR/MINOR/AUG TRIADS ALL INVERSIONS
7th ARPEGGIOS ALL INVERSIONS
7th ARPEGGIOS 3 STRING SETS
MISC TEMPLATES:
12 BAR BLUES FORM (ROMAN NUMERALS)
12 BAR BLUES IN E
12 BAR BLUES IN A
12 BAR BLUES IN C
12 BAR BLUES IN G
GUITAR ANATOMY/FINGER NUMBERING
NOTE NAMES ON TREBLE STAFF/NOTE VALUES
NOTES ON GUITAR NECK
CAGED SYSTEM
STRUMMING PATTERN TEMPLATE
HARMONICS CHART
CIRCLE OF FIFTHS
MAJOR SCALES ALL KEYS
INTERVALS CHART
INTERVALS ON THE GUITAR NECK
TRIAD INVERSIONS (CLOSED)
TRIAD INVERSIONS (SPREAD)
GOALS SETTING TEMPLATE
STUDENT NOTES TEMPLATE FOR TEACHERS
Let’s now go back to the basic theory post (quite successful over 10k views just the day I posted!) , and let’s see how things apply to guitar…just read the explanatins in red and watch the videos!
Let’s start again:
The natural sounds are:
English
C
D
E
F
G
A
B
You might also find in some books the name of these notes in Italian (nothing to do with ‘solfege’!) Do,Re,Mi,Fa,Sol,La,Si and in German C,D,E,F,G,A,H.
Sharps and flats.
# = sharp: raises the given note of a half step.
One half-step on guitar is a fret, easy. When you move up a fret (from the headstock to the body of the guitar) you are playing two notes that are a semitone/half-step apart from each other. From G natural to G# you would move up one fret.
## = double sharp: raises the given note of two half steps (also noted ‘x’).
From G natural to G## you would move up two frets.
b = flat: lowers the given note of a half step.
From G natural to Gb you would move down one fret.
bb = double flat: lowers the given note of two half steps.
From G natural to Gbb you would move down two frets.
= natural: cancels sharps and flats (double natural cancels double sharps and flats).
The Chromatic scale.
In this first video I start from the chromatic scale and show you how to build a major scale:
The chromatic scale contains all 12 natural and altered sound (using sharps and flats).
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
C
C#/Db
D
D#/Eb
E
F
F#/Gb
G
G#/Ab
A
A#/Bb
B
Notes called with a different name, but identifying the same sound, are called enharmonic (i.e.: C# e Db). The shortest distance between two sound of the chromatic scale is a Half Step, the distance of a fret on the guitar.
Intervals.
An interval is the distance between two notes.
Intervals of a second, third, sixths and seventh are called major. If a major interval is raised by an half step it is calledaugmented. If a major interval is lowered by an half step it is called minor. If lowered by two half steps, diminuished.
Intervals of a fourth, fifth and octave are called perfect. If a perfect interval is raised by an half step it is calledaugmented. If a perfect interval is lowered by an half step it is called diminuished (note the difference).
All the intervals from the tonic of a major scale to any other note of tha scale are major or perfect (i.e. between C and D=major 2nd, C e E=major 3rd, C e F=perfect 4th, and so on…)
Intervals can also be calculated summing up half steps: one half-step on guitar is a fret, easy. When you move a fret up (from the headstock to the body of the guitar) you are playing two notes that are a semitone/half-step apart from each other.
N.of htps
1
2
3
4
5
6
6
7
8
8
9
10
10
11
12
Interval
m2
M2
m3
M3
P4
4aug
5dim
P5
5aug
m6
M6
6aug
m7
M7
P8
where m=minor, M=major, P=perfect, dim=diminuished, aug=augmented.
How to build a major scale.
Read the theory and watch the video below:
The spacing of the notes in a major scales follow this rule:
WWHWWWH
Where W = Whole step (a major second) H= Half step
Example : C major
To build major sales in other keys use exclusively either sharps or flats choosing the notes so that a note with the same name is never repeated. In doing so you will only use Diatonic half steps (given by two notes with different name, i.e. C-Db, opposite to Chromatic half steps given by two notes with the same name, as in D –D#).
ON GUITAR:
Major scale – fixed position patterns
These are the famous 5 ‘box’ movable patterns for the major scale. Of course you can
play all the major scales with these, as long as the tonic, aka the note that gives the name
to the scale, sits in the red circles. The example is in G major, like in the video, but as I
said, these patterns can be transposed to all major scales. The roman numeral stands for
the fret number.
The Major scale template above is from TrueGuitarist.com’s ‘The Guitar Kit’, a free collection of guitar templates.
This is a list of all the major scales in all keys. The order follows the amount of sharps and flats in the key.
Keys with flats.
C
D
E
F
G
A
B
F
G
A
Bb
C
D
E
Bb
C
D
Eb
F
G
A
Eb
F
G
Ab
Bb
C
D
Ab
Bb
C
Db
Eb
F
G
Db
Eb
F
Gb
Ab
Bb
C
Gb
Ab
Bb
Cb
Db
Eb
F
Cb
Db
Eb
Fb
Gb
Ab
Bb
Keys with sharps.
C
D
E
F
G
A
B
G
A
B
C
D
E
F#
D
E
F#
G
A
B
C#
A
B
C#
D
E
F#
G#
E
F#
G#
A
B
C#
D#
B
C#
D#
E
F#
G#
A#
F#
G#
A#
B
C#
D#
E#
C#
D#
E#
F#
G#
A#
B#
Relative minor (key)
Every major key has one relative minor which is made of the same notes, but starting from the sixth note. In other words, starting a minor third below (or a major sixth above) the root of the major scale. For example if we take C major its relative minor is A minor, spelled A B C D E F G.
On guitar: To play the relative minor, just start two notes before the note in the red circle.
Circle of fifths.
The circle of fifths one of the most used ways to summarize all I explained so far. It is very useful to memorize how many and which alterations a specific key has.
I find very useful to memorize FCGDAEB and the same sequence backwards BEADGCF. The first is the order of sharps the second, of flats. So if a key has, for example, 3 sharps (A major) they will be the first 3 notes in the first seqence (F# C# G#).
Harmonized major scale – How to build chords.
A practical application on guitar:
In the example below every note of a major scale identifies a ‘degree’ of the scale. In the example I have used C major, but this is valid for every other major scale in any key.
If I stack on every degree two more notes a diatonic third apart (basically every other one) I end up with different kinds of triads (triad=group of three notes). These triads are shown in the example below. If we analyse the intervals between notes:
a Major Triad has a Maj 3rd and a Perf 5th (Eg. C-E-G: C-E=maj 3rd , C-G Perf 5th).
a Minor Triad has a min 3rd and a Perf 5th.
a Diminuished Triad has a min 3rd and a diminuished 5th.
You will have the same series of chords in all the other keys Eg: F major: F, Gm, Am, Bb, C, Dm, Em.
Already with this knowledge we can understand how to Analyze simple songs or how to write pop songs:
If we stack another note a diatonic third apart from the last note of the above triads we will have Seventh chords.
This again is valid for all the 12 keys. This concept is vital to understand how songs are built and how to pick the correct scale for a solo.
On Guitar this note choice for 7th chords might not work…let’s see some more popular choices to play this on guitar:
With this we can now analyse more complex songs like a simple jazz standard…watch the video:
What follows is just a brief summary of basic theory and harmony necessary to understand practical applications on your instrument.
The natural sounds are:
C – D – E – F – G – A – B
You might also find in some books the name of these notes in Italian (nothing to do with ‘solfege’!)
Do, Re, Mi, Fa, Sol, La, Si and in German C, D, E, F, G, A, H.
Sharps and flats.
# = sharp: raises the given note of a half step.
## = double sharp: raises the given note of two half steps (also noted ‘x’).
b = flat: lowers the given note of a half step.
bb = double flat: lowers the given note of two half steps.
= natural: cancels sharps and flats (double natural cancels double sharps and flats).
The Chromatic scale.
The chromatic scale contains all 12 natural and altered sound (using sharps and flats).
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
C
C#/Db
D
D#/Eb
E
F
F#/Gb
G
G#/Ab
A
A#/Bb
B
Notes called with a different name, but identifying the same sound, are called enharmonic (i.e.: C# e Db). The shortest distance between two sound of the chromatic scale is a Half Step, the distance of a fret on the guitar.
Intervals.
An interval is the distance between two notes.
Intervals of a second, third, sixths and seventh are called major. If a major interval is raised by an half step it is called augmented. If a major interval is lowered by an half step it is called minor. If lowered by two half steps, diminished.
Intervals of a fourth, fifth and octave are called perfect. If a perfect interval is raised by an half step it is calledaugmented. If a perfect interval is lowered by an half step it is called diminished (note the difference).
All the intervals from the tonic of a major scale to any other note of tha scale are major or perfect (i.e. between C and D=major 2nd, C e E=major 3rd, C e F=perfect 4th, and so on…)
Intervals can also be calculated summing up half steps:
N.of htps
1
2
3
4
5
6
6
7
8
8
9
10
10
11
12
Interval
m2
M2
m3
M3
P4
4aug
5dim
P5
5aug
m6
M6
6aug
m7
M7
P8
where m=minor, M=major, P=perfect, dim=diminished, aug=augmented.
How to build a major scale.
The spacing of the notes in a major scales follow this rule:
WWHWWWH
Where W = Whole step (a major second) H= Half step (a minor second)
Example : C major
To build major sales in other keys use exclusively either sharps or flats choosing the notes so that a note with the same name is never repeated. In doing so you will only use Diatonic half steps (given by two notes with different name, i.e. C-Db, opposite to Chromatic half steps given by two notes with the same name, as in D –D#).
This is a list of all the major scales in all keys. The order follows the amount of sharps and flats in the key.
Keys with flats.
C
D
E
F
G
A
B
F
G
A
Bb
C
D
E
Bb
C
D
Eb
F
G
A
Eb
F
G
Ab
Bb
C
D
Ab
Bb
C
Db
Eb
F
G
Db
Eb
F
Gb
Ab
Bb
C
Gb
Ab
Bb
Cb
Db
Eb
F
Cb
Db
Eb
Fb
Gb
Ab
Bb
Keys with sharps.
C
D
E
F
G
A
B
G
A
B
C
D
E
F#
D
E
F#
G
A
B
C#
A
B
C#
D
E
F#
G#
E
F#
G#
A
B
C#
D#
B
C#
D#
E
F#
G#
A#
F#
G#
A#
B
C#
D#
E#
C#
D#
E#
F#
G#
A#
B#
Relative minor (key)
Every major key has one relative minor which is made of the same notes, but starting from the sixth note. In other words, starting a minor third below (or a major sixth above) the root of the major scale. For example if we take C major its relative minor is A minor, spelled A B C D E F G.
Circle of fifths.
The circle of fifths one of the most used ways to summarize all I explained so far. It is very useful to memorize how many and which alterations a specific key has.
I find very useful to memorize FCGDAEB and the same sequence backwards BEADGCF. The first is the order of sharps the second, of flats. So if a key has, for example, 3 sharps (A major) they will be the first 3 notes in the first seqence (F# C# G#).
Harmonized major scale – How to build chords.
In the example below every note of a major scale identifies a ‘degree’ of the scale. In the example I have used C major, but this is valid for every other major scale in any key.
If I stack on every degree two more notes a diatonic third apart (basically every other one) I end up with different kinds of triads (triad=group of three notes). These triads are shown in the example below. If we analyse the intervals between notes:
a Major Triad has a Maj 3rd and a Perf 5th (Eg. C-E-G: C-E=maj 3rd , C-G Perf 5th).
a Minor Triad has a min 3rd and a Perf 5th.
a Diminished Triad has a min 3rd and a diminished 5th.
You will have the same series of chords in all the other keys Eg: F major: F, Gm, Am, Bb, C, Dm, Em.
If we stack another note a diatonic third apart from the last note of the above triads we will have Seventh chords.
This again is valid for all the 12 keys. This concept is vital to understand how songs are built and how to pick the correct scale for a solo.
The above concept in all keys looks like this:
Harmonized major scale – Keys with flats.
Cmaj7
Dm7
Em7
Fmaj7
G7
Am7
Bm7b5
Fmaj7
Gm7
Am7
Bbmaj7
C7
Dm7
Em7b5
Bbmaj7
Cm7
Dm7
Ebmaj7
F7
Gm7
Am7b5
Ebmaj7
Fm7
Gm7
Abmaj7
Bb7
Cm7
Dm7b5
Abmaj7
Bbm7
Cm7
Dbmaj7
Eb7
Fm7
Gm7b5
Dbmaj7
Ebm7
Fm7
Gbmaj7
Ab7
Bbm7
Cm7b5
Gbmaj7
Abm7
Bbm7
Cbmaj7
Db7
Ebm7
Fm7b5
Cbmaj7
Dbm7
Ebm7
Fbmaj7
Gb7
Abm7
Bbm7b5
Harmonized major scale – Keys with sharps.
Cmaj7
Dm7
Em7
Fmaj7
G7
Am7
Bm7b5
Gmaj7
Am7
Bm7
Cmaj7
D7
Em7
F#m7b5
Dmaj7
Em7
F#m7
Gmaj7
A7
Bm7
C#m7b5
Amaj7
Bm7
C#m7
Dmaj7
E7
F#m7
G#m7b5
Emaj7
F#m7
G#m7
Amaj7
B7
C#m7
D#m7b5
Bmaj7
C#m7
D#m7
Emaj7
F#7
G#m7
A#m7b5
F#maj7
G#m7
A#m7
Bmaj7
C#7
D#m7
E#m7b5
C#maj7
D#m7
E#m7
F#maj7
G#7
A#m7
B#m7b5
In a simple chord progression/ tune things should now be easy to analyze:
| C7 | … the V7 of F major, the key is F major.
| Cm7 F7 | Bbmaj7 | … a ii – V – I in Bb major. The Key is Bb major.
| A maj7 F#m7 Bm7 E7 | … a I-vi-ii-V in A
Of course this is simple when the tune is all in one key, it becomes a skill to be able to spot these in a tune that features key changes and other compositional tricks. This is beyond the scope of this lesson.