How to Play Major Triads on Guitar - Close and Open Voicings

What is a Close Voicing?

First, let's talk about close major triad voicings. In this case the notes are placed as close together as possible, they are all included in one octave. In a first look we play these major triads with roots on the sixth, fifth, fourth and third string. These diagrams represent the easiest way to play close voiced major triads on the guitar.

How To Practice These Major Triads ?

• Find the name of the triad

Play the shapes below anywhere on the guitar neck and find the name of the triad. For example, if you decide to play the first diagram (bass on sixth string) at the seventh fret, it means that you will put your pinky finger on the sixth string, at the seventh fret. So, the name of the triad is B major. It is a close B major triad. Repeat that with the four guitar shapes below.

• Find the triad whose name have been provided

​You can also work contrary to the previous way by finding the triad whose name has been provided. For example, you must be able to play the G major triad with the root on the sixth string, then on the fifth, on the fourth and on the third string. You should be able to play any major triad anywhere on the guitar neck.

Close voiced major triad - Root on 6th string

Close voiced major triad - Root on 5th string

Close voiced major triad - Root on 4th string

Close voiced major triad - Root on 3rd string

You can also play close major triads in position. By using the first diagram and putting your second finger on the sixth string at the fifth fret you get an A major triad. You also get another major triad with the root on the fourth string. As you may have noticed, there are two close major triads in a same position. You can now repeat the two previous exercises "find the name of the triad" and "find the triad whose name have been provided" using the five guitar shapes below.

Close voiced major triad in position- Root on 6th, 4th and 1st string.

Close voiced major triad in position (2) - Root on 6th, 3rd and first string.

Close voiced major triad in position- Root on 5th and 3rd string.

Close voiced major triad in position- Root on 5th and 2nd string.

Close voiced major triad in position- Root on 4th and 2nd string.

Now, we will see that the notes of the triads can be inverted. Giving us two other voicings and 8 different positions to play on the guitar. The first voicing has the third in the bass. The second voicing has the fifth in the bass.

Once again as outlined above, you can find the name of a triad and find a triad whose name have been provided.

Inverted close voiced major triad - Third in the bass - Bass on 6th string

Inverted close voiced major triad - Fifth in the bass - Bass on 6th string

Inverted close voiced major triad - Third in the bass - Bass on 5th string

Inverted close voiced major triad - Fifth in the bass - Bass on 5th string

Inverted close voiced major triad - Third in the bass - Bass on 4th string

Inverted close voiced major triad - Fifth in the bass - Bass on 4th string

Inverted close voiced major triad - Third in the bass - Bass on 3rd string

Inverted close voiced major triad - Fifth in the bass - Bass on 4th string

What are open triads ?

The notes of an open triad are spread over more than one octave, that's why open triads are also known as "spread triads".

How open major triads are built ?

They are built by moving the middle note of a closed voicing up on the octave. Let's take an example with a C major triad (close voicing). It is built with C (root) E (third) and G (fifth). To build an open triad, you must move the middle note which is the third (E) an octave up. So, you get a new voicing : C (Root), G (fifth), E (third). Now, you can also repeat this with the two inverted closed major triads to get two others opened major triad voicings.

These three guitar shapes (root position) show you how to play open major triads on the guitar. The first diagram has its root on the 6th string, the second on the fifth string and the third on the fourth string. Before taking a look at the inverted triads below, try to play the open major triads in root positions all over the guitar neck and find the name of the triad.

Open major triad - Root in the bass - Bass on sixth string

Open major triad - Root in the bass - Bass on fifth string

Open major triad - Root in the bass - Bass on fouth string

As we have seen it before, the notes of the triads can be inverted with both close and open voicings. So, here are six other open major triad guitar diagrams. The two first shapes represent the two inversions of the first open major triad which has its root on the sixth string. These two new voicings have the third and the fifth in the bass. The same holds true for the two other open major triads forms (basses on fifth and fourth strings).

Open major triad - First inversion - Third in the bass - Bass on sixth string

Open major triad -      Second inversion - Fifth in the bass - Bass on sixth string

Open major triad - First inversion - Third in the bass - Bass on fifth string

Open major triad - second inversion - Fifth in the bass - Bass on fifth string

Open major triad - First inversion - Third in the bass - Bass on fourth string

Open major triad - second inversion - Fifth in the bass - Bass on fourth string

• 

  Guitar Scale Dictionary

  This E-book is a printable PDF method including over 700 guitar scale diagrams and formula charts.
• 

  Guitar Chord Dictionary

  This PDF eBook provides over 550 guitar chord shapes. This is the perfect reference guide to understand how chords are built and how to play them on guitar.
• 

  172 Arpeggio Shapes For Guitar

  This printable PDF is a method dedicated to guitarists of all styles who want to learn the most important types of arpeggios.
• 

  126 Triad Chord Shapes

  This handbook for guitar players is intended both for teachers and students. It includes 126 guitar shapes for mastering triads.
• 

  30 Minor Arpeggio Licks NEW

  This package provides a printable PDF method containing 30 exercises (tab / audio files) for practicing minor arpeggios on guitar.
• 

  II V I Bundle - 170 Exercises

  This bundle contains 4 PDF methods for a total of 170 exercises with tabs & audio files for practicing scales, licks & chords over the famous 2-5-1 progression.
• 

  Diatonic Licks Bundle

  This package contains 120 jazz guitar lines based on diatonic modes as Mixolydian, Dorian and Ionian. PDF format with tabs, audio files and analysis.
• 

  30 Smooth Jazz Guitar Licks

  In this package you'll get a printable PDF Method with tabs, notation, analysis, scale shapes and audio files related to 30 smooth jazz guitar licks.
• 

  40 II V I Jazz Guitar Licks

  This pdf method for guitar contains fourteen 2 5 1 jazz guitar lines with tab, standard notation, analysis, scale charts and audio files.
• 

  50 II-V-I voicings

  This printable PDF guitar method provides 50 exercises with audio files, analysis, tab & standard notation for practicing chords over the major 2-5-1 progression.
• 

  40 Minor 2 5 1 Chord Voicings

  This PDF method contains 40 exercices with tabs, scores and audio files for practicing jazz guitar chords over the minor 2 5 1 progression.
• 

  40 Minor II V I Licks

  This guitar method is a printable PDF with tabs, diagrams, theory and audio files providing 40 minor 2 5 1 jazz patterns.
• 

  40 Mixolydian Jazz Guitar Lick

  PDF guitar method with tabs, audio files and theory providing 40 dominant jazz guitar lines for teachers and students.
• 

  40 Minor Jazz Guitar Licks

  This printable guitar method in PDF format contains 40 easy minor jazz guitar lines based on the Dorian mode.
• 

  40 Major Jazz Guitar Licks

  Printable PDF eBook method containing 40 major jazz guitar licks with tab, standard notation and audio files for beginners and intermediates.
• 

  Guitar Walking Bass Lines

  This jazz guitar method about walking bass lines and chords is available as a PDF files containing 35 exercises with tabs, analysis and audio files
• 

  101 Dominant Arpeggio Patterns

  This printable PDF method provides 101 dominant arpeggio exercises with tab, theory and standard notation for the jazz, blues and rock guitarist.
• 

  49 Essential Jazz Lines

  This printable eBook method in PDF format provides 49 jazz solo transcriptions of the greatest jazz musicians. Tab, standard notation, audio files & analysis.
• 

  11 Jazz Blues Studies

  This PDF method contains 11 jazz blues chord studies with tabs, standard notation, analysis & audio files for jazz guitar players.
• 

  10 Easy Fingerstyle Blues

  This PDF with Tabs and audio files provides 10 easy acoustic fingerstyle blues guitar studies for kids and beginners.
• 

  25 Altered Jazz Guitar Lines

  This PDF eBook method contains 25 altered jazz guitar licks with tabs, patterns, scale charts and audio files to master, apply and develop the altered scale.
• 

  40 Blues Dominant Patterns

  This printable method is available as a PDF file containing 40 easy dominant jazz-blues guitar lines with tabs, standard notation, analysis, audio files and scale charts.
• 

  Mastering Pentatonic Scales

  This jazz guitar method is an eBook available as a PDF with standard notation, guitar tabs, diagrams, analysis, audio files and backing tracks. You will find in this booklet 25 easy jazz guitar lines with theory using common and rare pentatonic scales.
• 

  25 Soul Jazz Guitar Licks

  You will find here an eBook available in PDF containing 25 soul jazz and hard bop guitar licks in the style of Grant Green, Melvin Sparks, George Benson. These jazz lines come with tabs, standard notation, guitar neck diagrams, backing track for practice and 25 audio files for each riff.
• 

  25 Diminished Patterns

  This eBook PDF with audio files contains 25 dominant diminished jazz guitar patterns using the half-whole diminished scale and diminished 7th arpeggios.
• 

  6 Tritone substitution licks

  This Printable PDF eBook available for free download contains 6 easy jazz guitar licks with tabs/notation, youtube video link and analysis about the tritone substitution.
• 

  10 Minor 7 Arpeggio Patterns

  This printable PDF eBook offers 10 easy minor 7 arpeggio patterns with its related YouTube video for beginner guitarists.