Triads & inversions small shapes, whole neck
A triad is the three notes a chord is made of — root, third, fifth. On three neighbouring strings each chord has three small grips, one per note on the bottom. Learn them on the strings and you can play any chord anywhere, move between chords by a fret or two, and see the skeleton inside every movable shape.
Lesson 1 · C major on G, C, E
Major = root, then a third, then a fifth. On three neighbouring strings every chord has three small grips, and the lowest sounding note names the shape. That is not always the lowest string: the G string is tuned above the C, so on the G, C, E strings the lowest note is on the middle string.
- Root position — C E G, with C on the bottom (the open strings: 0 0 0)
- First inversion — E G C, with the third on the bottom (5 4 3)
- Second inversion — G C E, with the fifth on the bottom (9 7 8)
Frets read G C E, in that order.
A|------------- E|--0---3---8-- C|--0---4---7-- G|--0---5---9--
Lesson 2 · Minor — lower the third
Move the third down one fret and major becomes minor. A minor (A C E) on the same strings, in the order the shapes climb the neck: first inversion, second inversion, then root position.
A|------------- E|--0---5---8-- C|--0---4---9-- G|--2---5---9--
Check it from C: first inversion C major is 5 4 3. Drop the middle string one fret to 5 3 3 and it is C minor (E♭ G C).
Lesson 3 · The same idea on C, E, A
Drop one string set and the grips change shape. On G, C, E the string pairs are a fourth apart then a major third; on C, E, A they are a major third then a fourth, so the same chord needs different frets. These strings hold F, A and C, so here is F major — second inversion, root position, first inversion. Frets read C E A.
A|--0---3---8-- E|--1---5---8-- C|--0---5---9-- G|-------------
If you also play guitar, these are the guitar’s top-three-string grips with the numbers unchanged — the intervals between the strings match.
Lesson 4 · Voice leading I – IV – V – I
Move between chords by the smallest steps. In C, on the G, C, E strings, no note moves more than a whole step:
C (5 4 3) → F (5 5 5) → G (7 7 7) → C (9 7 8)
A|----------------- E|--3---5---7---8-- C|--4---5---7---7-- G|--5---5---7---9--
Compare it with the open grips from Chords in a key: the open version jumps between shapes, this one slides.
Lesson 5 · Triads inside the shapes you know
Every open or movable chord contains one of these grips. Find the triad and you can see which strings are doing the work and which are doubling.
| Grip | Frets | Where it lives |
|---|---|---|
| C root position (G C E) | 0 0 0 | Open C, 0 0 0 3: the A string adds a doubled C |
| A minor first inversion (G C E) | 2 0 0 | Open Am, 2 0 0 0 |
| F second inversion (C E A) | 0 1 0 | Open F, 2 0 1 0: the G string adds the A |
| F root position (G C E) | 5 5 5 | The C shape moved to fret 5 (5 5 5 8), see Movable shapes |
| G root position (G C E) | 7 7 7 | The C shape at fret 7 (7 7 7 10) |
Lesson 6 · Comp with them
Pick one area of the neck and play the triad for each chord as short stabs on beats 2 and 4, over the backing band. Three notes is a thin sound that leaves room for the singer. When you want the stabs to swing, go to Jazz.
Ready when
Move on when all of these are true on a normal day:
- You can play all three inversions of a major or minor triad on G, C, E, naming each by its lowest note.
- You can play the same chord on C, E, A.
- You can play I – IV – V – I in C with no note moving more than a whole step.