Drilling Triads On Guitar

Triads on the guitar are a critical tool. And while it's no secret that effort usually equals results, guitarists can suffer from a "shallow knowledge cycle" where adding information without proper drilling leads to it eventually slipping away.

"The Woodshed" series here is designed to share and instill an appropriate level of rigor to the method you use to add new information to the fretboard. This first installment is all about drilling triads within the context of a chord progression.

00:00 Demonstration
00:42 Thesis
02:06 Introduction
03:16 Lesson
09:39 Wrap Up

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Thanks for watching!
Chris

[tubetdf]

After looking at many of the other guitar learning channels for insights into triads, I gave up. I spent a couple of hours one Saturday looking around and not finding anything useful or sustainable. But this video today is exactly what I (and I'm guessing most players) need in terms of an exercise and the wisdom that you also have to put in the time to really learn something. And there are some other hidden gems in this exercise that I hope Chris will one day expand on!

[Srobinson]

Thinking mans teacher who contextualizes the lesson and doesn't shy away from the hard work. Truly the best channel on YT.

[Dave-gfkd]

What? I have to put in EFFORT? I have to PRACTICE? I have always had guitar as a third, forth, fith interest in my life until the last three years. I am know a fully CURIOUS guitarist - thanks to Chris and Michael Palmisano. But I actually coach other sports, and have used this philosophy in them my whole life. I’m about to send this video to several people I know who are not musicians…but are interested in learning, growth, improvement. Like all Chris’s videos - a true “gift’ - but this because of the “message” is my absolute FAVORITE! THANKS!

[steveperks]

Neuroscience!
Encode - Consolidate - Recall
Aural - Visual - Cognitive - Tactile
Practicing anything parrot fashion without STAYING AWAKE and being curious just loops that information in short term memory and it will fade away.
Understanding the core concepts of what you are trying to achieve and putting in the hard work will lock it into long term memory and make it easier to trigger recall.
We grasshoppers love your teachings, Master!

[perring]

There is no doubt sir, that you are the best teacher on youtube. Thank you so much. Best, Marcus from Denmark

[nathanaddenusic]

There are lessons forever here, Hopefully we all remember knowing it is one thing, Applying it is another. Great one my friend👍

[ShaunRay]

Not sure how I’m just now finding you, but after watching just 3 of your videos, you’ve connected more dots for me than I’ve learned in 7 years of watching other YouTubers. Your teaching style is the best I’ve ever seen. Thank you! Seriously.

[ronrosepi]

The “shallow knowledge cycle”. This lesson goes far deeper than Triads. My biggest issue has been “how to practice properly” and get the most benefit. You answered that question. Thank you!

[bryonguernsey]

I still can’t understand why more people don’t take the time to leave you a thumbs up like . Thanks for helping tens of thousands of total strangers. I’m a Gen X living in this golden age of YouTube video learning I bounce between your channel and a handful of others. Seriously and thank you for taking the time to put this stuff out there. I hope you’re making a good living.

[EclecticEssentric]

Some of your videos remind how far I've got to go, and some remind me how far I've come. Thanks for the previous triads videos that made this child's play.

Thank you, thank you, thank you!

[adammusic]

This is really good stuff on drilling those triads, so much so that I've gone and joined your Patreon as a keen follower on the top level just today... I think your way of teaching is awesome and easily digestible in these little bite size lessons you can take away and practice getting under your fingers for a few days or a week, try them in music and then come back for more... No more information overload or paralysis for me with guitar (and believe me as a self-taught guitarist picking your path and what to use now and save for later to learn is mighty challenging)... Thanks so much for being on YouTube and doing the work you do!

[LeeFKoch]

Great lesson, Chris! Thanks for being so direct and honest, not promising a quick fix or some "secret" knowledge to "instantly" master the fretboard. The circle of 5ths is definitely a good foundation for this kind of drill. I've been doing a similar one for my 2-5-1 shell voicings, and it has really helped me to learn my way around and become more confident. I'm not as confident with major triads yet, so I'll be adding this exercise to my practice routine.

[zorkestar]

I used to tell my audience, when asked, the truth about learning to play an instrument, as you are doing. Not what they wanted to hear, so I told them I was just a natural, which relieved them of burden of thinking that they could play. But any person serious about getting better should follow your sage advice. Thanks

[scottbowen]

A friend told me about triads recently and this is the most exciting thing I've come around to since I first hit a chord on an electric guitar plugged into an amp! This seems the single most important concept to opening up one's knowledge and playing in creative and more interesting ways. I've watched several videos on this, which have been helpful, but this is the best I've seen. Thanks Chris.

[thomasmartinscott]

Excellent Lesson. I just recently started using Triads, and I'm loving them. Started playing in 1963. Professionally from 1966 through 2022, and somehow Triads never even came into the picture. I don't know why, they just didn't. I will work on this daily. Thank You! (The feeling I have reminds me of 1963.)

[dipanka]

Thanks for speaking out the truth loud and clear, too many lessons out there enticing beginners with "not much effort needed" kind of messages. Thanks also for the clarity of your instructions.

[markgoodwin]

I did 7ths going around the circle. Major, major7, dom7, minor 7, m7b5 and fully diminished last night. Each set on the 6th, 5th and 4th strings. I want to find more of these exercises because they’re rough, but they’re great.

[vltjd]

We deepen our knowledge cycle with every video you post. Thanks.

[TheMinorFallTheMajorLift]

I don’t even care about playing songs. I want to know this stuff. I am only very slightly exaggerating. This stuff is more important now than learning songs now. To understand songs, I need and want to understand this triad material. Thank you, Chris!

[Jeff_H_the_Guitarist]

This is really brilliant. I instantly see the reason these triads don't stick in my mind like the rest of the stuff is my not putting in the time and doing the work. Thanks Chris!