Mar 19

Mar 19 Learning the Open Triads

Academy, Practice Session, Classical Guitar

An Intensive Journey to Demystifying the Fretboard - Part 4

If you haven’t read yet, make sure to check the previous segment of the series:
Part 3 - Practising Triads & Inversions

Even a slight change in the arrangement of the notes can have a drastic impact on how we perceive their sound.

Creating Open Voicings

Open position triads are voicings of triads with an intervallic span greater than an octave; the most common way to achieve that is by raising or lowering the inner voice of a close triad by an octave. This allows for the evenest arrangement of the three voices.

G Triad in Root Positon - Close and Open Voicing

Open triads and open voicings, in general, are execllent devices because they let the individual voices sound more balanced and clearer.

G Triad in First and Second Inversion - Close and Open Voicings

Diatonic Open Triads

Similarly to how we practised close position triads, we can arrange all open position triads in a diagonal array, covering a three-octave range.

Practising Open Triads in Pairs

Music carries in a forward motion, nothing stays still; this linear fashion informs our apprciation of a musical composition.

Remember, practising open triads in pairs is a useful exercise to undestand how harmonies connect as well as a way to force ourselves to practice more than one things at the same time.

For now, practice diatonic triads that their roots are: