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Curt Sheller • All Things `Ukulele and Jazz Guitar

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Using Triads on Ukulele

Major Triads using Strings 1, 2, and 3

Triad - In music or music theory, a triad is a three-note chord (or, more generally, any set of three notes, pitches, or tones). Because the term originated during the "common practice" period in Western European art music (approximately from 1600 to 1900), it is most commonly associated with tertian diatonic chords having a tonal function. When such a chord is voiced in thirds, its members, ascending from lowest pitched tone to highest, are called:
the Root, the Third (whose interval is a major third or minor third above the root) and the Fifth (whose interval is a major or minor third above the third, and a diminished, perfect, or augmented fifth above the root).

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Using Triads on Ukulele

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Using Triads

Triads can be used harmonically, as chords and melodically, as single notes.

Triads are a great way to get started with creating solos and improvising.

These lessons will explore both. Using triads as chords like any other chord and using triads as a basis for creating melodies and improvising.

Other Triads

From the Major and Minor triads you can derive the Diminished, Augmented, add and sus triads.

For Diminished triads you lower the fifth of a minor triad one half step or one fret.

For Augmented triads you raise the fifth of a major triad one half step or one fret.

For add triads, as the name implies, you need to add a note. Any note can be added but the most typical is an add 2 or add 9. For an add2 triad you raise the root of a major or minor triad a whole step or two frets. Or, optionally lower the third of a major triad two frets or the thrid of a minor triad one fret.

For sus triads, the sus means suspension. Traditionally the sus referred to suspending the third of a chord by raising the third of a major chord two frets or the third of a minor chord one fret.

For a sus 2 chord, a more contemporary chord you raise the root of a major or minor triad two frets. Optionally you can lower the third of a major triad two frets or the third of a minor chord three frets.

This is a lot to remember for the add and sus chords. So with getting to the actually notes or spelling of chords and really knowing the notes of the fingerboard. You are closer to getting a handle on these more contemporary chords.

View or download the PDF file for the complete lesson.

QuickStart Arpeggio Fingerings for Ukulele, C Tuning

Major Arpeggio Fingerings from my book QuickStart Arpeggio Fingerings for Ukulele, C Tuning

I use a lot of these arpeggio fingerings in my solos and in these lessons examples. Learning triads, their arpeggios and their inversions can be a major breakthrough in ones playing, one any instrument.

Using Triads Melodically

Here is a sample recording I threw together quickly to demonstrate how triads can be used for creating a melody or solo.

The chord progression is a simple I IV I V in the key of G major. Chords are two measures each of G C G D using basic open position chords.

Example Using A Scale and Emphasizing the Notes of Triads

This solo was created using only the notes of the triads below.

Example Using Notes of Triads and One Non Chord Tone (*)

This solo was created using only the notes of the triads below and one additional note (shown as *).


Example Using Notes of Triads and One Non Chord Tone (*)

This solo was created using the NOTES of the G Major scale and emphasizing the notes of the chords (triads).

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Related Lessons for: Chords

Here a few lessons that might be of interest to the topic and principles covered in this lesson.

54 Lesson(s)

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Alternate Fingerings for F7

Alternate fingerings for F7 in C tuning. The same fingerings would apply to C7 in G tuning and G7 in D tuning.

These are taken from the Ukulele Chord of the Week lessons presented 2007.

UL118: Published: January 2, 2005, 12:00 pm | Updated: March 12, 2012, 8:34 pm | Author: Curt Sheller

Alterted Seventh Chords on Ukulele

Beyond basic open position chords, basic movable form chords and a core set of 4-part chords. There are just too many chords shapes too memorize. Learning the principles of how chords are constructed and the ukulele .....

UL102: Published: January 2, 2005, 12:00 pm | Updated: March 9, 2012, 9:06 am | Author: Curt Sheller

Basic Open Position Ukulele Chord Chart

A core set of basic chords that all Ukulele players should know in five common keys: C, G, D, A and E. In all common "dominant" seventh chords in every key.

UL700a: Published: December 8, 2011, 3:21 pm | Updated: March 12, 2012, 8:12 pm | Author: Curt Sheller

Basic Open Position Ukulele Chord Chart for Lefties

The Basic Open Position Ukulele Chord chart for Lefties. Common chords in five common common keys: C, G, D, A and E. In all common "dominant" seventh chords in every key.

UL700b: Published: December 8, 2011, 10:47 pm | Updated: March 12, 2012, 8:12 pm | Author: Curt Sheller

Basic Ukulele Chords

The art and sceince of chord fingering. Learning your basic open position chords in common keys.

ULM40: Published: January 2, 2005, 12:00 pm | Updated: March 8, 2012, 12:45 pm | Author: Curt Sheller

Building a Solid Jazz Chord Foundation for Ukulele

Beyond learning basic open position ukulele chords. Most ukulele players struggle with advanced chords. These more sophisticated voicings, commonly called jazz chords, find a wide use in all forms of music and styles. .....

UL103: Published: January 2, 2005, 12:00 pm | Updated: March 8, 2012, 12:46 pm | Author: Curt Sheller

Chord Shapes and Learning Ukulele Chords

A chord shape is a function of a particular instrument and tuning. Know how chords are built and the notes can work on any instrument.

Beyond the basic open position chords and basic movable form chords (major, .....

UL40: Published: January 2, 2005, 12:00 pm | Updated: March 8, 2012, 12:08 pm | Author: Curt Sheller

Chord Spelling - An Alternate Approach

The quickest and most directy way to determine the chord tones of any chord are to use the scale degrees of its major scale. For a major triad the chord tones are the 1st, 3rd and 5th scale degrees of its major scale. For .....

ML02: Published: January 2, 2005, 12:00 pm | Updated: March 9, 2012, 9:08 am | Author: Curt Sheller

Chord Substitution on Ukulele

A chord substitution is when one chord replaces another chord or is used in addition to a current chord.

This lesson covers some of the underlining principles that are used to substutie one chords or a series of .....

UL80: Published: January 2, 2005, 12:00 pm | Updated: March 12, 2012, 8:30 pm | Author: Curt Sheller

Cool Ukulele Chords

Cool Chords - These are the chords that don't typically show up in chord dictionaries or song books. They might show up in software programs that produce chords based on some underlying computer .....

UL34: Published: January 2, 2005, 12:00 pm | Updated: March 9, 2012, 9:09 am | Author: Curt Sheller

Cool Ukulele Chords - A7

A cool chord is most likely a Free Form chord. A free form chord typically include open strings, wide stretches, displaced chord tones and or chord voicings. Plus they just sound cool.

Here is a cool .....

UL131: Published: July 11, 2011, 10:15 pm | Updated: March 12, 2012, 8:18 pm | Author: Curt Sheller

Cool Ukulele Chords - F Sharp Minor Seven Flat Five

F#m7b5 or F#half-diminished seven is a common chord in the key of G major and Em - especially Em.

Part of my Cool Chords series for ukulele, this chord is strange in that an alternate fingering produces the same .....

UL133: Published: January 29, 2012, 5:25 pm | Updated: March 12, 2012, 8:33 pm | Author: Curt Sheller

Cool Ukulele Chords - G7

A cool chord is most likely a Free Form chord. These free form chords typically include open strings, wide stretches, displaced chord tones and or chord voicings. Plus they just sound cool.

Here is a cool sounding .....

UL105: Published: January 2, 2005, 12:00 pm | Updated: March 9, 2012, 9:09 am | Author: Curt Sheller

Core Chords - Creating the Big Six from F7, 1st Voicing

Taking a movable F7 chord, you can derive each of the 'big six' essential chords. 7, maj7, m7, m7b5, dim7, and aug7.

UL42a: Published: September 18, 2011, 11:21 pm | Updated: March 12, 2012, 8:15 pm | Author: Curt Sheller

Core Chords - Creating the Big Six from F7, 2nd Voicing

Taking a movable F7 chord, you can derive each of the 'big six' essential chords. 7, maj7, m7, m7b5, dim7, and aug7.

UL42b: Published: September 18, 2011, 11:25 pm | Updated: March 12, 2012, 8:15 pm | Author: Curt Sheller

Core Chords - Creating the Big Six from F7, 3rd Voicing

Taking a movable F7 chord, you can derive each of the 'big six' essential chords. 7, maj7, m7, m7b5, dim7, and aug7.

UL42c: Published: September 18, 2011, 11:27 pm | Updated: March 12, 2012, 8:15 pm | Author: Curt Sheller

Core Chords - Creating the Big Six from F7, 4th Voicing

Taking a movable F7 chord, you can derive each of the Big Six core chords. The core chrods are: maj7, m7, m7b5, dim7, and aug 7.

UL42d: Published: September 18, 2011, 11:28 pm | Updated: March 12, 2012, 8:15 pm | Author: Curt Sheller

Core Chords - The Big Six - Building a Solid Chord Foundation

Core Chords is a series of lessons for building your 4-part chords. These chords commonly called jazz chords, are really just 4-part chords used in a wide range of musical styles.

The Big Six chords .....

UL42: Published: January 2, 2005, 12:00 pm | Updated: March 9, 2012, 9:14 am | Author: Curt Sheller

Dominant Seventh Chords?

Not all seventh chords are actually "dominant" seventh chords.

This lesson covers when is a Dominant Seventh Chord NOT really a Dominant seventh?

UL108: Published: January 2, 2005, 12:00 pm | Updated: March 9, 2012, 9:13 am | Author: Curt Sheller

Exploring Jazz Ukulele

Wikipedia defines Jazz as a musical art form which originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States from a confluence of African and European .....

UL123: Published: January 2, 2005, 12:00 pm | Updated: March 12, 2012, 8:32 pm | Author: Curt Sheller

Fingering an Open Postion D Major Ukulele Chord

There are several ways to finger an open position D major chord. Depending on the context of how the chord is being used one fingering might be better than another.

UL111: Published: January 2, 2005, 12:00 pm | Updated: March 9, 2012, 9:14 am | Author: Curt Sheller

Hearing the Changes

Hearing The Changes are knowing what and when the chords of a chord or chord progressions occur. this lessons gets you on the raod to developing this abaility.

UL127: Published: January 2, 2005, 12:00 pm | Updated: March 12, 2012, 8:31 pm | Author: Curt Sheller

Learning Core Seventh Chords on Ukulele

Beyond basic open position chords, basic movable form chords and a core set of 4-part chords. There are just too many chords shapes too memorize. Learning the principles of how chords are constructed and the ukulele .....

UL119: Published: January 2, 2005, 12:00 pm | Updated: March 12, 2012, 8:33 pm | Author: Curt Sheller

Movable Ukulele Chords

A series of weekly ukulele lessons presented throughout 2009 on movable ukulele chords.

Beyond memorizing a core set of basic open position, a couple of movable form chords and a basic set of 4-part chords. You .....

UL200: Published: January 2, 2005, 12:00 pm | Updated: March 9, 2012, 9:10 am | Author: Curt Sheller

Naming Chords on Ukulele

A Chord can have alternate names based on how it is being used. A chord's function is an important determining factor in naming a chord. So unless you know the harmonic function you might not be able to .....

UL20: Published: January 2, 2005, 12:00 pm | Updated: March 9, 2012, 9:13 am | Author: Curt Sheller

Open Position A and It's Movable Forms

Open position A and its movable form and variations.

UL71: Published: September 1, 2007, 12:00 am | Updated: March 12, 2012, 8:29 pm | Author: Curt Sheller

Open Position A7 and It's Movable Forms

Open position A7 and its movable form and variations.

Seventh chords, Major Sevenths, Minor Sevenths, Diminished, Augmented chords sus and add chords.

UL85: Published: September 1, 2007, 12:00 am | Updated: March 12, 2012, 8:27 pm | Author: Curt Sheller

Open Position Am and It's Movable Forms

Open position Am and its movable form and variations.

UL78: Published: September 1, 2007, 12:00 am | Updated: March 12, 2012, 8:28 pm | Author: Curt Sheller

Open Position B7 and It's Movable Forms

Open position B7 and its movable form and variations.

Seventh chords, Major Sevenths, Minor Sevenths, Diminished, Augmented chords sus and add chords.

UL86: Published: September 1, 2007, 12:00 am | Updated: March 12, 2012, 8:27 pm | Author: Curt Sheller

Open Position C and It's Movable Forms

Open position C and its movable form and variations.

UL73: Published: September 1, 2007, 12:00 am | Updated: March 12, 2012, 8:29 pm | Author: Curt Sheller

Open Position C and It's Movable Forms

Open position C and its movable form and variations.

UL73: Published: September 1, 2007, 12:00 am | Updated: March 12, 2012, 8:29 pm | Author: Curt Sheller

Open Position C7 and It's Movable Forms

Open position C7 and its movable form and variations.

Seventh chords, Major Sevenths, Minor Sevenths, Diminished, Augmented chords sus and add chords.

UL87: Published: September 1, 2007, 12:00 am | Updated: March 12, 2012, 8:27 pm | Author: Curt Sheller

Open Position Cm and It's Movable Forms

Open position Cm and its movable form and variations.

UL79: Published: September 1, 2007, 12:00 am | Updated: March 12, 2012, 8:28 pm | Author: Curt Sheller

Open Position D and It's Movable Forms

Open position D and its movable form and variations.

UL76: Published: September 1, 2007, 12:00 am | Updated: March 12, 2012, 8:29 pm | Author: Curt Sheller

Open Position D and It's Movable Forms

Open position D and its movable form and variations.

UL76: Published: September 1, 2007, 12:00 am | Updated: March 12, 2012, 8:29 pm | Author: Curt Sheller

Open Position D7 and It's Movable Forms

Open position D7 and its movable form and variations.

Seventh chords, Major Sevenths, Minor Sevenths, Diminished, Augmented chords sus and add chords.

UL88: Published: September 1, 2007, 12:00 am | Updated: March 12, 2012, 8:27 pm | Author: Curt Sheller

Open Position Dm and It's Movable Forms

Open position Dm and its movable form and variations.

UL81: Published: September 1, 2007, 12:00 am | Updated: March 12, 2012, 8:28 pm | Author: Curt Sheller

Open Position E and It's Movable Forms

Open position E and its movable form and variations.

UL77: Published: September 1, 2007, 12:00 am | Updated: March 12, 2012, 8:29 pm | Author: Curt Sheller

Open Position E7 and It's Movable Forms

Open position E7 and its movable form and variations.

Seventh chords, Major Sevenths, Minor Sevenths, Diminished, Augmented chords sus and add chords.

UL89: Published: September 1, 2007, 12:00 am | Updated: March 12, 2012, 8:27 pm | Author: Curt Sheller

Open Position Em and It's Movable Forms

Open position Em and its movable form and variations.

UL82: Published: September 1, 2007, 12:00 am | Updated: March 12, 2012, 8:28 pm | Author: Curt Sheller

Open Position F and It's Movable Forms

Open position F and its movable form and variations.

UL74: Published: September 1, 2007, 12:00 am | Updated: March 12, 2012, 8:29 pm | Author: Curt Sheller

Open Position F7 and It's Movable Forms

Open position F7 and its movable form and variations.

Seventh chords, Major Sevenths, Minor Sevenths, Diminished, Augmented chords sus and add chords.

UL90: Published: September 1, 2007, 12:00 am | Updated: March 12, 2012, 8:27 pm | Author: Curt Sheller

Open Position Fm and It's Movable Forms

Open position Fm and its movable form and variations.

UL83: Published: September 1, 2007, 12:00 am | Updated: March 12, 2012, 8:28 pm | Author: Curt Sheller

Open Position G and It's Movable Forms

Open position G and its movable form and variations.

UL75: Published: September 1, 2007, 12:00 am | Updated: March 12, 2012, 8:29 pm | Author: Curt Sheller

Open Position G7 and It's Movable Forms

Open position G7 and its movable form and variations.

Seventh chords, Major Sevenths, Minor Sevenths, Diminished, Augmented chords sus and add chords.

UL91: Published: September 1, 2007, 12:00 am | Updated: October 14, 2011, 8:04 am | Author: Curt Sheller

Open Position Gm and It's Movable Forms

Open position Gm and its movable form and variations.

UL84: Published: September 1, 2007, 12:00 am | Updated: March 12, 2012, 8:28 pm | Author: Curt Sheller

Transposing Chords

Transposition is the process of moving note, chord, scale or any musicial passage from one key to another key. All music can be transposed, from a single note to a complex musicial score. This lesson .....

UL05: Published: January 6, 2011, 11:00 am | Updated: March 12, 2012, 8:32 pm | Author: Curt Sheller

Types of Ukulele Chords

The types of chords possible on ukulele.

Open position chords, movable form chords, 4-part, a.k.a. jazz chords and free from chords.

UL114: Published: January 2, 2005, 12:00 pm | Updated: March 9, 2012, 9:16 am | Author: Curt Sheller

Ukulele Blues, Example D

Major Quick Four Progression - Example D.

From the book A Guide to Blues Progressions for Ukulele from A to Z

To break up the monotony of six measures of a I chord when the .....

UL122: Published: January 2, 2005, 12:00 pm | Updated: March 12, 2012, 8:33 pm | Author: Curt Sheller

Ukulele Blues, Example J

Diminished Seventh Passing Chord - Example J

From the book A Guide to Blues Progressions for Ukulele from A to Z.

A common linking substitution is to use a diminished chord as a .....

UL121: Published: January 2, 2005, 12:00 pm | Updated: March 12, 2012, 8:33 pm | Author: Curt Sheller

Understanding a Ukulele Chord Diagram

There're a lot different ways to show chord shapes, diagrams and images on a fretted instrument. This is the basic chord diagram I use in all my lessons and book.

The basic chord diagram as used for ukulele is .....

UL104: Published: January 6, 2011, 11:06 am | Updated: March 9, 2012, 9:07 am | Author: Curt Sheller

Upper Partial Chord Tones

Upper Partials or extensions are the 9th, 11th, and 13ths of a chord. The 9, 11 and 13 can be altered chord tones depending on chord type: examples b9, #9, #11, b13.

UL109: Published: January 2, 2005, 12:00 pm | Updated: March 9, 2012, 9:13 am | Author: Curt Sheller

Using Triads on Ukulele

Triads can be used harmonically, as chords and melodically, as single notes.

Triads are a great way to get started with creating melodic solos and improvising.

These lessons explores using .....

UL120: Published: January 6, 2011, 11:00 am | Updated: May 15, 2012, 10:29 pm | Author: Curt Sheller

Your First Ukulele Chord

Your first ukulele chord is typically an open position C major chord. It's only one finger and ukulele players love to show new players this, the easiest, usable ukulele chord for new players. Especially .....

UL60: Published: December 10, 2011, 8:16 pm | Updated: April 27, 2012, 2:17 pm | Author: Curt Sheller

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Lessons, TABS and Songs are intended FOR EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY

Portions of copy regarding particular songs is from WidipediA, the free encyclopedia that anyone can edit.

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Thanks for visiting and checking out the site!

Content is always being added and updated. So check-in often. Thanks, Curt

UL60 - USING_TRIADS_ON_UKULELE.PHP | Updated: Friday, 30th March, 2012 @ 04:35pm

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