Deep Dive: Triad Mastery

Triads are a fundamental musical construct. By mapping them to the fretboard, you  deeply calibrate your understanding of the instrument to core musical principals. They are also incredibly fun to play.

As fundamental chord voicings, triads are extremely flexible and provide a holistic, professional-sounding library of chords that can be used in any musical situation. They also provide a perfect vehicle for improvisation and lead line creation. They are the boiled-down core of harmony, easy to play, forever useful and simply beautiful. Once mastered, triads literally change the way you see the instrument, the way you play it, and the way you sound as a musician.

After successfully completing Triad Mastery you will be able to: 

  1. Understand and teach-back what triads are and how to build them

  2. Find and play any triad, anywhere on the fretboard

    • Major

    • Minor

    • Augmented

    • Diminished

    • Suspended (2 and 4) 

  3. Build and play triads as three-part proxy chords for any chord you will ever learn, promise

  4. Navigate the entire fretboard with a relaxed familiarity that you cannot get in any other way

COURSE FORMAT
This course takes place over 4 consecutive weeks, combining 3 hours of live (online) instruction with written assignments using text, tablature and fretboard diagrams. The fourth, non-instructional session will wrap up the course and send you on your way. 

  • Classroom instruction will take place on Zoom each Saturday from 9:30-11:00am MST (Time Zone Converter), including lecture/demonstration and Q&A. A recording or recap of each session will be available throughout the course.

  • Supplemental materials, including written descriptions, tablature, notation, and diagrams for each week’s lesson will be sent to students before the course starts.

  • Students will receive weekly assignments designed to increase core capability and build skill to prepare for the next lesson.

  • Throughout the course, a virtual classroom will be available for students to gather, ask questions, post progress on assignments, and get feedback from me and fellow students.

  • Course registration will be limited to ensure participants receive focused instruction.

In order to really benefit from this course you must commit to studying and practicing. Beyond classroom instruction, the course will require at least a 20-30 minute daily commitment to incorporate the assignments and prepare for the next week’s class. 

COURSE LEVEL: Who is this course for?
If you can play some open and barre chords, you can benefit from this course. Guitarists with an intermediate capability to play and use triads will complete their understanding and bring the use of triads to the forefront. Advanced players will review and solidify core triadic principles and also find new uses for triads as proxies for any chord. 

CURRICULUM

The curriculum is designed to move quickly and will require students to understand and complete the assignments to stay on track.  

Week 1: What? Why? & Where?
Triad theory and fretboard mapping will be explained and reviewed in the initial 1 hour session. Core fretboard mapping of the major close-voice triads will be the first assignment, the scaffolding for the rest of the course.  

Week 2: Alterations

We’ll use the mapping of major triads learned in Week 1 as a base for creating minor, diminished, suspended and augmented chords. Chord formulas will be the focus here, as well as using those formulas to build your capability to create any chord you need. This is where you’ll turn the corner from a chord player to a chord builder.

Week 3: Progressions
We will now start combining triads into common cadences to build the muscle needed to play triads within chord progressions. We’ll review common chord progressions and map triads to each one. We’ll also cover advanced triad substitution, using these small shapes to deliver any level of complex harmony. This is where you’ll see how mind-blowing triadic capability can actually get.

Week 4: Graduation and Feedback  

This final 90 minute live session will be a course wrap for any additional questions you might have, and a moment to take a breath together and celebrate what you’ve learned.

TECHNOLOGY REQUIREMENTS

  • Guitar

  • Computer with an internet connection and ability to connect to a Zoom call

  • Account creation on The Studio (instructions to be provided) 

  • Optional equipment: web camera

COST

The cost of Triad Mastery is US$280. 

REGISTRATION

Course registration typically opens about 60 days prior to the course start date. To register, use the link below to reserve and pay for your seat. You will be provided a single Zoom link that will work for all the course live sessions. The link will be emailed to you as well as posted in the online classroom. 
https://chrissherlandguitar.as.me/triadmasteryspring25

CANCELLATION POLICY

Cancellations made two weeks or more prior to the course start date are refundable at 90%. Cancellations made within two weeks of the course start date will receive a 50% refund. Cancellations or no-shows on or after the course start date are non-refundable.


Cancellations must be made in writing to Support@CuriousGuitarist.com.