Spread Triads on Guitar

A new way of Playing Chords

Today I want to show you a new way of considering chords and triads on guitar with the concept of spread triads vs. close triads.

The triad is the most basic chord in music.

When you play a basic C major chord (and any other chord), you are playing a triad, a set of three notes from the major scale. The first note is called the root note, then the 3rd and 5th are added to complete the chord.

A triad of C major will have three notes C, E, and G. You can play these three notes in any order.

There is a very creative approach in which one of the triad notes can be played one octave higher. This approach is called the “Spread triad.”

I want to show you how they work!

We will be playing spread triads over a straightforward chord progression in C major.

For some of you, this is a new concept so take it step by step and practice one chord shape.

Let’s get started.

The Video

Spread Triads vs. Closed Triads

One of the easiest ways to go from close-triads to spread-triads is to raise the second note of any close-triad by one octave.

Check the example below.

Example 1

The C major triad II inversion is a closed triad with the notes positioned as G, C, and E. The G note is on the bass, so we call that II inversion.

We then play the same triad but with the notes positioned as G, E, and C. The C notes are now played one octave higher, so we call it “Spread triad.”

The notes are the same, but the sound of the chord is completely different.

Example 2

In this example, we are checking out an F major triad.

We start with a close triad played in I inversion with the note positioned as A, C, and F.

Then we change the C note position, and the triad becomes A, F, and C.