What Are triads ?

Triad chords, as their name implies, are made up of three notes. They are grouped into 4 categories according to wether they are minor, major, augmented or diminished.

Minor triads are built with a root (1), a minor third (b3) and a perfect fifth (5).

Major triads are built with a root (1), a major third (3) and a perfect fifth (5).

Diminished triads are built with a root (1), a minor third (b3) and a flat fifth (b5).

Augmented triads are built with a root (1), a major third (3) and an augmented fifth (#5).

What Are Close Position Chords ?

Close voiced chords are chord played with all its tones as close together as they can be. If the notes are spread out, then it is called "open position." An open position chord has some "air" between one or more of its tones. Please note that this guitar lesson contains only "close positions".

What Are Open Triads?

Open triads are built by moving the second note of a close chord up on octave. Thus giving new voicings.

What Are Root Position Chords ?

The tones of a root position chords are in the right order, for example, with a major triad : root - third and fifth.

What Are Inverted Chords ?

The tones of inverted chords are in a different order than the root positions. Inverted chords don't have the root note in the bass, instead they have the third or the fifth as the lowest note of the chord shape.

Here is an example with the C major chord built with C-E-G, respectively the root (1), the major third (3) and the fifth (5). The bass note (the lowest note) is the root. This is the basic position also called "root position". This chord can be inversed in two different ways. One with the third in the bass and one with the fifth in the bass. Thus giving two inverted voicings.