"Harmonization, Part 2: Diatonic Triads"
-by Drew Peterson
In a previous lesson, we looked at harmonizing major scales into diatonic thirds.
Adding the 5th degree to the harmonies in that lesson gives you a diatonic triad. A triad is
three pitches played in conjunction and, assuming each pitch is unique, is by definition the
smallest number of notes needed to play a chord.
To begin with, take the C major scale harmonized into thirds from the first lesson
on harmonizing. Play it up and down the neck again, to refamiliarize yourself with it.
(C) (Dm) (Em) (F) (G) (Am) (Bm) (C)
|----0----1----3----5----7----8-----10----12----|
|----1----3----5----6----8----10----12----13----|
|-----------------------------------------------|
|-----------------------------------------------|
|-----------------------------------------------|
|-----------------------------------------------|
Now, let's try harmonizing a C major scale into diatonic fifths. You still remember
what your C major scale looks like on the B string from the last lesson;
|-----------------------------------------------|
|----1----3----5----6----8----10----12----13----|
|-----------------------------------------------|
|-----------------------------------------------|
|-----------------------------------------------|
|-----------------------------------------------|
The 5th degree of C is G, which conveniantly happens to be the open string below our
first note. So, this time play a C major scale from G to G on the G string of your guitar.
|----------------------------------------------|
|----------------------------------------------|
|----0----2----4----5----7----9----10----12----|
|----------------------------------------------|
|----------------------------------------------|
|----------------------------------------------|
Now play them together. Once again, since you start with an interval of a 5th and
ascend on each string through the same scale, each interval will be a diatonic 5th in that
particular scale (once again, "diatonic" intervals are intervals in relation to a given
scale, and are not nescessarily the same numbber of pitches apart, as a result of the
pattern of whole and half steps of the scale you're harmonizing in.)
C5 D5 E5 F5 G5 A5 B(b5) C5
|-----------------------------------------------|
|----1----3----5----6----8----10----12----13----|
|----0----2----4----5----7----9-----10----12----|
|-----------------------------------------------|
|-----------------------------------------------|
|-----------------------------------------------|
Note that the interval is a constant "perfect 5th" (7 half steps apart) with the
exception of the B, in which case it's a "flatted 5th" (6 half steps apart).
Now, we combine the harmonized thirds and harmonized 5ths and you get a C major
scale harmonized into triads.
C Dm Em F G Am Bdim C
|----0----1----3----5----7----8-----10----12----|
|----1----3----5----6----8----10----12----13----|
|----0----2----4----5----7----9-----10----12----|
|-----------------------------------------------|
|-----------------------------------------------|
|-----------------------------------------------|
Some of those shapes should look very familiar to you, most noteably the C and the
Dm, which are both parts of their respective open-position chords (The reason for this
should hopefully be apparent). Now that we have three unique pitches, we can name these
chords correctly as either major (composed of the root, perfect 5th, and major 3rd), minor
(root, perfect 5th, and minor 3rd), or diminished (root, flatted 5th, minor third). The
diminished chord probably will sound a little weird to you at first, but play this
harmonized scale ascending and descending until it starts to make sense to your ear.
Diminished chords are rarely used in rock, but they're important in classical harmony, and
one listen to almost any shred solo will tell you how relevant classical music is to shred
guitar.
Once again, it's a good idea to try to harmonize these in a few different positions
on the neck. Play with these shapes (all are C major triads):
|-------------3------------8--------3-------3--------|
|-----1-------5---5--------8---8----1---5---5--------|
|-0---0-------5---5---9----9---9----------------9----|
|-2---2---0-------5---10-------10---2---5------------|
|-3-------2-----------10----------------3---3---10---|
|---------3-------------------------------------8----|
The ones toward the end sound especially beautiful, especially idf you play them as
arpeggios (one note at a time). For example, try playing this line; it's extremely simple,
but it sounds great. I play it as straight 8th notes, with a downbeat falling every other
chord. Sounds cool with tons of gain, if you palm-mute the notes on the lower strings, too.
:o)
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
|-----5-----6-----8------10-------12-------13-------15-------17~--|
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
|---5-----7-----9-----10-------12-------14-------15-------17------|
|-3-----5-----7-----8-------10-------12-------14-------15---------|
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
And you can also add surrounding notes from the scale you harmonized from to
arpeggios like the set above with good result; for example, try the passage below. Give all
the notes the same duration, except for the last one- just hold it for a while. It's pretty
simple, but it sounds cool in a very classical etude sort of way;
|-------12h13p12----------10h12p10---------8h10p8--------7h8p7-------5h7p5---|
|----13----------13----12----------12---10--------10---8-------8---6-------6-|
|-12----------------10----------------9--------------7-----------5-----------|
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|-----3h5p3-------1h3p1---0------------|
|---5-------5---3-------3---1----------|
|-4-----------2---------------0--------|
|-------------------------------2------|
|---------------------------------3~---|
|--------------------------------------|
I've been doing this clean and slowly, but if you wanna dial up an overdriven tone
and rip through it for more of a neo-classical vibe, that's pretty cool too.
Triad harmonies are a bit much in most contexts for lead playing, but these make a
great compositional tool. For example, look at the excerpt from the introduction to Eric
Johnson's "Cliffs of Dover" below (tabbed by Frank V. Ricciardi, fvr@bae.bellcore.com).
These types of arpeggio figures are a trademark of his style. This peice is in the key of G
major. I've put the names of the chords above the arpeggios- go through and analyze it,
looking at the different shapes he's using.
Am--| Bm--| Em--------| Am-----| G-------| C------|
---------------------7----8/10~--8--------------------------------------------
--------5-----7/8-10---10----------12-------12-------13~----------15-------17-
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------7-----9----------------------------14-------14-----------17-------17----
--2/3-----5---------------------------10-------12--------12/14-------15-------
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
D------| (i was too lazy to cut this stuff out. besides,it's cool :o)
-----------15~-15----15----15----15----15----15----15----15----15----15----15-
--------19--------19----------------------------17----19----------------------
------------------------19----------------17----------------19----------------
-----19-----------------------19----17----------------------------19----17----
--17--------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
He's alternating between two shapes, the first with the third underneith, then the
root, and the 5th on top, and another with the Root undernieth, then the 5th, and then the
third above. Notice the changes between the Em and the Am and the G and the C; there is very
little movement on the fretboard creating a powerful harmonic shift.
Have fun with these ideas, and practice them in other keys on the fretboard of the
guitar. Eventually, they will become second nature, and will give you another approach to
composing melodies and leads (and even to a certian part rhythm guitar parts). Enjoy. :o)