Improvising Using Major Triads Plus One Note

Published: 08 Jul 2013 Updated: 09 Dec 2022Visits: 5Code: UL107triMaj

Category: ImprovisationInstrument: Ukulele Subjects: Intermediate • Improvisation • Advanced • Triads • Arpeggios • Major

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Improvising Using Major Triads Plus One Note


With chord tones, the notes of a chord playing a predominant role in writing melodies and in improvised melodies. The triad plus one additional note is a great melodic device for creating melodies - either written or improvised.

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A triad contains three notes. A triad is the foundation of our western harmony, the chords, and chord progressions. A triad is at the heart of our more contemporary 4-part, 5-part, and beyond chords. A triad IS the chord tones / arpeggio of a chord and main component of improvisation – outlining a chord.

For a Major triad, these notes are the first, third, and fifth (1 3 5) of it's corresponding major scale with the same root.

Major Triad

For C major triad/chord, the notes are C E G. Our added note can be any diatonic note( part of the C major scale ) or chromatic note ( not part of the C Major scale ).

One of the first notes to add that sounds great with a major triad is the second of the scale. In the case of C major, that's D for C D E G. This gives us the 1 2 3 5 of a major scale and will works over major, maj7, 6 and 7 chords.

NOTE: This Major Triad, Plus One, is the same first four notes of the Major Pentatonic scale based on the chord's root.

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Improvising Using Major Triads Plus One Note…

C Major Plus One

There are 24 possible ways to play the four notes: C D E G.

C D E G   D E G C   E G C D   G C E D
C D G E   D E C G   E G D C   G C D E
C E G D   D G C E   E C G D   G E C D
C E D G   D G E C   E C D G   G E D C
C G D E   D C E G   E D G C   G D C E
C G E D   D G C E   E D C G   G D E C

1 2 3 5

1 2 3 5   2 3 5 1   3 5 1 2   5 1 3 2
1 2 5 3   2 3 1 5   3 5 2 1   5 1 2 3
1 3 5 2   2 5 1 3   3 1 5 2   5 3 1 2
1 3 2 5   2 5 3 1   3 1 2 5   5 3 2 1
1 5 2 3   2 1 3 5   3 2 5 1   5 2 1 3
1 5 3 2   2 5 1 3   3 2 1 5   5 2 3 1

Every Finger, Every String — Explore these starting on any finger any string.

Using the fingering principles from my book The Six Secrets of Ukulele Fingering allows you to explore scales, arpeggios, intervals and sequences starting on every finger-every string, creating multiple pathways through any single note passage.

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End of Lesson - Thanks, Hope You Enjoyed It!

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Introduction to Scales and Soloing on `Ukulele - Major Pentatonic

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Improvising Using Minor Triads Plus One Note

Using Minor Triad Arpeggios - Plus One for Creating Melodic Solos. With chord tones, the notes of a chord playing a predominant role in writing and in and improvised melodies. The triad plus one additional note is a great melodic device for creating melodies - either written or improvised.

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Improvising Using Major Triads Plus One Note

Using Major Triad Arpeggios - Plus One for Creating Melodic Solos. With chord tones, the notes of a chord playing a predominant role in writing melodies and in improvised melodies. The triad plus one additional note is a great melodic device for creating melodies - either written or improvised.

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Improvising Using Diminished Triads Plus One Note

Using Diminished Triad Arpeggios - Plus One for Creating Melodic Solos. With chord tones, the notes of a chord playing a predominant role in writing melodies and in improvised melodies. The triad plus one additional note is a great melodic device for creating melodies - either written or improvised.

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Improvising Using Augmented Triads Plus One Note

Using Augmented Triad Arpeggios - Plus One for Creating Melodic Solos. With chord tones, the notes of a chord playing a predominant role in writing melodies and in improvised melodies. The triad plus one additional note is a great melodic device for creating melodies - either written or improvised.

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Exploring Major Triads Plus One - Fingering Solutions 1 2 3 5

Exploring the triads plus one series is best done using the QuickStart series format and the fingering principles from my book The Six Secrets of Ukulele Fingering. The QuickStart series format single fingering solution for starting on each finger on strings four, three, two and one. Using the fingering principles from my book The Six Secrets of Ukulele Fingering allows you to explore scales, arpeggios, intervals and sequences from every finger-every strings, creating multiple pathways through any single note passage.

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