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2 8 Harmonized Major Scale

This lesson focuses on harmonizing the major scale by building triads from its scale degrees, using the C major scale as an example. Students are instructed to practice root position, first inversion, and second inversion triads across different string sets and keys. The lesson emphasizes the importance of memorizing triads to enhance fretboard knowledge and improve rhythm and lead playing.

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19 views2 pages

2 8 Harmonized Major Scale

This lesson focuses on harmonizing the major scale by building triads from its scale degrees, using the C major scale as an example. Students are instructed to practice root position, first inversion, and second inversion triads across different string sets and keys. The lesson emphasizes the importance of memorizing triads to enhance fretboard knowledge and improve rhythm and lead playing.

Uploaded by

tyskassa
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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The Professional Guitar Masterclass

Lesson 2.8 - Harmonized Major Scale

So far in the course we have been playing scales as single notes. But now that we
have discovered triads, we can harmonize these notes by building the corresponding
triad from the specific scale degrees.

The basic idea is to play a scale in chord form.

Let's look at the C major scale. The notes in the C major scale are:

C D E F G A B

The corresponding triads built off of this scale are:

C major, D minor, E minor, F Major, G major, A minor, and B Diminished.

Start on the 123 string set. First, let's start with root position. The root position C major
triad on the 123 strings starts on the fifth fret of the third string.

Follow your root position triad shapes up the neck.

Example: Move up two frets to D Minor, two more to E minor, one fret to F major, etc...
until you reach the C major octave on the 17th fret, and then turn around and go back
down the neck.

Once you have completed the harmonized scale in root position, now try it in first
inversion (third in the bass).

The lowest first inversion C major triad on the 123 string set is with your first finger
barred on the eighth fret and your second finger on the ninth fret of the third string
on the note E (the third). Continue up and down the fretboard in this fashion the same
as you did before.

When you have completed this, then try it in second inversion (fifth in the bass).

The lowest second inversion C major triad on the 123 string set is in open position
with your first finger on the first fret of the second string. The open G string is the
lowest note in the chord (the fifth). Again, take this up and down the fretboard as you
have before.

Copyright 2013 - Michael D. Palmisano


The Professional Guitar Masterclass

Do this same exercise on the 234, 345, and 456 string sets using all three inversions
as well as various different keys.

It is important to realize that when you combine the triads across all of the string
sets, you get full chord shapes and arpeggios. Each triad is just a section of a
previously learned chord and arpeggio shape.

Breaking down what we already have learned into smaller three note pieces makes it
easier to learn the fretboard and utilize all of the neck when playing rhythm and lead.

This is why memorizing these triads is so important. I cannot express how much
practice should be spent on this lesson. I beg you to acknowledge the power of the
triad!

Copyright 2013 - Michael D. Palmisano

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