Home | Ex. 1: Triads | Notes on Ex. 1 | Notes on Ex. 2 | Ex. 3: I-IV-V Patterns

### Exercise Two: Three-Note Chord Shapes

I'm right-handed, so these four shapes are the ones I use most often. (Shapes for lefties are on the next page.)

Starting at the lowest mark on the right side of the treble bridge (D on a 12-11), play each shape. I've numbered the notes according to the order in which you should play them. The hammering pattern is right, left, right.

It's helpful to name the shapes; I call them "open," "long-sided," "centered," and "flat-topped." Or use your own names.

The whole exercise should sound like this.

### Notes on Exercise Two:

1. Play this exercise everywhere you can, always starting on a marked course either on the right treble bridge or on the bass bridge. You'll run out of room at the top again.

2. To some extent, the shapes repeat again both below your starting point and above your ending point. That is, try playing an "open" shape above the "flat-topped" shape, starting with the first note of the "flat-topped" shape; or, try a "flat-topped" shape below the "open" shape, starting with the "open" shape's first note. Explore this and see how far you can get in both directions before the notes form a different chord. Even more challenging, see if you can explain why it stops working when it does! (Hint: it has to do with half-steps -- i.e. sharps and flats changing.)

Home | Ex. 1: Triads | Notes on Ex. 1 | Notes on Ex. 2 | Ex. 3: I-IV-V Patterns

All contents of this website are © 2001-2006 by Marcy Prochaska except where otherwise credited.