Video: Jethro Tull's Triplets

This new Lick Of The Day is inspired by the acoustic triplets of Jethro Tull's Ian Anderson. It's played on a Martin DRS1 acoustic guitar.

For this lick, I use a capo at the third fret to raise the pitch of the guitar by a minor third (or three half steps). As a result, though I play the phrase as if it were in the key of D, it actually sounds in the key of F. The nice thing about using a capo is that you can employ familiar, finger-friendly chord shapes while playing in an unusual key (or any key you want!) and create a nice, high, chime-y sound akin to a mandolin or ukelele.

For more info, check out Lick of the Day, a free download for iPad, iPhone and iPod Touch, available at the App Store.

TOPICS

Paul Riario has been the tech/gear editor and online video presence for Guitar World for over 25 years. Paul is one of the few gear editors who has actually played and owned nearly all the original gear that most guitarists wax poetically about, and has survived this long by knowing every useless musical tidbit of classic rock, new wave, hair metal, grunge, and alternative genres. When Paul is not riding his road bike at any given moment, he remains a working musician, playing in two bands called SuperTrans Am and Radio Nashville.