While scales are great for getting your fingers and brain in shape to play single-note solos and melodies, there are situations in which a knowledge of the chords you’re working with is a big advantage. One good example of this is the trio format, where you might only have bass and drums for support.
There is a limit to how much a bass guitar can convey harmonic details (such as a major or minor chord) without forfeiting its main function of keeping a consistent low-end, so it’s down to the guitar in this context to provide more harmonic and melodic content.
This isn’t as daunting as it sounds. The key is being able to find the triads around the fretboard, then embellishing them. It’s surprising how little it takes to transform a chord accompaniment into a ‘featured’ part.
This does sound like a lot to absorb, but these four examples are designed to give you some ideas to try covering each of these areas. You don’t need to become a music theory genius to use triads in this way – just find a few go-to ideas and build from there using trial and error. Hope you enjoy and see you next time!
Example 1
The root notes played by the bass in this first example are A, D then back to A. Upon this foundation, I’m starting with an A7 triad but then taking a boogie-woogie piano-style movement to D, G and C triads where the bass is playing D.
This gives a sense of movement and harmony, without clashing with the root on the bass. Bar 3 takes a similar approach by superimposing the triads of Gsus2, D and A. It’s probably a good idea to treat this as a ‘lick’, rather than examine the chord/scale relationships too much.
Example 2
Having established some harmony with all those triads, this example starts with a short ascending chromatic run, leading to a single-note line based around a Dadd9 arpeggio in bar 1, which then turns into a melodic lick based on that same pattern.
Bar 3 resolves back to A, with the guitar following suit, starting with a slide up to C#. The final lick is another piano-style idea, based around D major, but it could also be viewed as part of the A minor pentatonic scale, adding a brief Eb (b5) and a staccato C natural for a bluesy feel.
Example 3
After a brief pick-up, these descending 6th chords are reminiscent of a lap steel but are played more aggressively. Shifting down chromatically from E6 down to C6, these triads are superimposed over the E and D notes from the bass.
The beginning of bar 3 features the arpeggiated triads of A and G major. The beginning of what would be another A major triad is interrupted by the short, sharp G6 and A6 chords, then finishing with D-Eb-E in another chromatic run.
Example 4
Here’s an alternative take on Example 1. The repeated triad triplets are a classic blues device, staying static for the whole of bar 1, then shifting to D for bar 2 and relenting slightly – a small detail, but this is the stuff that gives a good feel and avoids too much repetition.
Bar 3 gets things moving with A7, D, A and D6 arpeggios superimposed over the A on the bass. The final bar is similar to how we came in on Example 1. The grace notes and staccato hits are an important part of the feel but allow a bit of looseness, rather than trying to be too exact.
Hear it here
Stevie Ray Vaughan & Double Trouble – Texas Flood
SRV manages to fill a lot of space – both harmonically and sonically. Check out his playing on Texas Flood, which establishes a strong sense of the harmony before breaking out into single notes. In fact, the whole of the Texas Flood album is a masterclass on how to play blues guitar in a trio format.
Beyond this album, Cold Shot demonstrates how chordal accompaniment and a riff with fills can be one and the same thing. Finally, listen to how he integrates chords, doublestops and solo lines on Lenny.
Kirk Fletcher – Heartache By The Pound
As well as his own solo career, Kirk has worked with Charlie Musselwhite, The Fabulous Thunderbirds and Joe Bonamassa. He’s comfortable both as a soloist and accompanist, who clearly knows his chords and triads back to front.
Check out his playing on Afraid To Die, Too Scared To Live from Heartache By The Pound to hear him mixing triads and self-assured single‑note lines. Elsewhere, try Ain’t No Cure For The Downhearted and Love Is More Than A Word, both from the 2020 My Blues Pathway album.
Jimi Hendrix – Axis: Bold as Love
Jimi is a renowned master of creating sophisticated harmonic textures in a trio format. Have another listen to Little Wing on Axis: Bold As Love, and then The Wind Cries Mary and Have You Ever Been (To Electric Ladyland) elsewhere.
Admittedly, there seem to be a couple of layers going on here, but plenty happening in terms of superimposed triads, doublestops and embellished arpeggiated chords. Don’t stop at these three tracks – there’s a wealth of ideas on the original studio albums, and be sure to check out the live recordings, too.
- This article first appeared in Guitarist. Subscribe and save.
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