One of the most useful ways I've found for organizing the fretboard, is using 3rds. to build Arpeggios starting from any note, at any point on the fretboard. And it's really not as overwhelming as I thought it would be.

I started using this type of organizational method quite a few years ago. And since I had to write this out for a couple of students recently, I thought I'd share it with you guys.



------------------|------------------|--------------------|-----------------|-
------------------|------------------|--------------------|------8----------|-
------------------|------------------|------7-------------|---8------8--12--|-
------------------|-----7------------|---8-------8---12---|-----------------|-
---7--------------|--8-------8--12---|--------------------|-----------------|-
-8--------8--12---|------------------|--------------------|-----------------|-
M3rds.

----7------------|------------------------------------------------------------
-8------8---12---|------------------------------------------------------------
-----------------|------------------------------------------------------------
-----------------|------------------------------------------------------------
-----------------|------------------------------------------------------------
-----------------|------------------------------------------------------------


----------------|---------------|---------------|-------------|---6---------|-
----------------|---------------|---------------|---7---------|-8----8--11--|-
----------------|---------------|---6-----------|-8-----8--11-|-------------|-
----------------|---6-----------|-8-----8--11---|-------------|-------------|-
----6-----------|-8-----8--11---|---------------|-------------|-------------|-
--8-----8--11---|---------------|---------------|-------------|-------------|-
m3rds.

-------------|-------------|------------|-----------|-------------------------
-------------|-------------|------------|-----------|-------------------------
-------------|-------------|------------|-----------|-------------------------
-------------|-------------|------------|--------5--|-------------------------
-------------|---------10--|-----7--10--|-----7-----|-------------------------
--8--12--15--|--8--12------|--8---------|--8--------|-------------------------
M3rd. with m3rd. on top = Major Triad

------------|-----------|-----------|--------3--|-----------------------------
------------|--------8--|-----5--8--|-----5-----|-----------------------------
--5--9--12--|--5--9-----|--5--------|--5--------|-----------------------------
------------|-----------|-----------|-----------|-----------------------------
------------|-----------|-----------|-----------|-----------------------------
------------|-----------|-----------|-----------|-----------------------------


-------------|-------------|------------|-----------|-------------------------
-------------|-------------|------------|-----------|-------------------------
-------------|-------------|------------|-----------|-------------------------
-------------|-------------|------------|--------5--|-------------------------
-------------|---------10--|-----6--10--|-----6-----|-------------------------
--8--11--15--|--8--11------|--8---------|--8--------|-------------------------
m3rd. with M3rd. on top = Minor Triad

------------|-----------|-----------|--------3--|-----------------------------
------------|--------8--|-----4--8--|-----4-----|-----------------------------
--5--8--12--|--5--8-----|--5--------|--5--------|-----------------------------
------------|-----------|-----------|-----------|-----------------------------
------------|-----------|-----------|-----------|-----------------------------
------------|-----------|-----------|-----------|-----------------------------


-----------------|------------------|-----------------|----------------|------
-----------------|------------------|-----------------|----------------|------
-----------------|------------------|-----------------|----------------|------
-----------------|------------------|-----------------|----------------|------
-----------------|-------------14---|---------10--14--|-----7--10--14--|------
--8--12--15--19--|--8--12--15-------|--8--12----------|--8-------------|------
M3rd. with m3rd with M3rd. on top = Major 7th. Chord

--------------|--------------|--------------|---------------------------------
--------------|--------------|--------------|---------------------------------
--------------|--------------|-----------4--|---------------------------------
-----------9--|--------5--9--|--------5-----|---------------------------------
----7--10-----|-----7--------|-----7--------|---------------------------------
-8------------|--8-----------|--8-----------|---------------------------------

Basically, there's just the Major 3rds. (M3), and the Minor 3rds. (m3).

Once you know how to play those 2 intervals, it's all gravy.



There's still a lot more that I could write out. But, this would get you started.

What do you think?

Good stuff. While not an accepted musical intervallic term in some circles, I'm a pretty big fan of diatonic "10ths" - thirds that occur above the octave. I dig implying chords in this way. On guitar, these usually best lay out with two strings in between the "double stops" - Low E and G, A and B, D and high E - as hybrid-picked, or with thumb and fingers. I like this approach on bass occasionally as well.

As you know, the third is the strongest chord tone in Western harmony. Vive' le third!

Yeah, I call them "10ths." too.

I've been working a LOT lately, on 3rds., 6ths., and 10ths. They're just so musical. I'm also wanting to explore the Larry Carlton "Superarpeggio" idea I've heard about. But, I'm not too clear on it's specifics.

Anyway, back to the Woodshed!

Here's a Lesson I wrote up, last Christmas. It's a way to use 10ths. In G, to create a quick "Arrangement". My students really dug experimenting with it.
The Example I used was a Christmas Tune. But, any tune can work. If anyone here tries it, PLEASE give me some feedback! I'd love to hear how it worked out for you. If it was easy, hard, unintelligible, etc.?

Also, if you try it, it would be cool if you'd share your Arrangement here. Either a Clip, or Tab.

Here it is:

4/4
Gtr I
|-------------------------------------------------------------*|
|-------0--1--3--5--7--8--10--12--13--15--17--19--20--22--24--*|
|-0--2--------------------------------------------------------*|
|-------------------------------------------------------------*|
|----------0--2--3--5--7---9--10--12--14--15--17--19--21--22--*|
|-0--2--3-----------------------------------------------------*|


|----------------0--2--3--5--7-*|------------------------|
|-------0--1--3----------------*|-------------------0--1-|
|-0--2-----------------------0-*|-------------0--2-------|
|-------------------0--2--4----*|----0--2--4--------0--2-|
|----------0--2--3-------------*|-3--------0--2--3-------|
|-0--2--3----------------------*|-0--2--3----------------|


|----0--2--3--5--7--8--*|----------------------------------*|-|
|-3--------------------*|----------5--7--8--10--12--13--15-*|-|
|----0--2--4--5--7--9--*|-4--5--7--5--7--9--11--12--14--16-*|-|
|-4--------------------*|-5--7--9--------------------------*|-|
|----------------------*|----------------------------------*|-|
|----------------------*|----------------------------------*|-|



4/4
Gtr I
|-------------|---------------|-------------|-------|-------------|
|----0--3--8--|-3-1-0---------|----0-3-8--3-|-(3)---|----0--3--8--|
|-0-----------|-------2--0--2-|--0----------|-------|-0-----------|
|-------------|---------------|-------------|-------|-------------|
|-------------|---------------|-------------|-------|-------------|
|-------------|---------------|-------------|-------|-------------|


|-----------------|------*|-------------|-------------------|
|-12-10-8-7-5--7--|-8----*|----0--3--8--|-3--1--0-----------|
|-----------------|------*|-0-----------|----------2--0--2--|
|-----------------|------*|-------------|-------------------|
|-----------------|------*|-------2-----|-2-----------------|
|-----------------|------*|-3-----------|-------------0-----|


|-----------------|-----|-------------|--------------------|---*|----|
|-----0--3--8--3--|-(3)-|----0--3--8--|-12--10--8--7--5--7-|-8-*|----|
|--0--------------|-----|-0-----------|--------------------|---*|----|
|-----------------|-----|-------------|--------------------|---*|----|
|-----------7-----|-----|-------2-----|-10------------3----|-7-*|----|
|--3--------------|-----|-0-----------|--------------------|---*|----|


|----------------|---------------|------------------|
|----0---3---8---|-3-1-0---------|-----0---3---8----|
|-0----0---0---0-|-------2-0--2--|---0---0---0---0--|
|----------------|---------------|------------------|
|--------2---7---|-2-------------|---------2---7----|
|----3-----------|---------0--2--|-----3------------|


|-----------------|------------------|
|-3---3---3---3---|------0---3---8---|
|---0---0---0---0-|---0----0---0---0-|
|-----------------|------------------|
|-2---------------|----------2---7---|
|-----------------|-2----3-----------|


|-------------------|-----------------|----*|----|
|-12-10-8-7-5---7---|-8---8---8---8---|-8--*|----|
|-------------0---0-|---0---0---0---0-|----*|----|
|-------------------|-----------------|----*|----|
|-10--------3---5---|-7---------------|-7--*|----|
|-------------------|-----------------|----*|----|

he first 3 lines are 10ths. in G., 6ths. in G, and finally, 3rds. in G. (Of course, the TAB still doesn't line up correctly, when copy and pasted into a post! ARRGGHHHH!!!)

Basically:
1. Take any Melody, and Transpose it to the Key of G.
2. Place the Transposed Melody, and place it on the B String. If needed, you can use the High E String for Melody Notes, also. You can also use a LITTLE of the G String for Melody Notes. But, try to keep the Melody completely on the B String. This makes it easier to Visualize, and to Play.
3. Harmonize the Melody Notes with the 10ths. we spelled out, in the first line, above.
4. Add an Open G String Pedal Tone.
5. Wherever you need to let a Melody Note ring for a long duration, just Pedal back abd forth between it, and the Open G String Pedal Tone. ( I used this technique in Lines 8 and 9, above.)



The Arrangement:
The 4th. line is where I TABBED out the main Melody to "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas". Half way through the 5th. line, is where I started add some "Harmonized 10ths." to give the Melody a fuller sound. The 10ths. help to imply Chords.

The 7th. line, is where I started adding an Open G String Pedal Tone. (A Technique I lifted from "Blackbird" from Paul McCartney.) As G is the Tonic/Keynote, I feel this really helps to ground the Harmony into a fuller sound.

One small tip here on 10ths: if you imply chords that way, it'll still sound good with some pretty heavy distortion. Don't know why exactly, but the notes seem to be just so far from each other that they don't intermodulate and sound like mush and stuff.

Another thing I like to do with simple Triads:

"Triad Extensions" I call it. Basically, Super-imposing Triads over different Chords.

EX: Over a C Chord.

Maybe I'll play an F Triad (FAC). This will give the C Chord the "Extensions" of the 11 (F), and the 6/13 (A).

Or, maybe a G Triad. Over C, this gives the M7 (B), and 9 (D).

The Bdim Triad sounds really cool over a C Chord. You get the M7 (B), 9 (D), and the 11 (F). For a more "Jazz Approved" version, I may swap the F for an F#. This gives the #11 that sounds a little hipper than the straight 11th.