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!