About Easy Triads
Easy Triads is a free, browser-based study tool for guitarists who want to learn how triads — three-note chords — sit on the fretboard. The whole app is one drag-and-drop board. You build a study sheet by dropping flashcards onto a canvas, hear how the voicings sound, and move on. No signup, no paywall, nothing to install.
What you get
- 36 movable triad shapes covering every common voicing.
- Three qualities: Major, minor, and diminished.
- All four three-string sets: 1-2-3, 2-3-4, 3-4-5, and 4-5-6.
- All three inversions per shape: root, 1st inversion, and 2nd inversion.
- Sequence presets like the I-vii° harmonized progression in D and C major.
- Audio playback via a nylon-guitar sampler so every chord can be heard, not just seen.
Why triads matter
Triads are the smallest unit of harmony. Once you can find any major, minor, or diminished triad on any string set, you can:
- Outline a chord progression up and down the neck without ever moving more than two frets.
- Voice-lead smoothly between chords by stepping to the closest inversion.
- Stay out of the bass player's way in a band — three high strings is plenty.
- Build solos and melodies from chord tones instead of guessing at scales.
How to use it
- Open the Triads tab in the sidebar. Pick a quality (Major, minor, or diminished) and a string set.
- Drag a card onto the board. Drop more cards next to it to study several voicings together.
- Hit the play buttonon a card to hear it strummed. Click any other card's play button to interrupt and move on.
- Try a Sequence presetfrom the Sequences tab to load a prebuilt progression (like D-major's I-vii°). Pick a key on card 1 and every card relabels with its actual fret positions.
- Your layout is saved automatically — close the tab and come back tomorrow to where you left off.
FAQ
What is a guitar triad?
A triad is a three-note chord made of a root, a third, and a fifth. The third decides whether the chord is major (a major third) or minor (a minor third); the fifth can be perfect or diminished. Every common chord on guitar is built from these three intervals.
Why learn triads instead of full barre chords?
Triads are smaller, more transparent voicings. Once you know them on every string set, you can move a chord progression up and down the neck, voice-lead between chords smoothly, and play in tight ensembles without stepping on the bass.
Is Easy Triads free?
Yes. The full deck and all features are free. No signup, no payment, no email required.
Can I hear the chords?
Yes. Each card has a play button that strums the three notes through a nylon-guitar sample, one second apart, so you can hear how the voicing actually sounds.
Start playing
Open the board and drop your first card. Then try a sequence and pick a key — the cards will tell you exactly which frets to play.