Learn to see and play triads on your guitar more easily!
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The booklet is designed as a visual, easy-to-use companion to the Mode Decoder. Wile The Mode Decoder shows you the chords that belong together in a key or mode, and where to solo. This triads booklet builds on those same locations, giving you simple, comfortable triad shapes you can play straight away — with room for single-note embellishments on top.
FREE Triad chords pdf
Triad chords - printed booklet
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Your guide to the Mode Decoder triad system
Method: Work through the following steps, playing the shapes as you go. Playing is essential to hear how the chord pairs relate to each other. Once you’ve done that, all you need are the distilled master diagrams on the back page and the Mode Decoder, to find and set your locations.
The aim here is to make things as simple as possible. Many rock guitarists, often just play partial chords and also might mix in single notes rather than going for a big “all-strings” folk-style strum.
One handy shortcut here is that while the minor pentatonic shape uses all six strings, these triads live on the top thinnest four strings. That makes for a tighter focus and makes everything feel easier to manage.
The beauty of this system is that as you play the chords of a song on top of, and around, the familiar minor pentatonic shape, it becomes obvious where to throw in single-note embellishments or slide into a solo. Your muscle memory of the pentatonic shape keeps it all under control. For songwriters, there’s another simplification too: think of the next chord as part of a pair. With that mindset, you can slip into other modes whenever you like and just as easily drop straight back in again without losing your place.
Step 1 – Three familiar shapes for major triads
Below are three simple shapes for playing major triads on the guitar. You may already recognise these as the A-shape, D-shape, and F-shape forms (The root note is marked in red)
Step 2 – chords on the pentatonic
Below you can see how the triads sit neatly on top of the first-position minor pentatonic shape. This lets you play triad chords while slipping in solo notes — or, if you’re already playing a pentatonic solo, you can drop the triad chords in at just the right moment as the backing changes.
For Mode Decoder location 1, the first diagram shows the I chord (orange), the second shows the IV chord (green), and the third shows the V chord (blue). This is how the three relate to each other.
Note the two spots where the V chord can be played.
Step 3 – major pairs
The idea here is to pair two chords that naturally work well together. First, hold down each base shape to play its major triad, then move to the pink chord as your next major chord. You’ll stay in the same key by sticking to the locations shown, or you can change modes by using an other location.
For example, if you’re playing the A shape, you’ll see the D shape fits in locations 1 and 3, but not in location 2. However, because these pairs are designed to work together, you can still play it in location 2, and when you do, you’ll be shifting into a different mode.
This lets you move between modes seamlessly and encourages more intuitive, musical songwriting.
Step 4 – Three shapes for minor triads
Just like the major chords, there are three shapes to get under your fingers.
Note: The first two shapes are named in line with the CAGED system, but they’re not part of it. The chord root notes are shown in red, as before.
Step 6 – minor pairs
The same idea works for the minor chords as for the major. You’re pairing two shapes that naturally sit well together, but this time you’re holding the base shape for its minor triad and then moving to the pink shape for the next minor chord. And again, if you stay within the shown locations you’ll remain in the same key; if you switch to one of the other locations, you’ll slide into a different mode.
Chromatic borrowed chord pairs
Alongside the modal shifts you can achieve by moving major and minor chord pairs between locations, you can unlock even more chords for your songwriting toolkit. Theory might call some of these secondary dominants, chords with 7ths resolving to non-root notes, but all you really need to know is that these are extra colour chords that add tension, lift, and movement before resolving.
In modern rock, pop, and modal styles, these chromatic moves often work just as well,or better, as plain major chords instead of full 7ths. This keeps progressions cleaner, brighter, and more contemporary, while preserving the satisfying pull and colour.
Below, are a few different chord pairs drawn from secondary dominants, parallel keys, and chromatic approaches, mapped out visually. These show how you can slip them in above or below your target chords to create smooth, colourful movement.
These examples show how even small chromatic borrowed chords can make a simple progression sound richer, more dynamic, and instantly more modern.
The V7
In the above diagrams, the 7ths are turned to major chords. For those who want to play traditional 7ths (The V7/I), you play the ‘D’ shape one string up as shown below.
The V7/vi
As mentioned above, you can treat secondary dominants as borrowed chords to add colour and movement. One of the most common examples is the V7/vi. Think of the sound in Dire Straits’ ‘Sultans of Swing’. Try playing:
Practical ‘play along’example
Let’s put all this into practice on a song, one that might or might not sound familiar!
In the top-right you’ll see a mashup diagram showing the chords at Position 1, laid over the familiar minor-pentatonic box.
Just beneath that are the highlighted chord shapes, and on the left you’ve got the order they’re played in. These work like normal chord names, but this time we’re using visuals only.
I find this makes it much easier to go straight from eye to hand, and it really helps you keep your place in the song. After that, you’ll see the same chords shown higher up the neck.
Distilled, master diagrams
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