Triad Targets: Soloing

Targeting Triads for Soloing Over Chord Changes

Marty FriedmanTommy EmmanuelSteve VaiEric GalesEric Johnson

Get this course and 1,000+ more with All Access

Try 14 days free. Cancel any time.

Purchase Individual Course for $24.99
Triad Targets: Soloing

About this course

Learning how to craft interesting and original solos, especially when improvising over changes, is an essential skill that most guitarists need to develop and refine. One of the quickest, most effective approaches for developing the skill is also one of the simplest — triads.

Ariel Posen’s Soloing Edition of Triad Targets reveals how to harness the improvisational power of triads as a framework for soloing across the entire neck, in any key. Ariel organized the course into 6 Study Sets, each focused on targeting specific notes of the triads related to chord progression. Each study set features song-centric jam tracks for musical context.

”Virtually every chord can be boiled down to a simple 3-note triad. Targeting any of those three notes while soloing over changes will form a solid, melodic framework for your solo.

Learning how to visualize triad shapes, all over the fretboard, will expand your framework and free you to solo anywhere on the neck, in any key.

In this course, we’ll work through six study sets learning to target the root third or fifth degree of the underlying chord in a progression.

Each study focuses on a different triad target tone or creative application for soloing, and we’ll put each concept to work with familiar sounding song-centric jam tracks. You’ll be able to use TrueFire’s learning tools to practice and play along with me at your own pace, every step of the way.

We’ll start simply, by landing on a particular chord degree as each chord changes, we’ll learn how each of the targets help color our lines, we’ll mix and match the targets as the chords change, and ultimately craft more thematic, melodic solos that help us to tell our story through the instrument.”


Ariel will explain and demonstrate all of the key concepts and approaches along the way. You’ll get standard notation and tabs for all of the performance studies. Plus, you’ll be able to use TrueFire’s learning tools to sync the tab and notation to the video lesson.

You can also loop or slow down the videos so that you can work with the lessons at your own pace. All of the backing tracks are also included to work with on your own.

Grab your guitar and let’s dig in with Ariel Posen!

What you'll learn

  • Target specific chord tones (root, third, fifth) while soloing over chord changes
  • Create melodic frameworks for improvised solos using triads
  • Apply triad targeting concepts to familiar song progressions
  • Develop subconscious awareness of chord tones while soloing
  • Develop more thematic and story-driven solos
Release date: 07/07/2022 • 1h 05m runtime
Start Course
Sample lessons
Targeting the Third of the Triad
Targeting the Third of the Triad
Study Set 2
Sandy: Target on the Third
Sandy: Target on the Third
Overview
Sandy: Target on the Third
Sandy: Target on the Third
Performance
Sandy: Target on the Third
Sandy: Target on the Third
Breakdown

What's included

26 lessons • 12 charts • 5 Jam Tracks

Triad Targets | Soloing Edition
Hey this is Ariel Posen. Welcome to this Soloing Edition of Triad Targets.

Learning how to craft interesting and original solos, especially when improvising over changes, is an essential skill that most guitarists need to develop and refine. One of the quickest, most effective approaches for developing the skill is also one of the simplest — triads.

Virtually every chord can be boiled down to a simple 3-note triad. Targeting any of those three notes while soloing over changes will form a solid, melodic framework for your solo. Learning how to visualize triad shapes, all over the fretboard, will expand your framework and free you to solo anywhere on the neck, in any key.

In this course, we'll work through six study sets learning to target the root third or fifth degree of the underlying chord in a progression.

Each study focuses on a different triad target tone or creative application for soloing, and we'll put each concept to work with familiar sounding song-centric jam tracks. You'll be able to use TrueFire’s learning tools to practice and play along with me at your own pace, every step of the way.

We’ll start simply, by landing on a particular chord degree as each chord changes, we’ll learn how each of the targets help color our lines, we’ll mix and match the targets as the chords change, and ultimately craft more thematic, melodic solos that help us to tell our story through the instrument.

Ready to get started? Grab your guitar and let’s go!
Targeting the Root of the Triad
You may remember in my last course, The Electric Storyteller, we spent some time in a couple of sections talking about triads. Just a refresher, a triad is basically a chord with three notes in it and within those intervals and those chord tones we can find the colors we need to show the chord that is happening. In this series of lessons we'll target the root of the triad and build a foundation before moving on to other techniques. I'll start things off with a short overview, next we'll jump into a performance so you can understand what we're looking to do auditorily, and finally I'll break it all down for you in detail!
The 401: Target on the Root
You may remember in my last course, The Electric Storyteller, we spent some time in a couple of sections talking about triads. Just a refresher, a triad is basically a chord with three notes in it and within those intervals and those chord tones we can find the colors we need to show the chord that is happening. In this series of lessons we'll target the root of the triad and build a foundation before moving on to other techniques. I'll start things off with a short overview, next we'll jump into a performance so you can understand what we're looking to do auditorily, and finally I'll break it all down for you in detail!
The 401: Target on the Root
You may remember in my last course, The Electric Storyteller, we spent some time in a couple of sections talking about triads. Just a refresher, a triad is basically a chord with three notes in it and within those intervals and those chord tones we can find the colors we need to show the chord that is happening. In this series of lessons we'll target the root of the triad and build a foundation before moving on to other techniques. I'll start things off with a short overview, next we'll jump into a performance so you can understand what we're looking to do auditorily, and finally I'll break it all down for you in detail!
The 401: Target on the Root
You may remember in my last course, The Electric Storyteller, we spent some time in a couple of sections talking about triads. Just a refresher, a triad is basically a chord with three notes in it and within those intervals and those chord tones we can find the colors we need to show the chord that is happening. In this series of lessons we'll target the root of the triad and build a foundation before moving on to other techniques. I'll start things off with a short overview, next we'll jump into a performance so you can understand what we're looking to do auditorily, and finally I'll break it all down for you in detail!
Targeting the Third of the Triad
Now that we've talked about the roots now it's time to talk about the thirds! We'll be playing many of the same techniques in this series of lessons and we'll be approaching it in a similar way but rather than root of each note, we're going to focus on the third. I'll start things off with a short overview, next we'll jump into a performance so you can understand what we're looking to do auditorily, and finally I'll break it all down for you in detail!
Sandy: Target on the Third
Now that we've talked about the roots now it's time to talk about the thirds! We'll be playing many of the same techniques in this series of lessons and we'll be approaching it in a similar way but rather than root of each note, we're going to focus on the third. I'll start things off with a short overview, next we'll jump into a performance so you can understand what we're looking to do auditorily, and finally I'll break it all down for you in detail!

+ 19 more lessons

Start Course

Reviews

17 results

Tevaika

Verified buyer

05/22/26

I’ve watched a few of your triad videos and a few of them over and over. I’m so grateful. The theory behind it clicked a little yesterday while I was hiking and listening to a video. You are amazing and I love your channel. And you are facilitating love for playing guitar

EricAA

Verified buyer

05/12/26

Good but Glitchy

Course is great. But it glitches and format changes. Takes to the beginning or stops. Wish glitches were fixed. Buggy.

lmaza9

Verified buyer

07/12/25

Great course! I liked the way he explained the concepts, also his playing is excellent. Some focused exercises would make it even better.

Boobi

Verified buyer

02/04/25

A different point of view!

As guitarist we are often "guilty" of finding ourselves stuck in scale shapes, boxes, pattern. This course forces you to deconstruct that approach, and focus on targeting specific notes on specific chords in a systematic way: slow down, play less, but with absolute intention. Not easy to do at first, but ultimately rewarding. Plus, Ariel is one of the best players of our generation, it's a pleasure to have the opportunity of learning from him!

AcordA

Verified buyer

01/12/25

Thanks Ariel an TrueFire

This corse change my playing! Ariel is a wonderful player and his teaching is in the high level! Thanks Ariel and TrueFire

Stop searching. Start improving with All Access.

Try 14 days free. Cancel any time.