Let's Get Musical with Chord Tones: The C-F-G Diddy

In your lesson, Fretboard Mastery with Chord Tones, you learned the tones that make up the major chords E Major, A Major, D Major, G Major, B Major, C Major, Major, B♭ Major.

When you played those to help you learn the fretboard, did you hear something? Did you hear a hint of something musical sounding?

Well today, let us build on what you have done. 

I want you to focus on three tones, C, F and G. If you learned the chord tones for the matching major chords of the tones C, F and G, you are ready to begin playing some music.

Major Chord	Root	M3	P5
C	C	E	G
F	F	A	C
G	G	B	D

The C-F-G Diddy

1. Find the m3 on A, that is find C on A. 
2. Play the chord tones for C Major.
3. Find the m3 on D, that is,find the F on D.
4. Play the chord tones for F Major.
5. Find the P4 on D, that is, find the G on D.
6. Play the chord tones for G Major.
7. Now slide down and play the chord tones for F Major again.
8. Now move up from the D string to the A string and  play the C Major chord tones again.

There! You have played your first bit of music!

Practice this little diddy repeatedly. It might seem trivial and hokey right now, but years from now, after you have become a guitarist who amazes all, you will remember this little exercise and how truly it helped lay the foundation for your playing.

Also, find other frets on the fretboard from which to play the C-F-G Diddy. You can find C on the 8th fret of E as C is a M6 on E.

Where else can we find C? How about playing from the 10th fret on D? 

Beware though! Though the F falls on the 10th fret of G, because the B string is tuned as a M3 from G rather than a P4, you must slide up one fret to play the M3 of F, which is A. A M3 always is one fret less than a P4. You must move up one fret to play the M3 above F on B, otherwise you will end up playing a m3, which is an A♭.

The same holds true for G. As the G is on the 12 fret of G, which is a P8 on the G string, its M3, which is the B, falls on the 12th fret of the B string,  

Variation #1 

So now that you have the hang of the C-F-G Diddy, let us make it a bit more challenging. Rather than start on the root tone C and play C-E-G, start on the P5 tone, which is G and play backward, G down to C as in G-E-C. Do the same for the F part of the diddy, by playing C-A-F instead and also play down the G part as D-B-G.

And so you should now experience how this simple diddy can be quite challenging to play since you are starting out on guitar. Likely, there are many players if they have discovered Riptide Guitar, who, even if they have been playing awhile will find this a challenge. So you are in good company.

Variations #2 and #3

Now, mix up the two styles of runs, the ascending C-E-G, F-A-C, G-B-D with the descending runs G-E-C, C-A-F and D-B-G.

You might play it as C-E-G, C-A-F, G-B-D (Variation #2) and then as G-E-C, F-A-C and D-B-G

Improvise!

Come on now and have some fun! Challenge yourself. Make up your own variations. After all that is what improvising is all about and when you learn to improvise on the guitar, you will learn to play the guitar!

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Fretboard Mastery with the Guitar Circle of Fourths™ and Three Tones

Atop every page of the Riptide Guitar site, you will see something named Riptide Guitar's Guitar Circle of Fourths™. For these exercises, you will travel around the Guitar Circle of Fourths starting with E and ending up on G♭. You will play three tones that will help you further to burn the fretboard into your mind.

E Tones

The three tones that you will play in succession for E are the E, F and G.

The E tones can be found on

• 0 fret (open E)
• 7 fret
• 2 fret
• 9 fret
• 5 fret

For each E on each string, play E, F, G three times and then end with an E.

A Tones

The three tones that you will play in succession for A are the A, B and C.

The A tones can be found on

• 5 fret 
• 0 fret (open A)
• 7 fret
• 2 fret
• 10 fret

For each A on each string, play A, B, C three times and then end with an A.

D Tones

The three tones that you will play in succession for D are the D, E and F.

The D tones can be found on

• 10 fret
• 5 fret
• 0 fret (open D)
• 7 fret
• 3 fret

For each D on each string, play D, E, F three times and then end with an D.

G Tones

The three tones that you will play in succession for G are the G, A and B.

The G tones can be found on

• 3 fret 
• 10 fret
• 5 fret
• 0 fret (open G)
• 8 fret

For each G on each string, play G, A, B three times and then end with an G.

C Tones

The three tones that you will play in succession for C are the C, D and E.

The C tones can be found on

• 8 fret 
• 3 fret
• 10 fret
• 5 fret
• 1 fret

For each C on each string, play C, D, E three times and then end with an C.

F Tones

The three tones that you will play in succession for F are the F, G and A.

The F tones can be found on

• 1 fret 
• 8 fret
• 3 fret
• 10 fret
• 6 fret

For each F on each string, play F, G, A three times and then end with an F.

B♭ Tones

The three tones that you will play in succession for B♭ are the B♭, C and D.

The B♭ tones can be found on

• 6 fret 
• 1 fret
• 8 fret
• 3 fret
• 11 fret

For each B♭ on each string, play B♭, C, D three times and then end with an B♭.

E♭ Tones

The three tones that you will play in succession for E♭ are the E♭, F and G.

The E♭ tones can be found on

• 11 fret 
• 6 fret
• 1 fret
• 8 fret
• 4 fret

For each E♭ on each string, play E♭, F, G three times and then end with an E♭.

A♭ Tones

The three tones that you will play in succession for A♭ are the A♭, B♭ and C.

The A♭ tones can be found on

• 4 fret 
• 11 fret
• 6 fret
• 1 fret
• 9 fret

For each A♭ on each string, play A♭, B♭, C three times and then end with an A♭.

D♭ Tones

The three tones that you will play in succession for D♭ are the D♭, E♭ and F.

The D♭ tones can be found on

• 9 fret 
• 4 fret
• 11 fret
• 6 fret
• 2 fret

For each D♭ on each string, play D♭, E♭, F three times and then end with an D♭.

G♭ Tones

The three tones that you will play in succession for G♭ are the G♭, A♭ and B♭.

The G♭ tones can be found on

• 2 fret 
• 9 fret
• 4 fret
• 11 fret
• 7 fret

For each G♭ on each string, play G♭, A♭, B♭ three times and then end with an G♭.

B Tones

The three tones that you will play in succession for B are the B, C and D.

The B tones can be found on

• 7 fret 
• 2 fret
• 9 fret
• 4 fret
• 0 fret (open B)

For each B on each string, play B, C, D three times and then end with an B.

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Span the Fretboard to Find Tones Easily

You can find the same tones all over the fretboard with ease. From Intervals, the Fretboard and the Strings, you should know that going down one string and left three frets produces a M2. In Riptide Guitar, I call that finger stretch the pinky-to-pointer-down span. 

By intervals, you should know that a M2 is two frets (a whole step) above the P1. So if you go two frets left, you end up on the same tone from where you started on the string above!

Here is what it looks like for B. B is a P5 from E. Using the pinky-to-pointer-down span minus 2 frets gets you to the next B.

Now that you can find B on A, finding B on the D is easy using intervals. A P5 is seven frets away. So, add two and seven to get nine. Thus, you find B on D on the 9th fret. 

Alternatively, the interval between every third P5 string is a m7. A m7 is two frets below a P8. So to get to that P8, you can use the index-to-ring-down-twice span.

And from the 9th fret, you can find B on G easily.

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The Seventh Fret Secret

In Intervals, the Fretboard and the Strings, I showed you how knowing intervals helps you to gain guitar mastery. Knowing a bit about intervals helps you further reveal the secrets of the fretboard.

Any tone on the 7th fret of a P4 string (E, A, D, G) produces a P5 for that string. In Riptide Guitar, we think of the string (B) as being tuned down a half step from the G string. So you need to move up one fret to the 8th fret to get the P5 for B.

If you notice, the tones at the 7th fret starting on "chin" E (aka low E) are the tones of the open strings starting on B and rotating around to G. Wow, right?

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Become a Fretboard Master with Riptide™ on Memrise

I've put together a quickie course on the free site Memrise titled Riptide Guitar™ Fast Fretboard Mastery. The course teaches and tests your recall of where you find tones on the fretboard.

Testing Phase

Learning Phase

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Intervals, the Fretboard and the Strings

You should know how intervals relate to the fretboard. Why? Because knowing how intervals relate to the fretboard is the secret to guitar mastery. And knowing intervals leads to music mastery.

Intervals

Going from one tone to the next is called an interval. An interval expresses a relationship between successive tones.

Interval Names

There are only a few kinds of intervals: perfect, major, minor, augmented or diminshed. 

The Perfect Intervals 

Perfect 4th = 4th
Perfect 5th = 5th
Perfect 8th = 8th = Octave

The Major Intervals 

Major 2nd = 2nd
Major 3rd = 3rd
Major 6th = 6th
Major 7th = 7th

The Minor Intervals

minor 2nd = flatted 2nd = ♭2 = half 2
minor 3rd = flatted 3rd = ♭3 = half 3
minor 6th = flatted 6th = ♭6 = half 6
minor 7th = flatted 7th = ♭7 = half 7

The Tritone, aka the Devil's Interval 

Tritone = flatted fifth = ♭5 = augmented fourth = ♯4 = half 5

Be aware that some call the Tritone an Augmented 4th. Some call the Tritone a Diminished 5th.

Interval Names Abbreviated 

• m for minor, M for Major, P for Perfect, TT for Tritone
• P1 means the zero interval, also said as Perfect 1 or most often as Unison.
• Augmented gets abbreviated as A. 
• Diminished gets abbreviated as D.

Intervals and the Guitar

Playing from one fret to the next,  whether on the same string or on another string is how you play any interval.

So if you were to pluck an open low E (the E nearest your chin) and then pluck a depressed the third fret on open low E, the interval between those sounds would be a minor 3rd.

Intervals and Frets

The intervals between the open string tones and the frets are fixed. So, for example, a F on D will be a m3 from D, always. As well, a B♭ on G will be a m3 from G, always.

Fret	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12
Interval	m2	M2	m3	M3	P4	TT	P5	m6	M6	m7	M7	P8

1st fret = m2 = ♭2 = half 2
2nd fret = M2 = 2
3rd fret = m3 = ♭3 = half 3
4th fret = M3 = 3
5th fret = P4 = 4
6th fret = TT = ♭5 = half 5
7th fret = P5 = 5
8th fret = m6 = ♭6 = half 6
9th fret = M6 = 6
10th fret = m7 = ♭7 = half 7
11th fret = M7 = 7
12th fret = P8 = 8 = octave

Intervals and Chromatic Scales

If you know your chromatic scales, you can find tones on the fret board with ease.

For example, C is a m6 on E  because in the E chromatic scale, the C is found on the 8th fret 

E F G♭ G A♭ A B♭ B C D♭ D E♭ E

and the intervals of every chromatic scale as a diatonic scale:

m2 2 m3 3 4 TT 5 m6 6 m7 7 8

And so all of these are true:

C is a m6 on EC is a m3 on A
C is a m7 on D
C is a P4 on G
C is a m2 on B

In this picture, the minor tones have a bar above the number. The major tones are without a bar and the perfect tones have been circled.

If you know that C is a m3 on A, then you know you can find C on the 3rd fret on the A string. See?

With the Riptide Guitar method, the guitar strengthens your music theory knowledge and your music theory knowledge unlocks the secrets of the guitar for you.

Intervals and Inversion

On the fret board, the same count of frets, also known as distance, gets a different interval name depending on going up or going down.

m2 ↔ M7
M2 ↔ m7
m3 ↔ M6
M3 ↔ m6
P5 ↔ P4

TT ↔ TT 

P4 ↔ P5
m6 ↔ M3
M6 ↔ m3
m7 ↔  M2
M7 ↔ m2

Keep these pairs in mind: 2 & 7, 3 & 6, 4 & 5 and then swap the minor for major.

Intervals Between the Strings

Low pitch E (the E under your chin) to A = P4
A to D = P4
D to G = P4
G to B = M3.
B to high pitch E  (the E closest to the floor) = P4. 

Remember, intervals have inverse relationships. So playing the open strings from high pitch E to low E (from floor E to chin E):

E to B = P5
B to G = m6
G to D = P5
D to A = P5
A to E = P5

In the Riptide Guitar method, we call the E, A, D, G strings the P4 strings. We call the B string the M3 string.

Traveling on the Fret Board and Strings

Going up the neck (→) is the same as going toward the bridge. The pitch gets higher going up.

Going down the neck (←) is the same as going toward the headstock. The pitch gets lower going down.

Going down a string (↓) is the same as going toward the floor. The pitch gets higher.

Going up a string (↑) is the same as going toward the ceiling. The pitch gets lower.

Intervals on the Same String

These are the interval relationships from one fret to another on the same string within the practical limit of the stretch of your hand.

up 1 fret → m2 (e.g., A → A♯)
up 2 frets → M2 (e.g., A → B)
up 3 frets → m3 (e.g., A → C)
up 4 frets → M3 (e.g., A → D♯)

down 1 fret ← M7 (e.g., A♭ ← A)
down 2 frets ← m7   (e.g., G ← A)
down 3 frets ← M6   (e.g., G♭ ← A)
down 4 frets ← m6   (e.g., F ← A)

Intervals and Frets

These are the interval relationships from one fret to another on an adjacent string within the practical limit of the stretch of your hand.

↓ 1 string, ← 1 fret = M3 = 3
↓ 1 string, ← 2 frets = m3  = half 3
↓ 1 string, ← 3 frets = M2 = 2
↓ 1 string, ← 4 frets = m2 = half 2

↓ 1 string, → 1 fret = TT = half 5
↓ 1 string, → 2 frets = P5 = 5
↓ 1 string, → 3 frets = m6 = half 6
↓ 1 string, → 4 frets = M6 = 6

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Fretboard Mastery with Chord Tones

In Ride the Riptide. Surf the Fret Board. Rock Out with Riptide Guitar™ you learned the tone names:

A, B, C, D, E, F, G, A♭, B♭, D♭, E♭, G♭

Also, you should have learned the tones on the E string and A string and from those strings, you would have learned the tones on the D,G and B strings. Now, let us get stronger with our fretboard.

When a guitarist plays three tones at the same time, that is known as playing a chord. Tones in a chord have a relationship that pleases the ear.

Today, we are going to find the tones of major chords on the strings, but only play the tones and not the chords. This lesson will help us better learn the fretboard with the bonus of learning the tones that comprise respective chords.

Remember: We are not playing chords. We are only playing the tones belong to specific chords.

E Major

The tones of E Major are E A♭ B.

• Find the E first. Play it.
• Find the A♭ second. Play it.
• Find the B third. Play it.

Do this for each string.

A Major

The tones of A Major are A D♭ E.

• Find the A first. Play it.
• Find the D♭ second. Play it.
• Find the E third. Play it.

Do this for each string.

D Major

The tones of D Major are D G♭ A.

• Find the D first. Play it.
• Find the G♭ second. Play it.
• Find the A third. Play it.

Do this for each string.

G Major

The tones of B Major are G B D.

• Find the G first. Play it.
• Find the B second. Play it.
• Find the D third. Play it.

Do this for each string.

B Major

The tones of B Major are B E♭ G♭.

• Find the B first. Play it.
• Find the E♭ second. Play it.
• Find the G♭ third. Play it.

Do this for each string.

C Major

The tones of C Major are C E G.

• Find the C first. Play it.
• Find the E second. Play it.
• Find the G third. Play it.

Do this for each string.

F Major

The tones of C Major are F A C.

• Find the F first. Play it.
• Find the A second. Play it.
• Find the G third. Play it.

Do this for each string.

B♭ Major

The tones of C Major are B♭ D F.

• Find the B♭ first. Play it.
• Find the D second. Play it.
• Find the F third. Play it.

Do this for each string.

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Ride the Riptide. Surf the Fret Board. Rock Out with Riptide Guitar™

Let’s jump in …

What is a Guitar?

• A guitar is a stringed instrument that makes sounds.
• Guitars can have four, five or six strings. 

Guitar Strings and Tones

• Each string gets pulled to an exact tension so that when plucked, a string vibrates at a frequency, pushing air molecules to create a tone.
• Each string of a guitar sounds one tone.

Fret Boards and Tones

• A guitar has a fret board atop its neck.
• A fret lets you alter the length of a string when pressed.
• Altering the length of a string alters the frequency of vibration of a string.
• Each fret sounds one tone.

Fret Boards and Pitch

• The same tone played at different frequencies of vibration gets called pitch. 
• The fret board lets you play the same 12 tones at various pitches.

Music and Tones

• Western music tuning consists of 12 tones.
• A tone played for precise duration is a note.
• Music is the art of playing sequences of notes through time to create pleasing sounds. 

Twelve Tone Names

The twelve tone names fall into two categories, natural tones and accidental tones.

Natural Tone Names

The natural tone names are these:

A, B, C, D, E, F, G 

Accidental Symbols

The symbol ♯ means sharp.
The symbol ♭ means flat.

Accidental Tone Names

The accidental tones have two names, one for a sharp and one for a flat. You can use either name. Your mind hears the tone as the same regardless of the name.

The accidental tone names are these:

A♯ = B♭, C♯ = D♭, D♯ = E♭, F♯ = G♭, G♯ = A♭ 

The Riptide Guitar method uses the flats: A♭, B♭, D♭, E♭, G♭ 

String Names

From top to bottom (chin to floor), the tones of the strings are these:

E, A, D, G, B, E

Fretting lets you play the tones named C, F, G♭, D♭, A♭, E♭, B♭.

Hey check out this! 

Everyone else teaches the guitar upside down. With the Riptide Guitar™ method, all of the fret board pictures come to you as if you’re looking in at your guitar in a mirror. Now that is better, right?

Tones on the E-String(s)

You must commit the tones on the E string to memory!

1. Memorize in threes and twos, e.g,. E F G, A B C, D E
2. Memorize the naturals — tones neither sharp nor flat.
3. Memorize the flats.
4. Go up the neck and down the neck.

Tones on the A-String

You must commit the tones on the A string to memory!

1. Memorize in threes and twos, e.g,. A B C, D E F, G A
2. Memorize the naturals — tones neither sharp nor flat.
3. Memorize the flats.
4. Go up the neck and down the neck.

Helping Hints

• You find the accidentals on E at these frets: 2-4-6 and 9-11
• You find the accidentals on A at these frets: 1-4-6 and 9-11
• The first part of the A-string — open string to the 7th fret — is the E-string from the 5th fret to the 12th fret
• The second part of the A-string — 7th fret to 12th fret — is the E-string from the 1st fret to the 5th fret
• The tones on the 11th fret always are the flatted tones of the strings from chin to floor:
  E♭ A♭ D♭ G♭ B♭ E♭

Tones on the D-String

If you have learned the E-string, you have learned the D-string already.

• The D-string is the E-string starting on the 2nd fret of D
• The D-string is the E-string plus two
• You need learn only the 1st fret — E♭
• By playing the E-String pattern starting on the 2nd fret, you should end up on the 14th fret

Tones on the G-String

If you have learned the A-string, you have learned the G-String.

• The G-string is the A-string starting on the 2nd fret of G
• The G-string is the A-string plus two
• You need learn only the 1st fret  — A♭
• By playing the A-String pattern starting on the 2nd fret, you should end up on the 14th fret

Tones on the B-String

If you have learned the A-string, you have learned the B-string.

• The B-string is the A-string without the first A and B♭
• The B-string has B♭ and B added at the end
• The B-string is A-string minus two 
• The B-string is the E-string plus five

Practice

Here is the easiest scale to learn. It is called a pentatonic minor scale. 

• The I and the 1 represent your index finger. 
• The 4 represents your pinky.
• The 3 represents your middle.

To play it, fret your index finger on the tone in order like this:

• 1 to 4, 1 to 3, 1 to 3, 1 to 3

WARNING: When you land on the B-string after having started the scale from a string closer to your chin, you must slide up one fret on the B-string first before fretting it.

You should practice the scale on the same tones on all of the strings. Here your practice schedule:

• Day 1: C F
• Day 2: B♭ E♭
• Day 3: A♭ D♭
• Day 4: G♭ B 
• Day 5: E A
• Day 6: D G 

Playing is the best way to commit the guitar to mind. 

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