Fretboard Study #6: The Tritone

Long believed to be demonic in it's harmonic nature, the tritone is one of the most unstable and dissonant intervals. While this probably won't lead to the end of the world, it does lead to harmonic resolution better than anything!
00:00 Demonstration
00:55 Thesis
01:34 Introduction
05:51 Lesson
16:49 Wrap Up
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Thanks for watching!
Chris

[@dieseldes1301]

Even if this was the only guitar tutorial on yt , there’s enough content to keep me going for life ! Plus the quality is the best thanks so much Chris 🙏

[@curiousguitarist]

Glad you like this one Diesel, every once in a while I look at a different interval like this, just to remind myself how beautifully this instrument is designed.

[@RANDOG1951]

He definitely knows his stuff

[@TimWilliamss]

“The tri-tone is like Godzilla. When he shows up, something has to happen.” 🤣🤣🤣

[@Jake66564]

I just noticed that half step difference between the 1 and 4 dom7 chords from switching between them using triads. Didn't even notice the tritone! Gives a whole new context to that relationship

[@curiousguitarist]

Ahhh living the life of the guitarchiologist!

[@johnnybohn1198]

This a terrific tutorial. Learned a lot, and enjoyed watching the lesson. Thanks!

[@curiousguitarist]

You bet, Johnny. Thanks for the views and comments!

[@joewinder9]

Wow! Thanks for that. A new way to look at the fretboard.

[@curiousguitarist]

You bet! I really never get tired of looking at the fretboard...these symmetrical intervals still blow my mind every time.

[@chriscole9098]

One of the best intro jams so far, so cool Chris! Great work.

[@curiousguitarist]

Wow, thanks Chris!

[@yblanco]

Another great lesson Chris. Probably you know this but the beat pattern of the YYZ opening is actually the letters Y, Y and Z in morse code and YYZ is the airport code for Toronto where Rush was founded. My favorite band ! Keep those lessons coming. Thanks so much for your work

[@curiousguitarist]

Ahhh right I recall hearing that! Thanks for the reminder! Very cool!

[@markstapleton4364]

I’m looking forward to trying this with a beer and the country gentleman in hand

[@lukaszmikula123]

Already had two beers, cheers !

[@francocerasuolo1200]

Wow. You're right, Chris. Mind blown. Explanations are always so simple and understandable

[@joycegrove5602]

Fun lesson! And wow at the use of the tritone at the start of Purple Haze - I learnt a lot today :) And the pattern along the fretboard for the dom 7ths, along with the symmetrical tritone stacks - really interesting. I'm going to try out that triad exercise at the end of your lesson! Thanks for posting this & sharing your knowledge, Chris, yet another gem! :)

[@curiousguitarist]

Of course Joyce!!!

[@kdavis63]

Your lessons are amazing! Thanks so much for your streams!

[@curiousguitarist]

Glad you like them Kevin! Thanks for the views and comments!

[@pramodacharya4614]

Gteat respect ! I 've watched your video lesson on Marty's channel; regarding fretboard notes, your understanding and way you deliver the tricks and theories are awesome. So I found you now, Subscribed as well✌❤

[@curiousguitarist]

Thanks Pramod! Great to have you here!

[@AlexMorganGuitarMan]

I'm addicted to having my mind blown on guitar. And this one has officially blown this guys mind. 🤔 🎸 🔥 ❓💡 Just, WOW!

[@curiousguitarist]

Yes! I love that, when the light go on...great stuff Alex! Thanks for being here!

[@paulkardoulias9547]

I have never seen it explained like this ...Thank you

[@curiousguitarist]

You are very welcome, Paul!

[@ezxl]

I had to watch way too many times trying it find out if a flat 7 was a 6 or6#. I have finally decided that it’s a 6. Just a beginner here (obviously ). Really fascinated with your videos. Thanks so much. Intrigued by Theory.

[@curiousguitarist]

The b7 is actually the same pitch as the #6. But the b7 is contextually used MUCH more so than calling it the #6. Glad you're here ezxl!

[@tone-glide2402]

Great Stuff! As always! Thank you!

[@russelljoplin2728]

Wicked! In a good way! Thanks, Chris.

[@curiousguitarist]

Muhahahahaha!

[@christyler1647]

Okay, half way through this video and I have to comment. I wasn't sure what you meant by Renaissance at first. But then you talked about the Devil in Music and that you literally meant the Renaissance. What a great history lesson. I love your videos. I have learned a lot about applying the theory I know. Thanks to Marty for turning my on to your teaching. You're stuff is great! Thanks Chris!! From one Chris to another. :)

[@christyler1647]

Mind, blow. Going to practice and try to incorporate this into Blues improv. Thanks again!

[@curiousguitarist]

@@christyler1647 happy to have you here Chris!

[@RANDOG1951]

Your first tri tone example reminded me of old black and white cartoon music. Great lesson sir

[@hansenmarc]

You have a unique ability to consistently hit that sweet spot of interesting information combined with practical application. Thanks again for an amazing video. Speaking of musical applications, I believe Steely Dan’s The Fez begins with a line of chromatically descending tritones. Very creative! I like that the tritone “divides” the “up two and across two” octave pattern on the guitar. For the bottom strings it’s the fret diagonally between those two octave notes. The other thing I find cool about the tritone is that its addition turns the minor pentatonic into the blues scale. Circle of tritones: much easier to learn than the circle of fourths/fifths, 😉 but there are six of them instead of just the one!

[@curiousguitarist]

You bet Curmudgeon, thanks for the views and comments. Love the context about the octave split on the fretboard, I should have mentioned that! Also digging the circle of tri tones…very cool!

[@vltjd]

Devilishly cool lesson, nicely done.

[@curiousguitarist]

I see what you did there

[@priceamp]

Once again Chris you just gave me another piece to my musical puzzle. Even though I have been using the simple 2 note 3rd/b7th cord (double stop) in 1,4,5 blues progressions, I didn't know it had a name. And as someone else I said, I picked up Purple Haze shortly after Jimi released the single, but have always played the opening as E on the A string then it's octave on the G string. That's somewhat embarrassing :-). And I really love the little tit bits info you often give regarding music theory/history as you did here. Thanks!!

[@curiousguitarist]

You got it Jack! Happy to help and glad to have you on board!

[@asetto15]

Dude you're the best. Just subscribed

[@curiousguitarist]

Wow, thanks so much AJ! I really appreciate that.

[@donlessnau3983]

Excellent explanation. Thanks Chris. I'd like you to do another short vid on when and where to use the tritone 7th chord to sub for the Dom 7 in any key signature. That would be very helpful to spend some time showing how to use it melodically in any 2-5-1 progression.

[@curiousguitarist]

Hey Don, Every dom7 chord contains a tri tone, they cannot exist without each other. So there is no tri tone 7 chord technically. As far as a 2-5-1 the 5 chord in any major key is the dominant so that’s where the 7th chord goes as far as the rules are concerned. But you can use a dominant chord anywhere you want that tension really, as long as it sounds good to you! I’ll do a tri tone substitute video soon to help clear all this up. Thanks for the suggestion Don!

[@lawrencedeans1433]

Great love it thanks Chris filling in the gaps for sure. 🎶

[@curiousguitarist]

Thank YOU Lawrence, for all your support!

[@galaxygooner1998]

Great lesson Chris! That tritone note makes me feel blue........

[@curiousguitarist]

Ha! Just resolve it to a major chord up a 5th and you'll feel better.

[@EclecticEssentric]

I love the little excercise at the end, thanks Chris! Everytime I mention intervals and show it on paper, it's like perfect 145s, minor/major 2,3,6,7s, and this mess of disclaimers at 4.5...

[@curiousguitarist]

It's not easy to explain...I feel ya

[@markgoodwin5306]

I don’t know if you’ve ever talked about tritone substitutions, but that’d be cool to hear your explanation and breakdown.

[@curiousguitarist]

Great idea, will write that down for a separate video!

[@markgoodwin5306]

@@curiousguitarist cool deal, thanks

[@addietrobreezy6620]

Thank you

[@curiousguitarist]

You're welcome!

[@Cantbuyathrilll]

Thanks for mentioning that it is exactly halfway. I Never noticed. It is usually halfway down the road that one finds a fork on it. And the Devil is standing invisibly there.😬

[@curiousguitarist]

Ha! I love that!

[@moecool1157]

Dang I wrote a song using this without knowing I was using it. Its a part of the hook. I thought I was just ripping off Keith Richard. Thanks Chris

[@Dave-gf3kd]

Chris, you are creating a music theory “encyclopedia”! Hear a musical term you don’t understand? Have it explained both verbally and visually, and given context bot verbally and visually…. Thank You!

[@lukaszmikula123]

Chris rocks !

[@curiousguitarist]

You bet Dave, I love doing it so it's really a match made in heaven :)

[@lukaszmikula123]

Around 12:30 you sound like Primus. Awesome. There’s another fascinating mathematical thing here. If you divide triton by 2 and add minor third you will get diminished chord which is obvious. What is awesome is that there are only three diminished chords. Rest is just the same notes in different order. How cool is that

[@curiousguitarist]

Love that context Lukasz! I've got a diminished video coming up soon too!

[@tomg.8217]

Chris. Again great video. Thank You. Les Paul would look cool with a Roundel on it. lol .

[@curiousguitarist]

Maybe…but which roundel, Tom?

[@tomg.8217]

@@curiousguitarist I was thinking Type A-1 Canadian. Lol. But it would clash now that I think about it. Lol. Keep the great vids coming . Learning lots and appreciate it as I'm sure all here do. Thx.

[@curiousguitarist]

@@tomg.8217 :) if the red was the same color it would work!

[@christophervincent8420]

Thank you again Chris. After the move, I will hit you up for maybe possible online FaceTime lessons.

[@curiousguitarist]

Sounds good!

[@Cantbuyathrilll]

Everybody should TRI this TONE.

[@curiousguitarist]

I see what you did there.

[@diggeroldmate8122]

Led Zeppelin Rock and Roll uses that A7/D7 trick on the second guitar line.

[@curiousguitarist]

Great catch there! I recall when I first made that connection with that song. Thanks for the comment.

[@splashesin8]

Hee! Makes me think of between tense scenes in Get Smart! 😂

[@curiousguitarist]

Hahaha, Loved that show!

[@RedLion88]

Nice. Filled in some tri-tone knowledge gaps for me.

[@curiousguitarist]

Excelent!

[@matthewcasey892]

This helps me understand the tri tone sub move in jazz, I think?

[@curiousguitarist]

Indeed! There is a bit more on the Sub that I did not cover, but I plan to make a video covering the tri tone substitution in depth this year.

[@RedLikeAnOrange]

Tritone? 3 tones? No way! When you said it I felt so dumb but enlightened at the same time. By the way, have you watched Adam Neely’s latest video about the tritone?

[@curiousguitarist]

I will now. I really like Adam’s channel.

[@frankiewalnuts]

When you play open string then 6th on each string it sounds like a 60s horror movie lol

[@paulkardoulias9547]

Hello Chris, Andy Summers-The Police on Message in the Bottle...what is he using with the Sus 2 chord/note? what's the theory behind that riff. Thank you

[@paulkardoulias9547]

is that a tritone

[@curiousguitarist]

@@paulkardoulias9547 that riff uses stacked "perfect" fifths, the tri tone is a "flat" fifth. The Summers riff moves from C# - A - B - F# and each one uses the same principle... R 5 9 (or 2), so the chords would be: C#add9 (no 3rd) Aadd9 (no 3rd) Badd9 (no 3rd) F#add9 (no 3rd) While this song is in the Key of C#minor, none of the chords in the main riff have thirds, they are all suspended chords. However, there is a harmony part that is back in the mix that DOES use the thirds but it is not easy to hear. And of course, as a trio, Andy played the main part live with all the suspended chords. Hope that helps!

[@paulkardoulias9547]

@@curiousguitarist Yes! And I remember one of your videos when you're talking about stacked notes. It's much clearer now, the main riff is add9 or the 2sus... Its a great stretch Excersise for the fingers. Andy Summers is an amazing guitarist and uses those mystical notes and chords. Thanks alot Chris.

[@wretch1]

😱😱😱

[@twoputt5]

Tritone🔱👹

[@lukaszmikula123]

Diabolous in musica… once I wanted to sell my soul on the crossroads but no Devil wanted to buy it…. Unfortunatelly :)

[@curiousguitarist]

Ha!

[@Cantbuyathrilll]

Swwwwwwweeeeeeeet!!!

[@curiousguitarist]

Thanks! Glad you enjoyed it!

[@MrGazrael]

Diabolous in musica...finally! \m/\m/

[@curiousguitarist]

Yo GL! \m/!!!!

[@TaoGroovewitch]

Good gods lol 🤯

[@curiousguitarist]

Fun eh?

[@TaoGroovewitch]

@@curiousguitarist it's the flip flopping 3rds and 7ths for me! What a marker!

[@curiousguitarist]

@@TaoGroovewitch I know right? It’s amazing. I’m still tickled by it every time

[@smokeychumchum]

so how is society today? just saying...

[@curiousguitarist]

Better off I would say. What’s your take?