Dissonant Triad Riff (ft. "Starlight" by Logan Ledger)

Lesson #336 • Nov 8, 2020

Video lesson

Instructional PDF 1 page

Follow along with the print-friendly PDF! It includes all of my notes for this lesson, allowing you to follow along at your own pace. You're free to download, print, and share the PDF across your devices.

Thanks for being a Premium member of Song Notes! Your support makes these lessons possible.

Download PDF

Follow along with the print-friendly PDF!

It includes all of my notes for this lesson, allowing you to follow along at your own pace. You're free to download, print, and share the PDF across your devices.

To download the PDF, upgrade to premium or log in.

Editor’s notes

Hey friends! Here’s a quick little warm-up exercise I want to share, based on the intro riff to “Starlight” by Logan Ledger (2020). This riff takes just a minute to learn, being based on two relatively basic triad chord shapes (F#, and A-major with a flat-5th). The real magic here comes through the subtle use of dissonance within both of the chord shapes: while this may seem slightly harsh to the ear, we’ll be using it sparingly via the picking pattern I’ll show you. The result is a 4-measure riff that makes for some good practice, whether you’re playing fingerstyle or with a pick.

The song that inspired this lesson

This riff comes from the opening sequence to “Starlight” by Logan Ledger, which is the second track from his self-titled 2020 album. Listen here to hear the riff in context:

Unlock My Secret Stash!

Gain instant access to my library of 315 print-friendly cheat sheets! Also includes my extended video lessons, jam tracks, courses, and more.

Join Song Notes Premium

Have questions? Watch video tour »

Browse Related Lessons

Click any tag below to view other lessons I've made in that category:

Enjoy My Lessons? Show Your Support!

Most of the lessons on my website are 100% free. If you have the means, please show your support with a tip jar contribution. I put many hours into every lesson — but it only takes you a minute to make a donation. You have my thanks!

Donate

Looking for More Song Lessons?

Featured Courses

Fun & Helpful Tools I've Made

Coming soon is Jambox – which shows all the video jam tracks I've made. It's note quite ready for the spotlight, but check it out if you like!


Subscribe to my YouTube channel

Be sure to never miss a lesson by subscribing on YouTube. I put out 2-3 new videos every week. These include full song lessons, as well as covers, practice tips, behind-the-scenes updates. Thanks!


Recent Lessons

  • July 17, 2026

    Travis Picking Essentials: 10 New Pages of PDF Guides!

    This week I finished a batch of 5 new PDF guides for my in-progress Travis Picking Essentials course... and they're ready for you to download and print!

  • July 16, 2026

    [Updated] How I Learned to Travis Pick with John Prine ft. Clay Pigeons

    I totally overhauled my 7 page PDF guide for this lesson! Plus, I recorded six zoomed videos showing the step-by-step exercises I recommend.

  • July 3, 2026

    "Ramble On" by Led Zeppelin (full song lesson)

    Learn to play each seciton of Led Zeppelin's 1969 classic! For each section, I teach several easier ways to play things – allowing you to strum & sing without worrying about copying Jimmy Page in all cases.

  • June 21, 2026

    Dad-Inspired Songs for Father's Day

    To fathers past, present, or future — here's a roundup of songs I've taught that celebrate Dad! Harry Chapin, Cat Stevens, Neil Young, and many other artists included.

  • June 12, 2026

    "Ramble On" Acoustic Bassline Groove (Led Zeppelin)

    Learn a strummed version of this iconic Led Zeppelin bassline, made playable on an acoustic guitar! Includes a fun variation that allows continuous strumming throughout.

  • June 6, 2026

    Melody, with Chords: "Love Me Tender"

    Learn to play Love Me Tender's melody and chords at the same time! This lesson uses Key of C chords (capo 2), which simplify things in several helpful ways.

  • June 5, 2026

    "Love Me Tender" as played by Elvis Presley

    Learn to sing & strum this all-time classic! I'll teach you the alternating bass note approach that Elvis uses in his 1956 recording, with plenty of helpful tips included.

  • May 29, 2026

    Learning Triads with "Happy Birthday" (Key of G)

    Here's an amazingly helpful way to get better with triads: use it to play the familiar song Happy Birthday. In this lesson, I'll show you two ways to do this in the Key of G.

  • May 19, 2026

    Guitar Jam Tracks: How I Make Them!

    In today's lesson I'll answer a common question: how do I make the audio + video jam tracks that accompany my lessons! I walk through the process in real-time using my DAW of choice (GarageBand on the Mac).

Browse All Recent Lessons →

← back to homepage


Title (short)
Starlight by Logan Ledger
YouTube URL
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lm5C6fvrDWQ
Thumbnail (video)
Video thumbnail for Dissonant Triad Riff (ft.
Thumbnail (pdf)
PDF thumbnail for Dissonant Triad Riff (ft.
Slug
336
Lesson URL
/lessons/336/
PDF num pages
1
Patreon URL
https://www.patreon.com/posts/43673181
Discussion URL
n/a
Add to Favorites
List of Favorites