CAGE system

Hi I'm trying to practice the CAGED system so I can be a better musician. I've looked at the series here and I have to say it seems a bit too rushed and only skims the surface, therefore I used Youtube to learn more about this.

I've been looking at how to practice and get familiar with this system and the best thing I've found to do is move the pattern across the fretboard for each Chord and their relevant shape. When doing this, I will identify each of the root notes.

Has anyone had experience doing this, did it improve your playing?

With regards to barring, do we change the actual note on the fretboard or do they remain the same, as seen on a diagram for example? This is confusing me slightly as I'm not sure if I'm identifying the correct root notes across the fretboard.

Thank you!

Originally Posted by: iiiiiii-0

Hi I'm trying to practice the CAGED system so I can be a better musician. I've looked at the series here and I have to say it seems a bit too rushed and only skims the surface, therefore I used Youtube to learn more about this.

CAGED has pros & cons. It's essentially a way to visualize all the interconnected, integrated chord tones across the fretboard. It's a result of triad theory applied to the structure of the guitar (6 strings & standard tuning). It can also help locate scale degrees around chord tones.

But it can also be confusing, with information overload. And it's potentially confusing for beginners to think they have to use, for example, a C chord to play an E chord, & so on for all the possible major chords. It's hard to play some of those shapes & they are not all practical. Also, it's not easily applicable to minor chords.

I think a more musical approach is to visualize each major or minor triad, how & why it's formed, where it can be played. This helps to use smaller units avoiding info overload. It also encourages learning the musical alphabet location. And to see how the little shapes can be expanded into the larger shapes that cover the fretboard.

My collection of triads & inversions is here.

https://www.guitartricks.com/collection/triads-and-inversions

I hope to use my upcoming CAGED tutorials to help bridge the gap between those approaches.

Hope this helps!

Really looking forward to that tutorial Chris. I can tell you aint a fan of CAGED but I think if it can be visualised by dropping the one chord = another chord once you have the hang of it, then may help to grasp linking scale positions? I'm on the cusp of a lightbulb moment but can't quite get there and your lessons are awesome so hoping CAGED in your terms will help.

A clear explanation of 'positions' when talking scale patterns would be great...seems to vary.

Cheers

Originally Posted by: jarnac.chambersI can tell you aint a fan of CAGED but ...[/quote]

Haha! :) I think it can be very helpful. But I've seen it cause as many problems as it solves when teaching guitar students.

I think sometimes students look at it like "the secret treasure map" that will make them able to play anything & everything. And it can help a great deal. But it can also be like diving into the modes before you understand the basic major scale.

I think just playing the triads & their inversions is much more direct, concise & musical approach to the problem of visualizing the fretboard. YMMV.

Originally Posted by: jarnac.chambersI think if it can be visualised by dropping the one chord = another chord ...

But why do that at all? Why not do this:

1. Learn that A, C# & E make an A major chord because they are the 1-3-5 of the A major scale.

2. Find every place to play those 3 notes in efficient organized little shapes you can use to play music.

[quote=jarnac.chambers] ...once you have the hang of it, then may help to grasp linking scale positions? I'm on the cusp of a lightbulb moment but can't quite get there and your lessons are awesome so hoping CAGED in your terms will help.

A clear explanation of 'positions' when talking scale patterns would be great...seems to vary.

For now, have a look at these tutorials on how to visualize scale patterns.

Major Scale Patterns

https://www.guitartricks.com/tutorial.php?input=453

Minor Scale Patterns

https://www.guitartricks.com/tutorial.php?input=887

Hope that helps!

Awesome, thanks so much Christopher. I'm really looking forward to the lesson your putting together on that. In the meantime I will definitley look at your triad series :-)

I'm learning this because I guess I'm just not sure what to learn next. I've learnt the Aminor pentatonic and E phrygian and I'm not sure what scales to learn next. Can you reccomend which scales should be learnt after these?

Thank you!

Cheers Chris. I think I just need to try harder. I'm so intermediate that I started here with the fundamentals and found it too basic and still trying to find the next level stuff that fits. Good fun. Found enough so far to overlook thevshame of no jimi or neil songs. I'm gonna stick with you guru.

Originally Posted by: iiiiiii-0In the meantime I will definitley look at your triad series :-)[/quote]

Good deal!

[quote=iiiiiii-0]I'm learning this because I guess I'm just not sure what to learn next. I've learnt the Aminor pentatonic and E phrygian and I'm not sure what scales to learn next. Can you reccomend which scales should be learnt after these?

First & foremost, start making music with what you already know. Learn songs using your current skill, write songs & melodies using the scale you already know.

Which scales you learn depend on what you want to do with them. And once you learn them you should apply them, you should make music with them.

If you are really interested in scales, then you might want to start here at my old Fundamentals 2 which covers the basics of all major & minor scales.

https://www.guitartricks.com/course.php?input=fundamentals2(discontinued)

The first chapter is all about intervals & scale theory. Chapter 3 is about how scales & chords relate to each other.

If you are strictly interested in the modes & exotic scale sounds, then you might like my tutorial on using the modes of the major scale.

https://www.guitartricks.com/tutorial.php?input=770

Or this one on altered minor scale harmonies.

https://www.guitartricks.com/tutorial.php?input=2396

Hope that helps!

Originally Posted by: jarnac.chambers

Cheers Chris. I think I just need to try harder. I'm so intermediate that I started here with the fundamentals and found it too basic and still trying to find the next level stuff that fits. Good fun. Found enough so far to overlook thevshame of no jimi or neil songs. I'm gonna stick with you guru.

Good deal! You might find the blues or rock courses more your speed! If you are looking for general intermediate material, then you might enjoy my improv series.

https://www.guitartricks.com/collection/learning-to-improvise

Hope that helps!

Originally Posted by: iiiiiii-0Hi I'm trying to practice the CAGED system so I can be a better musician.[/quote]

[quote=jarnac.chambers]Really looking forward to that tutorial Chris.

For those interested my new tutorial on CAGED for Rhythm Guitar is now published.

https://www.guitartricks.com/tutorial.php?input=2614

I hope to have the CAGED for Lead Guitar one ready later this month!

Enjoy!