CAGED system

by Empirism (Jan 21, 2009)

Hi, I started to make this lesson for myself and I wish to share it with others who have feeling to being "stuck" on somewhere on guitar learning process. I could describe my state of learning as an dude middle in forest and have not a friggin' idea where to go next. During my wandering I found the thing called CAGED system. Studying it a little, I started to realize that this is it. This is what I was looking for to actually improve my playing from mindless scalereaping up and down without any sense what I am doing to soloing with an right touch and well constructed solos.

Aight lets get to the point. CAGED system is an method that helps to know major chord notes anywhere on the neck. Why we want it? Scales are good for soloing, but what notes sound perfect with the music? Well, notes that are in the current chord. Knowing the note and chord locations on the neck help you use them while soloing and remembering where those notes and chord locations are in the neck, CAGED system is handy as hell.

Lets see,



Here you see C A G E and D major chords, study root notes of those chords (you can use this site chord tool for that if you have hard time figure them) and study the shapes of them.

Now, cause of my poor picture handling as you see above, I couldnt get the picture where we must put those chord shapes partly over earlier chord shape. Its not hard to imagine, Imagine that those notes that are not on fretboard (open notes) goes over the last notes of the earlier chords. Get the picture? If not, use google about caged system and I think there could be images to explain it better. These shapes can found anywhere on the neck.

I think it would be too cool, if we someday get a tool for it? Admin? ^_~, Aight let not bother master anymore :P

Aight, how to practise? Ive been studying it for while now, Its a partly easy, partly hard and it WILL take a time. But im sure its worth of it. So practise slowly, I started to learn it by shape by shape, learn root notes, learn shape and learn notes. After I study all of them I start over.

Minor and seventh chords are the different story, bear that in mind.

So I hope this helps you even realize more, if not... then... not.

As I mentioned, I made this lesson partly for my own learning so any corrections, addons, notes, ideas, visions, U.F.Os you have are highly accepted. Thanks for reading.

Cheers!
Empirism