CAGED System

General · 9 replies · 1509 views · 9 followers

Dr. Eben Davis

over 4 years ago

Hello All, Is this something I need to concern myself with ? Thank You!

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Berdugo Jeremie

over 4 years ago

As you learn your triads and arpeggios you indirectly learn the CAGED system; whether it's called CAGED system or not it doesn't matter.

For eg when you learn your triads on the top 3 strings, your root form triad comes from the A shape of the CAGED system, the 1st inversion from the E shape and 2nd inversion from the D shape (an open D chord is actually a second inversion triad + open D string for the root and sometimes open A for 5th).

What's important is not just learn shapes, it's to know the notes (C, B etc) and intervals (root, M3, perf 5th etc) that make up your triads, arpeggios, 4 notes chords and eventually scales. But at some point it all becomes muscle memory and you end up playing by shape. So I would not worry, the triad method by notes and intervals has a lot in common with shape based CAGED system, but you get to understand what you're playing instead of just learning shapes by heart.

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Michael

8 months ago

I think it's good to know however I think you should also start to recognize triad shapes inside CAGED shapes and even arpeggios and scales that are associated with one CAGED form or another.

Eventually you'll see how they are all connected :) Good luck with the journey!!!

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Dr. Eben Davis

over 4 years ago

Great, it's all kind of making sense. I just don't want to get all tangled up in diagrams and miss the point. Very helpful. Thank You!

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equenti

over 4 years ago

I learned CAGED from another teacher and found it initially eye opening and sort of wondrous. I had wallowed for decades in utter darkness and was therefore amazed to start seeing how things are connected.

The CAGED system is just a classification system of what "is." It's just the laws of math or physics. It just describes a pre-existing reality on the fretboard. It was helpful to me to expose myself to it, but Tomo's focus on triads and scale degrees is what has really helped me expand my ear.

To this day, I still classify certain chord shapes using the CAGED nomenclature (e.g., "A shape" or "D shape"). It is more of a shorthand. There is nothing inherently good or bad. It's just a shortcut to help remember things better.

As my knowledge of the fretboard has expanded, I have found CAGED occasionally useful to find my way back to the "areas of activity" as Henry Johnson calls them. I look for little footholds to find my way around the fretboard.

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Gabe

over 4 years ago

I think the CAGED system is a good thing to learn. It’s easy to memorize the shapes and once they are under your fingers-go back and understand which notes are the root 3,5,.

Fred L Einspruch

over 4 years ago

I agree with Gabe, its a good thing to learn and its based on the most common chord shapes that everybody knows.

I am new here but Tomo sans approach teaching you 1-3-5 all over the neck up and down and horizontally seems effective, Once you know the 1-3 -5 of any note on the neck, you are kinda 1/2 there to learning where all of the notes are, maybe 2/3rds the way there.............

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George Mattingly Mod

over 4 years ago

Here is Tomo's comment:

"Don't worry about anything! There is no need to rely on any visual (quick) tools to learn to play. I will cover everything via triads and harmony!"

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jerome oks

8 months ago

It really hit home for me when I heard Robben Ford say on a clinic (not the hospital type;) that as long as you are relying on shapes and forms and not seeking to improve your ability to hear notes and intervals, it is questionable whether you are really making music (I am sure he said it better and more diplomatically). It was not a revelation, it just confirmed what I already knew about myself, that belief whenever hard work is required of me, that I can find not only a short cut, but also an easier to understand, more elegant solution. That is how one typically must think when working on an software algorithm or a Math proof. "Too much reliance on Music theory or rather Guitar Music theory may be hazardous for your guitar playing" :)

Fred L Einspruch

over 4 years ago

I would say that you do need to learn the CAGED system as any guitar player should at least have a basic understanding of it. Tomo's basic major triads and arpeggios are the E A and D of the CAGED forms. To me, the C of CAGED is an extension of the D so that is 4 outa five. So its sorta similar and intertwined. I am new here, but I like the site alot.

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jerome oks

about 1 year ago

I don't need to work on a second approach to the same foundation especially after I invested into the triad approach. At best, I felt that all I would get out of it was confusion and waste of time.

Tomo Fujita Mod

about 1 year ago

Triads are the best approach!

Any visual, easy methods is not that great.

Quick satisfaction!

Thank you.

Tomo

Tomo Fujita Mod

8 months ago

Thank you so much for sharing!