Is CAGED worth the TROUBLE for guitar?
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- Опубліковано 13 жов 2023
- Since starting my UA-cam guitar lessons channel, people have often commented things like, "you seem to be teaching the CAGED system without mentioning the CAGED system." I've tried to answer those in comments in the past. But many have asked me to do a video on my take on CAGED. Essentially, I do use chord shapes to visualize chords and scales up the fretboard, but I have some reservations about the way CAGED is used and taught, especially by guitar teachers on UA-cam. Learn to see the fretboard with just some parts of the system and I think you'll be better off, and learn it faster!
My book Guitar Soloing Like a Pro is available from Amazon
www.bluemorris.com/shop
Tabs and in-depth explorations of the CAGED system and more are available from our Patreon
/ guitarlessonsvancouver
*My book Guitar Soloing Like a Pro is available on Amazon* www.bluemorris.com/shop *Get the TABS, practice tips, and more from Patreon* www.patreon.com/guitarlessonsvancouver
Hope you keep going and that the UA-cam lessons are financially rewarding. I’m convinced you’re best intermediate guitar teacher on UA-cam (that I’ve seen anyway). Your channel can only grow. Greetings from the UK 💕
Thank you! I'll continue making videos for sure. There will still be weekly videos on Patreon and UA-cam will get about 3 a month.
Excellent analysis on the CAGED system - I too have struggled with this over the years and your explanation opened a new understanding on this for me. Thank you!
Great thanks! Glad it was helpful!
The best explanation of heard yet - over 6 years of learning. Thanks man!
Thank you! Glad it helped. Lots more on the channel 👍
Blue, you are awesome! Thank you for doing these vids. I'm selfishly hoping u keep making them but even if not i feel like finding your channel and working through your books has been a tremendous help for me personally. This video is another perfect example of why your lessons are so effective to start with, breaking it down to an easy to understand and execute piece that helps build on the bigger picture over time in a fun and encouraging way. We're lucky to have you!
Thank you! There's more coming for sure 😎🎸
It took me a long time to understand the CAGED System. I have also concentrated on one shape then the next one later and so on. I hope you`ll be continuing with youtube after the 52 weeks. Without your videos I wouldn´t be as good as I am today. Thank you so much. 👍
Thank you! I do plan to continue UA-cam but it won't be every week. Patreon will have weekly content and UA-cam will have videos about three times a month, so there's still lots more coming :)
I have ALWAYS very much appreciated your teaching skills. It’s the reason I’ve been a subscriber for a long time. Those who are your personal students are quite fortunate to have you as a teacher! Keep Up the Great Work! Nice hair, too! 👍🎸✌️😎
Awesome! Thank you! I appreciate that feedback. Glad you are learning lots here :)
I decided to try and play guitar just over a year ago. I discovered you on utube and after watching the first video I went and bought your book on soloing. I enjoy your lessons because they are concise and clear. You make things logical and simple. Thanks for your videos that you post.
That's awesome! Thanks for commenting and following the channel! Lots more coming :)
I am really enjoying ( Guitar Soloing LIke a Pro book 1, ) that I purchased through Amazon . I left a review but also commented on your channel and great instruction. Thank You so much for taking the time to share your knowledge with us.
Wonderful! Thanks for getting the book. Glad you're enjoying it :)
I've watched scores of CAGED videos. This is the first one that makes sense to me. Meanwhile, I have explored triads. They make lots of sense and for me it's easy to play a scale just by visualizing a triad. I hadn't made the connection between the triad you used here and what you call the major pentatonic easy shape. Thanks for opening that door for me.
Cool thank you! That connection of the shape and Major Pentatonic is further shown in this video that might help, what I call the "first finger, pinky rule," ua-cam.com/video/2vXMecfmhdc/v-deo.html
Very impressive, Blue, nearing 52 consecutive lessons! And the content is so informative 😊 Gonna plug your book and recommend it to anyone watching this 👍 Thank you for the great explanation about CAGED (with which I've struggled in the past).
Awesome, thank you! Book 2 will be coming out soon. Just about finished it 😎
Keep up the great work, you are appreciated!
Thanks, will do!
I have never understood the CAGED system. This video is helpful but still leaves me with a number of questions.
It is confusing but helpful when you learn it stages. Thanks for watching 😎
ok, another great one, please don't stop after #52, we need you on youtube, thanks!!!!
Thank you! More to come, just not as frequent. Weekly lessons on Patreon will continue.
OMG yes! Thank you for posting this! You hit the nail on the head - again.
I’ve been a fan of your videos since I discovered them recently. It’s like a breath of fresh air, and precisely for the reasons you mentioned. Everyone learns differently and your approach clicks with how my brain works.
I hope it’s all right, but I’m going to brain dump a bunch of comments that have been building up through watching all of your videos:
I watch a bunch of the popular different, UA-cam guitar tutorial channels and everybody preaches the caged system and I get it. I really do. But like you said, everybody learns differently, and for me, I always felt there was this weird, unspoken “dirty secret“ to the caged system and you just nailed it. I get that it’s trying to create some order out of chaos and try to systemize things to make it easier to learn and “easier“ is all relative - it’s not easy, but definitely “easier” than struggling to learn without it. So caged is a huge stake in the ground, but it seems like Lego building blocks to me - a bunch of foundational pieces, but lots of the connections get left out. And I found that the straight up normal way of learning caged just doesn’t work for me. It’s far too much memorization all at once, and like you said the terminology can be really confusing.
And actually, on that note, I have to go back and watch again, but what you were calling the A shape of the D chord I thought was actually the G shape of the D chord. So I’m gonna have to go back and watch this again and pause the video and analyze it and make sure I understand… But again, thats the point - that’s too much to try to process and think about when I’m going to solo on the fly. I realize my brain works with patterns and pattern matching. So I’m not worried about what they’re called or the names, I just look at the patterns and visualize the patterns on the fret board. So when I was looking at all this caged stuff, what I naturally started doing on my own was to just take each shape and memorize them on their own as a pattern, and then string them together like building blocks. Then I tripped across your videos and saw that’s what you essentially preach - you actually gave them names - “easy shape”, “symmetrical shape”, etc. as mnemonics. Perfect. You validated what I didn’t see anywhere else, but where my brain naturally went. I’m sure there are tons of people that look at the way that caged is taught traditionally, and it clicks and they just get it. But I bet you there are a lot more people that don’t. So many people get overwhelmed by it and quit, instead of breaking it down and learning piece by piece. So kudos and keep it up!
One of the benefits of this approach to is that if you learn one thing, like “easy shape“, you can start applying it right away. Then you can learn symmetrical shape and extend your range. Then you can learn the next shape, and then the next shape and extend your range even more. But you’re actually able to apply it and start having fun with it right away. It’s not like you have to learn all this overwhelming amount of stuff before you can do anything with it.
I hope you will continue posting your videos after your 52 weeks is up. I further hope you find that building the UA-cam channel is really beneficial for you and accretive to your main business/career and worth continuing. Thank you!
lol. I guess I didn’t finish your video because you addressed the A vs G. So again, yes, this is exactly what I thought too - the terminology is confusing. Love the mnemonics you use instead.
Thanks I appreciate your comment! I agree that CAGED is useful but we shouldn't get too bogged down in the names. If we can see it... and use it.... the name is less important. Names help as you know I use lots of nick names for things, but they should "stick" for people and CAGED doesn't work for everyone. Thanks again!
Just communicating my support for you and your channel, Blue. I'm in private lessons, but I'm impressed (and rely) on your unique ability to simplify the complex, whatever it may be. I'm familiar with the CAGED system through my instructor, but your lesson has lent a much needed insightful, for me, icing on the cake. Your spoken communication is precise, concise, and so very clear. Even though I'm engaged in private lessons, I'm also a Patreon subscriber and use your books and lessons as supplementation to my learning (looking forward to soloing, book 2, hopefully). You are an important part of my understanding this instrument, so I wish you success with your on- line business and hope you continue with offering your talent to the online community. Sincerely, Eric.
@@cranseiron That's awesome thank you for your support! Feel free to get in touch with me on Patreon if you have any questions. I'll see you there :)
I started guitar playing in 2002. First book I got was "guitar for dummies". Why you couldn't beam up to this year with your knowlegde and gave it to me. Now I bought your book. It's worth every Cent. Thx alot and fresh greetings from Germany 🙂 ...and in addition: your clips are the best I've seen on y-tube. ...and I'm one of the generation web 2.0, you know.
That makes me questioning you: Are you born in the midth of 80s, too?
Thank you very much... my age shall remain secret ... at least for now. Thanks for your support!
I just learned my open chords first and used my ear to find the notes on the next position and then I progressively found the same notes on the neck I started with all the A's and then the B's and so on. Also used the diagonal root technique to find root notes quickly when soloing. eventually I knew the whole neck lol I didn't even learn caged but it makes a lot of sense.
So true - I love it. CAGED took the internet by storm a few years back and it has lots of guitar students feeling "fomo" if they don't memorize the whole thing. Malarky. Thanks for easing everybody's nerves!
Thank you! Seems like lots of people feel that way, based on the comments here. Some people love CAGED, but many really do not. Thanks for watching and commenting!
Great lesson, thanks 😊
Thank you! Lots more lessons like this on the channel and our Patreon group www.patreon.com/guitarlessonsvancouver
Great lesson Blue!!! The explanation on the shapes is awesome. I ll try to set my mind in the cage system, cause for me A, means La, D, Re, G, Sol etc …thanks again!!
Thanks José! Right I guess the CAGED letters aren't the same with Do Re Mi. The concept still works though 😎
Good lesson ! Thanks !
Glad you liked it!
Hi Mr Blue, nice lesson, I really love CAGED and all theory system that helps to understand fretboard and make music, of course, it is a long way. Have a nice weekend!
Cool thanks Rafa!
I LOVE how you teach mang! I've learned so much with you, that when I do start pissin around with CAGED, it has become clearer. And like you said; without drilling caged.
It's becoming where the less one has to think bout it, the easier it becomes. I almost gave up on caged at one point?? Just a buncha same Ole chords n scales lol. So cool
Cool thanks! Keep at it. Lots more coming to the channel 😎🎸
You are a great teacher.....
Thank you! 😃
Blue, great stuff. One of the issues that I've had learning the Caged system, is the mental conversions I always had to make. It was not infrequent, for example that I am looking to play say a D chord, using the Caged A form but find myself Mentally whispering A Chord, A Chord, no I need a D Chord!!! It is like an extra step gets added. In all fairness, it probably gets sorted out but I have been trying for the better part of 2 years. Keep up the great lessons and great presentation.
Thank you! I agree the terminology of caged just throws my brain for a loop. The shapes are there for us, whether we use those names for them or not. Thanks for commenting :)
Thanks Blue.
Thanks RB!
I can see why it might be a little tough on your students. The “A” shape you keep referring to is actually just a triad (you mentioned this), and you’re mixing A and G shapes. I’m sure you know this, but as a student this would be very confusing. In other words, the first finger barre with the root is “A” shape, the first finger barre of the triad is “G.” After sorting triads, CAGED allows one to see the connectivity of one chord shape to another. Of course, this may not be for everyone (nothing ever is), and mebbe not right away, but when students do get it, it transforms their playing. It certainly did mine, and I’ll bet yours too, once you sorted it.
Cheers mate, and may the guitar gods bless you with enthusiastic students!
Thanks for watching. Indeed I have mixed the G and A shapes together on purpose. I guess my point on that is that the G shape includes the A triad. And in all the years of teaching this stuff, students relate to that A triad shape must faster than thinking of the full G shape. But you're right, different ways of looking at it work for different people for sure. Thanks for watching and commenting :)
Well done as always Blue!. I so agree with the learn one or two shape scenario. Makes perfect sense.. Whats the plan for week 53??... You left everyone hanging😊
Haha, week 53 will be a week off for me. I have three more before then. I might try a livestream after that :)
I agree with your assessment of CAGED system. I don't like it either, I just didn't know why. Also mastering one letter at a time is actually what we end updoing anyhow. Thanks
True indeed 😀
Hi Blue, I subscribed a few months ago, but never received an email. Anyway, I always find your videos by searching on UA-cam, and I have learnt a lot. Thank you for all your work. Mike
Thank you Mike that's great to hear! Unfortunately UA-cam is not great at alerting people of new videos. Thank you for searching us up. Make sure you have the bell icon indicated in your subscription to the channel. That can help, though it doesn't always seem to work either.
Caged and pentatonic sure changed my playing
Spot on. Thank you!
Thank you!
A lightbulb went off for me when I started thinking of CAGED as just 2 shapes - The G/A shape and the C/D shape. The E shape is its own animal but for me it just looks like a higher extension of the G/A shape, especially when you go from root to major third on the G string.
Nice! I'm glad to hear others see it similarly. Thanks for commenting 🙂
You are right Blue, at first CAGED is very overwhelming. I learned all 5 pentatonic box shapes by spending hours noodling over backing tracks while playing in the boxes. It wasnt until I started learning my triads and targeting the 3rd and 5th in the box shapes that the CAGED started to click.
Good point thanks! It does seem that learning CAGED is better after we've explored the fretboard in pieces a bit. Glad to hear that's working for you too :)
My neck bones connected to my head bone. When I learned the caged I also learned the scales , and how they connect to each other and practice them every day that helped me tremendously to understand the fretboard more than anything else and then added associated triads . Hey Blue when's book 2 coming out? I always recommend beginners who want to solo to buy your first book.
Thanks Charles! Book 2 is almost finished. Just have to write 5 more pages, do the cover, proofread etc. Should be soon 😀
So the A shape contains the G chord that is the major pentatonic easy shape that can be the minor pentatonic easy shape when the G shape of the D chord in the D shape major blues scale that links to the relative 3rd of the minor scale on a day that's cloudy ...or something like that :p
Just kidding. I knew and understood the general gist of the CAGED system, but you really broke it down well and added the link between the shape and scale for me that I kind of new but needed someone just to spell it out.
Good to read on other comments that you will still be uploading new content - just not weekly.
Thanks for the (almost) last year of tutorials - I've definitely improved since I subscribed to your channel.
That you for your support. There will be more coming 😎
I learned caged from a structured curriculum and it opened up an entire new world for me. But I did learn one shape at a time and went through exercises that helped me tie the shapes together. I agree that trying to learn it all in a single video can be very confusing and overwhelming.
Cool, well done for doing them all. Thanks for watching!
I really love the technique and the riff
Thank you! Lots more on the channel 👍
Blue, i sure hope you're NOT going to STOP MAKING VIDEOS when your get to #52!!!
No, please DON'T STOP!
i feel confident that I'm not alone with that sentiment, too.
PLEASE DON'T STOP.
You have a unique way of presenting information that makes it easy to understand, as well as practical applications that anyone can use.
NO, DON'T STOP!
PLEASE?!
👍 👌 😎
Thanks dude! There will be more coming 😀 I plan to do about three a month on UA-cam and weekly on Patreon, give or take. Really appreciate your support 😎
"A shape of D" is hard to parse for me. I say "An A shaped D". YMMV. CAGED opened up guitar for me. It's a visual scaffolding that I hang scales, triads, and licks off. When I learn something new, I immediately associate it with the shapes. So a lick gets stored once but is available in 5 places. No system is perfect, and multi modal learning is important, so if it doesn't work for someone, try something different.
I like that phrasing, an A shaped D. That's not bad, thanks!
Great lesson Blue... CAGED teaches 5 shapes ..IMO there are only 3.. E A D
Yeah, pretty much.
Hmm, I like that. It's really all we need, E A and D shapes. I'm gonna think about that. Thanks for watching and posting!
Yep. The C and G are redundant.
Eye opener for someone like me struggling to connect the dots between triads and pentatonic shapes. Would love to see a mix between major and minor b/c of all these progressions mixing both. Thank you!!
Thank you! Glad to hear it helped. I have a video on mixing major pentatonic and minor pentatonic here. That might be in line with what you're looking for: ua-cam.com/video/K9QdVkZIxAo/v-deo.html
@@GuitarLessonsVancouver Thank you so much Blue! You're the best youtuber for intermediate guitar player and deserve way more audience ! Your memorization system works, I enjoy using it.
Caged is very confusing it does make sense the shape overlap and the scales that lie underneath and different triads is a hole lot to wrap your head around very good lesson
Thanks for watching and commenting :)
2 shapes g shape and c shape. Play each at the 5th fret A chord and D chord shapes are built in. movable anywhere. I like your approach to guitar instruction and ...it's playoff time..go Canucks
Thank you!
Thx 🥰
Thanks for watching!
Caged octaves are very useful for learning the fretboard imo
Another great video Blue.. Arpeggios and Triads confuse me..
Thank you! Visualizing these shapes will help with that for sure
Huge lesson
Thanks! Glad it helped 👍
When I started learning guitar 45 years ago, we had another name for the CAGED system - it's called common sense.
For example, once you've learned an E chord and an F chord, you are almost there already (and that happens very early on). Not long after, you'll learn the G bar chord, and then the B bar chord, and it should dawn on you very quickly what's going on.
Hmm I didn't know they called it that. The CAGED term has been around for generations.
This is seriously good , I agree. Btw Steve Howe used to play g shape bar chords up neck, not for everyone thiugh😂
Forget the terminology , just use the shapes. Its a good way to find familiar bits of scale, triads etc all over the neck. I can't say I know them all. I have favourites like the A shape. Good video though
Thank you! I agree. And A shape is the most useful I think. And D shape
How do you get that spanky tone, compressor? Sounds great playing and tone
Thank you! Basically a Fender DR and a keeley compressor that's it 😎
I think the problem is CAGED is not an method or system . It is an understanding of the patterns of chord shapes because of the way the guitar is tuned (4ths). For a piano where the notes go linear CAGED would make no sense .
It's definitely promoted as a method by many.
so, after the 52 weeks, are you continuing to do videos {I hope)?
Definitely I will. There will be weekly lessons on Patreon and UA-cam will have about 3 a month.
😂😂wow I'm confused now😂😂
Indeed! It is confusing. Just follow the A shapes for now, that alone is super useful :)
I understand what U mean reffering to terminologii but I dont agree that what U call an easy shape is either on A shape and G shape. Its definitely on G shape. Pentatonic on A shape is 3 frets below. For ex. A Major pantatonic in A shape is on the 3rd fret. And, obviously, It includes the triad of G, C and E notes, which are also in an easy shape A major on the 5th fret. It is logic 😊
Yes that would be what would normally be called the A shape. But they both contain those three notes which is arguably an A shape
I still prefer Triads. :) What happens after 52 weeks?
Cheerz!
Yeah triads are really useful as shapes too! After the 52 weeks I'll still post to UA-cam but not every week. Probably about 3 times a month. Patreon will have weekly lessons. And I'm hoping to try to do some livestreams here on YT to see how that goes. Thanks for your support!
Tried to purchase your book from Amazon but they saying they have no stock………
Hmm for which country? It should be in all Amazon stores. I just looked in US, Canada and UK Amazon and it says in stock... links to those are here www.bluemorris.com/shop
@@GuitarLessonsVancouver
Australia
@@ThePhoenix222 The link to the Australian page is here: www.amazon.com.au/Guitar-Soloing-Like-Pro-Book/dp/B08P4GYMRZ/
Maybe you’re not explaining it properly. I find it easy to learn and very helpful
That's good. Thanks for watching 👍
caged didn’t work for me. Understanding triads was more useful
Triads yes, so useful.
Been playing 40yrs - never learned the CAGED, dont get it, tried recently, still doenst make sense - just learn intervals :)
I like thinking of interval shapes too, very helpful.
The best way to learn is put some music on and play, eventually (years) awesome things will emerge without it sounding formulaic. 😊
I actually disagree atleast somewhat, the thing is theory helps you get there quicker and you don't necessarily sit down and come up with something cool by saying "now I'll use theory" you internalize it eventually. Ever part of music is theory and everything you learn whether you knownit or not is theory, it's just a matter of how much of the information do you want?
So you set yourself a target of 52 videos?
Afraid you lost a subscription by advertising this
You appear to have caught American
Sorry about that!
Not sure I understand your comment. There will be more, just not as frequent
I look at it as the EDCAG system
Curious. Why that order?
E=1 Ionian D=2 Dorian C=3/4 Phrygian/Lydian A=5 MIXO G=6 Aeolian make more sense to me in that order i can keep track better (with the way my brain works)