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Matt Wildcat

CAGED System Chords - My Understanding

Finally back to playing now that my chest ins't trying to end me XD. Thought I'd go back to the CAGED system as I've covered it briefly before but wanted to really work on making sure I understand how it works and how I can use it! Here, I go over the chord shapes and how moving the shapes to different positions creates other chords, and how this process can create all of the chords in different places! I apologise if my words don't make sense, it sounded better in my head. I also apologise for my sucky knowlegde of some chords, I'm working on doing better! So long as I've got this all right, I'll be moving onto each chord's arpeggios next, and then hoping back to scales so I don't burn out! (And hey, don't drop the ball this time, me XD)
Hey Millie! You were absolutely right about the C shape for the B chord being with the bar on the 11th fret. It also might be helpful to think of where your pinky ends up on that shape for reference - as your pinky is hitting the note B ( 14th fret on the A string), which is the Root note of the chord :) You can also check by ear if the notes match up the previous shape, if that makes any sense
 
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Hey Millie! You were absolutely right about the C shape for the B chord being with the bar on the 11th fret. It also might be helpful to think of where your pinky ends up on that shape for reference - as your pinky is hitting the note B ( 14th fret on the A string), which is the Root note of the chord :) You can also check by ear if the notes match up the previous shape, if that makes any sense
Awesome, thank you for clearing that up for me! I didn't even think about what note my pinky was hitting, I really gotta make sure I brush up on those! So, would I be right in saying that anytime the C shape is played, it's like a little 'reset' of the pattern, if you will?
 
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Awesome, thank you for clearing that up for me! I didn't even think about what note my pinky was hitting, I really gotta make sure I brush up on those! So, would I be right in saying that anytime the C shape is played, it's like a little 'reset' of the pattern, if you will?

No problem at all! If you think about it, you're barring with your first finger, but your pinky is taking over that same string which changes the note to a B. And yeah totally! If you're thinking in terms of CAGED then you've just went back to the beginning of the set technically 🤟
 
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Oh - A general question for anyone who knows to answer if you can - So when I use the C shape as the first in the pattern, it creates a D. When I start with A as first, it creates a B. What is the system to work out what the next chord is? If I played G, would it become an A? Would E become F? Do they just go up to the next chord? Sorry if this is poorly worded 😅
 
Awesome Millie! That often confused me too! As Chris already said the B would be 11th fret, which is because the CAGED chords don't connect where the chords end, but where the chord ends on the lowest string. Hope that makes sense.
If we take that example you struggled with, the B in the D shape. So the chord "ends" as you say on the twelved fret, but the lowest note is on the 11th fret. That's the place where it connects to the next chord.

So you end up with the C shape 11th fret. Move this shape up one fret and you have the octave C, cause there's no shapr / flat between B and C. So you almost got it perfect already :)
 
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Awesome Millie! That often confused me too! As Chris already said the B would be 11th fret, which is because the CAGED chords don't connect where the chords end, but where the chord ends on the lowest string. Hope that makes sense.
If we take that example you struggled with, the B in the D shape. So the chord "ends" as you say on the twelved fret, but the lowest note is on the 11th fret. That's the place where it connects to the next chord.

So you end up with the C shape 11th fret. Move this shape up one fret and you have the octave C, cause there's no shapr / flat between B and C. So you almost got it perfect already :)
Ahhh, that makes so much more sense! I completely glossed over that bit about the lowest note and just thought it was the furthest note along the fretboard! Thank you!
 
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