CAGED System – The A Shape – Lesson 25

[John Robinson]

I try to offer the "easiest" fingerings in all of the lessons. That being said - it's all subjective. It's only easier for me. lol. You may find an alternate fingering that's easier for you. When I learn something for the first time - I ALWAYS try alternate fingerings to find the most comfortable fingering. It gives me the best chance not to fuck up when I'm playing it live. : )

You do a great job..its just that im having trouble with some things and its because its new to me and im older and i dont get to practice a lot

 

[Isaac McDaniel]

I am very new to theory and having a difficult time understanding all of this. He seems to just jump into the CAGED system without properly explaining the positions or scales themselves. This is all in the key of D correct? How do we know this? I have to constantly pause the video and look up scales to figure out what I am playing I am just having a hard time trying to figure out what it is I am supposed to take away from these videos. I can't practice doing the double stops and sliding in and out of scales because I still don't know the scale shapes well enough but that hasn't been covered in a video yet. The videos are great and I am learning but still feel like every couple of sentences he brushes over a topic or says a word as if it's already known but hasn't been covered yet in the video and I have no idea what he is talking about. Any advice would be welcome!

 

[idssdi]

I am very new to theory and having a difficult time understanding all of this. He seems to just jump into the CAGED system without properly explaining the positions or scales themselves. This is all in the key of D correct? How do we know this? I have to constantly pause the video and look up scales to figure out what I am playing I am just having a hard time trying to figure out what it is I am supposed to take away from these videos. I can't practice doing the double stops and sliding in and out of scales because I still don't know the scale shapes well enough but that hasn't been covered in a video yet. The videos are great and I am learning but still feel like every couple of sentences he brushes over a topic or says a word as if it's already known but hasn't been covered yet in the video and I have no idea what he is talking about. Any advice would be welcome!

Yes it's D for this one.

I have question for you, did you start with lesson 1 or jumped straight into CAGED? Fundamentals of guitar should explain everything you need.

 

[Isaac McDaniel]

Yes it's D for this one.

I have question for you, did you start with lesson 1 or jumped straight into CAGED? Fundamentals of guitar should explain everything you need.

I did. I still feel like the whole picture has not been painted for me. In his video explaining the major scale he explains the formula which I understand and plays the scale but he doesn't play the scale on either of the E strings, so I don't feel like I truly know the shape. Also, the major scales he is playing throughout the CAGED videos change shape and I don't remember him showing all the different shapes of the major scales. The only time I remember him mentioning positions was when he was referring to 1st position as near the neck. But in these videos I think he is referring to positions as where the root note of a scale is. I just feel like there's something that is clicking for everyone else that I'm not getting. I've watched these videos several times and have tried to sit with the information and practice but am still feeling lost and unable to connect the dots.

 

[idssdi]

I did. I still feel like the whole picture has not been painted for me. In his video explaining the major scale he explains the formula which I understand and plays the scale but he doesn't play the scale on either of the E strings, so I don't feel like I truly know the shape. Also, the major scales he is playing throughout the CAGED videos change shape and I don't remember him showing all the different shapes of the major scales. The only time I remember him mentioning positions was when he was referring to 1st position as near the neck. But in these videos I think he is referring to positions as where the root note of a scale is. I just feel like there's something that is clicking for everyone else that I'm not getting. I've watched these videos several times and have tried to sit with the information and practice but am still feeling lost and unable to connect the dots.

The idea of the CAGED system is to change shape while playing the same notes

 

[Calvin Phillips]

I am very new to theory and having a difficult time understanding all of this. He seems to just jump into the CAGED system without properly explaining the positions or scales themselves. This is all in the key of D correct? How do we know this? I have to constantly pause the video and look up scales to figure out what I am playing I am just having a hard time trying to figure out what it is I am supposed to take away from these videos. I can't practice doing the double stops and sliding in and out of scales because I still don't know the scale shapes well enough but that hasn't been covered in a video yet. The videos are great and I am learning but still feel like every couple of sentences he brushes over a topic or says a word as if it's already known but hasn't been covered yet in the video and I have no idea what he is talking about. Any advice would be welcome!

Without over complicating it. You are playing the same chord through all 5 positions. So thatd mean it's all the same scale.. and notes for that matter. The caged system just does a good job in showing how you can play the same thing a different way through a different position.if you line up the notes you'll find its the exact.same scale.

If the caged system is still confusing.. maybe go back to the chords on their own. C a g e d are all shown before the caged lessons. Spend some time.. memorize those finger positions. Then go back to the caged. And follow the chords and you'll see the pattern easier. I think you're just a little over anxious. Gotta slow it down a bit.

 

[Calvin Phillips]

Also to add.. oh.goes into major scale positions deeper on in the lessons

 

[Mathmilam]

Im really glad I didnt overestimate myself and skip the beginner stuff. Ive never really thought of the guitar this way. All of my soloing has been modal based. Thats just always how ive connected the fretboard. Learning this ON TOP of that is really opening my mind up.

 

[Kevin Dumont]

I don't still understand the double notes construction...
For C shape, we built it according to the shape (or the arpegios changing the cord at reach step) 23 / 32 / 24 / 45 / 55 /52
So for A shape I though that will be 57 / 77 / 77/ 75 / 55 but instead Papa gates show us a different double stop: 77 / 55 /77 /54/ 77/45 / 55 / 45

What is the logic behind double stop construction? can we associative two notes of the scale ? because some association seems non conclusive (7 on A string and 4 on D string so E and F#) Is it because I associate the second and the third together ?

 

[Calvin Phillips]

I try to offer the "easiest" fingerings in all of the lessons. That being said - it's all subjective. It's only easier for me. lol. You may find an alternate fingering that's easier for you. When I learn something for the first time - I ALWAYS try alternate fingerings to find the most comfortable fingering. It gives me the best chance not to fuck up when I'm playing it live. : )

From what I've learned a double stop is ANY two notes together. You can put together any 2 notes of the scale.. they all sound different but also the same in each position. And every position has a different tone of the same double stop. Search around for your favourites.


Edit : Not sure why this quoted GPS post when I was replying to Kevin but ok!

 

[idssdi]

Is it kosher to hop back and forth in between pentatonic and major scales? I did it a couple times without thinking about it and it didn't sound terrible. For instance, I started in the major scale then slid up and continued in the pentatonic scale. I'd assume it's okay, considering most of the notes overlap, but I was curious as to what everyone else thought.

I'm a bit late but to answer your question. The major pentatonic scale really is just the major scale with the 4th and 7th taken out so there's absolutely no problem doing that.

 

[idssdi]

I don't still understand the double notes construction...
For C shape, we built it according to the shape (or the arpegios changing the cord at reach step) 23 / 32 / 24 / 45 / 55 /52
So for A shape I though that will be 57 / 77 / 77/ 75 / 55 but instead Papa gates show us a different double stop: 77 / 55 /77 /54/ 77/45 / 55 / 45

What is the logic behind double stop construction? can we associative two notes of the scale ? because some association seems non conclusive (7 on A string and 4 on D string so E and F#) Is it because I associate the second and the third together ?

A double stop is two notes played together, which notes you okay together is usually determined by which intervals you like the sound of when played together. I mean you're probably not gonna do a double stop with a b5 and the root or b2 and the root.

E and F# have a whole range of reasons it can work. Sorry if this is a little bit too in deep as far as theory is concerned but basically those two notes are the 2nd and 3rd of D, 5th and 6th of A, b7th and root of F#, 5th and 4th of B, root and 2nd of E, 6th and 7th of G. In the end it depends on the sound you want to go for but you can really trace it all back to the chords and the fingering you play them in can be traced back to CAGED

 

[Pyrokinetics]

I don't understand how to build the pentatonic scale or the major scale just off the chord, maybe I'm just missing something, idk.

 

[idssdi]

I don't understand how to build the pentatonic scale or the major scale just off the chord, maybe I'm just missing something, idk.

Do you understand lessons 8,9 and 20? That's where building chords, the major scale and the pentatonic scale is explained.

 

[Pyrokinetics]

Do you understand lessons 8,9 and 20? That's where building chords, the major scale and the pentatonic scale is explained.

I will check those out and perhaps then I will understand, and thank you!

 

[Nicholas Paro]

So, if the C shape is the d pentatonic, what key is the A shape pentatonic in?

 

[Jacob Nunes]

I went online with for a looped D chord on piano. Just started playing around with the notes from the major scales of the A and C shapes and an hour went by.

 

[Zesty Rage]

This was a great lesson. I see a lot of videos that will talk about scales but all they teach is one type of scale and ramble on about the scale patterns. The lessons taught here is what I love. These lessons cover the chords, the positions for each chord and the scales and techniques that go with it. I'm definitely getting my $10 worth out of these lessons. After constant practice and studying I finally understand how to connect scales to the entire fretboard. I may not be a master yet but with the knowledge given here I'll be next in line to be on the stage jamming out. Look out A7X Here I come!

 

[Leo The Gym Rat]

I didn't exactly understand how do i know how to play the Scale shown in the video, Can someone help?

 

[Chris Johnston]

I didn't exactly understand how do i know how to play the Scale shown in the video, Can someone help?

There should be a TAB display at the bottom of the video - this will give you the fret numbers that you need to play what is in the video as it's being played