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CAGED System – The C Shape – Lesson 24

Calvin Phillips

Music Theory Bragger
Nov 11, 2019
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1,988
I always use pentatonic scales to improvise, but my sound always comes out the same. The scales we use in this lesson, can we use them to improvise alongside the pentatonics?
They probably sound the same cause you're using the same pattern over every chord. Maybe change up your note selection exactly like you're suggesting. Maybe use the penatonic run for your first chord. Then change it to arpeggios over the 2nd chord or whatever. Anything to change up the note selection. I try to do something different with every song I write. Dont always want to use the same arpeggios and chords or you'll end up having the issue you're talking about. And the listeners notice too.
 
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idssdi

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Nov 11, 2019
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I always use pentatonic scales to improvise, but my sound always comes out the same. The scales we use in this lesson, can we use them to improvise alongside the pentatonics?
There is a lot you can do with a pentatonic scale. It sounds like you just kinda play it up and down. You can skip notes from the scale, change positions etc. The most important thing is that you are able to create a melody/motif and realize not every backingtrack you play over will ask for the same melody/motif.

As for your question, yes you can.
 
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Qwerty1928

Campfire Attention Holder
Jun 6, 2020
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Great lesson!

I like how this connects pentatonic, major & arpeggios concepts. They are usually teached separately, and sometimes you don't realize they are related when you are a newbie.

For example, I realized the major triad shapes simply come from the major Arpeggio. When you got it, it seems obvious ^^'

Thinking of having a deep dive into one CAGED shape per month at first, to avoid confusing them.
 

SynEater

New Student
May 19, 2020
5
2

Me but can you teach me to using triad and arpeggio pentatonic scale
 

Qwerty1928

Campfire Attention Holder
Jun 6, 2020
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Qwerty 1928 so can you teach me to how to using arpeggio and triad scale and applying the pentatonic scale
I had recently learned about "major triads". They are cluster of 3 notes played on 3 different strings, in order to make a "3 strings" major chord (at least this my own freshmen definition )

When I learnt it, it was like "ohoh, more major chords than just open chords & bar chords??? Nice!"

Looking at the lesson, and at the "mini chords" within the arpeggio, I finally got it where the triads come from
 

idssdi

Sold-out Crowd Surfer
Nov 11, 2019
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Well the note's my problem. When I playing arpeggio. Or string skipping. He just sucks. my finger. when I get arpeggio
You really have got to show what you're doing because that isn't clear at all.

An arpeggio is all the note of a chord played separately, if you show how you play it now I can help you otherwise it's hard to do that.
 

SynEater

New Student
May 19, 2020
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Dakjones45

New Student
Jul 18, 2020
1
1
Am I the only one that finds these to be entirely unhelpful. We're given the pentatonic scale one time and then the dude just jams over it. It moves far too quickly and you can't play along at all. You just end up watching him without being at all familiar with the shape yet. This feels a far cry from a beginner lesson.
 
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Jak Angelescu

Guest

Dak,
I'm sorry that you feel that way. There are some things are I'd be more than happy to help you with as many students do find it helpful but there are some students that didn't. The team is working on a method to help students grasp these concepts better. The CAGED system is one being talked about.
 
Reactions: Ed Seith

Dominik Gräber

Hot Topic Tourer
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  • Nov 11, 2019
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    I get what you are saying. I Had a Lot of Problems with this at First. But I think you Just have to approach it differently. If PG teaches you a chord or a scale learn it. Nobody wants you to be able to apply it on the Spot. Then PG Shows you whaz you CAN do with only the Material of the Lesson. That's a Goal you want to achieve, Not something you should already be able to do.
    Hell, I've been through all CAGED Lessons and already wrote my own stuff and still can't improvise on the Spot Like PG.

    At the end of the day These lessons are Not ment to binge watch and then you know a whole Bunch of stuff. You are supposed to Take your time, practice the basics and If you can play the scales and chords introduced and understood everything PG Said, then you can move on. Ideally With showing us what you've learned

    However If you DON'T understand what's explained in the Lessons don't hesitate to ask even the dumbest sounding questions in the Forum and you WILL get Help. It can be difficult to grasp for beginners, I know that First hand.

    Hope that helped you a little

    Edit: and If you want to Play along to it, every lesson also has a backing track to Jam over it!
     

    Imactuallyadrummer

    Campfire Attention Holder
    May 27, 2020
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    I’m a beginner, like Dominik mentioned I don’t think the intention of the lesson is for you to be able to play the improv like that at full speed. But to slowly get familiar with the rest of the fretboard, how the chords are all linked together etc... Of course you always have the option to down speed it and try it out (no shame I sometimes play at 40% LOL)

    And yeah his jams show you the potential of the material being used, to me it proves that it’s not theory for the sake of learning theory. But as a beginner I’m not gonna expect to improv like that. I think just “understand” the theory behind it and move on for now. But I always revisit these set of lessons cause it makes more sense every time I come back and look at it. To be honest now I skip back and forth between beginner and intermediate material, the intermediate material teaches more physical co-ordination stuff. This keeps it fresh for me

    truth is IMO that you probably wouldn’t even need those lessons if all you wanted to do was read tabs and jam songs, but I think many people are here to break that cycle and actually learn more about their instrument and the fretboard.
     
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