Combining positions in CAGED

[Alex Mason]

I am on lesson 25 in the beginners course “CAGED system: A Shape” and I am still really confused on how everything fits together with the caged system, and just how scales &a chords relate to each other in general. To be honest I have been stuck at this point for a long time now and I feel like I could have a breakthrough if I could understand these concepts. Should I keep going with the lessons since I am only on the A shape, or am I missing something?

 

[Calvin Phillips]

What exactly is puzzling you? I wrote a song that kinda follows the caged system in the lessons.. it literally is the same melpdy just played in different positions on the fretboard. I used the caged system to find each spot.
The caged system makes it pretty to find your spots. The a shape is the same notes as the c shape.. Just played in different spots. Maybe try mapping it out on paper before playing. Thats what i did. It helped a lot to wrote it down before even touching the guitar. And now its getting easier to just use one position and move it around without mapping anything out.

 

[idssdi]

In the end Caged simply allows to find the same scales notes on different places on the fretboard. As far as relating chords to scales goes. Each chord is made out of a collection of notes. A scale is also made out of multiple notes. If you can find the notes that make up the chord in a scale then that’s a scale that works over that specific chord.

 

[Jen Hapke]

I think it would help you if you go trough the lessons really slow and figure out every note in every shape (it turns into learning the fretboard). You can blend the fretboard in next to the option wheel or figure them out by your self. Then I would recommend to try to play along with the melodies Papa Gates plays until you feel comfortable with the shape (slow down the video if needed). And most important when you know one scale than start to play it to the backing track. Just go to lesson 29 and play your scale over it. I know the video says that you can play the G shape over the C chord but you can also just play the A shape over all in the beginning at least the pentatonic.
You are learning the CAGED system with the D major here. The thing is that the scales you learn you can play over D major chords and every note of the scales fit to the chord and don’t sound off. You can use the pentatonic scale over the whole D major key chord family (lesson 37, maybe this lesson helps you even though its a lot to know) and it sounds good. The major scale has two more notes and has to be handled with a bit more care. The arpeggios are just the notes the chord consists of. I would recommend first learn the pentatonic scale positions and learn to use them. Then go back to lesson 24 and add the major scales learn to use them. Then go back again and learn how to use the arpeggios and double stops.
You can spend so much time on the CAGED system and you have to to be able to use it in every key but it’s really useful.
I hope I haven’t confused you to much. Just ask if there are more questions.

 

[Jak Angelescu]

Honestly buddy I have been on the CAGED system lessons for almost two months now. There’s a lot to be digested and it can be a little confusing. I didn’t understand it really at all until about the third time I watched the video. So don’t feel alone there!!
I’m working on tutorials for each individual lesson at the moment in the beginner section. I’ve been making notes of things that people have been struggling with and I plan on addressing these things in the tutorials and add things in there that may help people understand the lessons and apply them better and more efficiently.
Since what you’re asking is kind of complicated to explain (as what you’re asking could entail several dozen answers ) if you want, I’ve been Skyping with some students on here and helping them out. You’re more than welcome to hit me up there or on Facebook messenger if you’d like