NWB - Community Blog

27 Jan 2012

C A G E D system guitar playing

Filed Under : Music , Review

Posted By : THE STAN'S | Comments : 6

Anyone else use this?

You'll know if you do but..

Do you use all forms and shapes for barr chords?

I tend to use the A and E if i'm honest but I should push myself to use C G and D maybe? Would open up more ways of playing and different sounds for chords...

Bearing in mind i'm playing electro acoustic but might try full electric on gigs?

any thoughts!

Donna

Comments

# Posted by grooverman - 27/01/2012, 14:40 (GMT)

All the time you can get some great voicings even with a very overdriven sound. Pete townsend and George Harrison a just two players that spring to mind

# Posted by THE STAN'S - 27/01/2012, 14:46 (GMT)

@ grooverman

Yeah voicings is what i meant LOL !

I'm actually wanting to play them jazzy funk type chords A 7 sus 4, D13 etc etc so i'm going to have to do some theory work i think?

I been listening to alot of Nile Rodgers stuff

Cheers Donna

# Posted by Bright Shapes - 27/01/2012, 14:47 (GMT)

Its useful for lead parts that you want to play in a different key and for sweep picking patterns. Once you have learnt the shapes they can work anywhere which I suppose is the point of the CAGED system. I use it although I dont think of it as the CAGED system. I learnt all the voicings of chords all in each key and then when I cam across the CAGED system I was using it in a way anyway.

The D is a useful voicing and I use it quite frequently. I use the c voicing every now and again. I dont think I use the G in anything! The problem with the C and G is that they end up as very awkward bar chords to play and for the sake of a slight different in note order and tone i dont think the voicings are worth risking cocking up live!

Its a good system to use when playing with other musicians if you need to find other voicings so you dont "step on other players toes." Also very useful for lead phrases, arpeggios and sweep picking as mentioned above.

# Posted by grooverman - 27/01/2012, 16:50 (GMT)

it means that you can play pretty much any chord on the first five frets , the majority of players use the A shape or the E shape , or the fifth inversion of those to which after a while sounds very pedestrian, if your wanting to experiment with chords you need to learn the intervals for the major scale
TTSTTTS and the triad formula EG 1 3 5 major 1 b3 5 (Im using b as the flat symbol) Minor
1 b3 b5 (Diminished etc) sometimes it easier to play a chord as a different inversion from a fingering point of view, some are just a pain, this C shaped version of B7 thats popular with some guitar teachers is a good example , never sounds quite to me

and this D shaped version of E flat , students always hit the two open strings and murder it

# Posted by grooverman - 27/01/2012, 16:57 (GMT)

waiting for the "dont learn theory its a waste of time " brigade

# Posted by Paul(Shenks) - Blaze Guitarist - 27/01/2012, 20:38 (GMT)

Don't waste time, and don't waste theory

..probably the best way of phrasing it, in other words practice and learning needs to be structured so the CAGED system is just one example.

Originally I was going to turn the phrase backwards, but 'don't learn time, it's a waste of theory' didn't make any sense (maybe it will when I get back from drinking copious amounts of alcohol tonight?)

Paul

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