Quote:
Originally Posted by SunnyDee
I'm confused in general about the point of the CAGED system. I don't get why people put so much effort into learning only major chords. Since I didn't learn the fretboard that way, I can't figure out why it's supposed to be an advantage. But, that being said, I'm still curious what other people are doing with it, because I do want to learn anything that is an advantage, so I have a question:
You said you learned all 11 of the E and A shapes, meaning, I guess, 11 E shapes and 11 A shapes? What 11? I mean, I think of the E shape as one shape. One shape, root on string 6, 5th on 5, octave on 4, 3rd on 3, etc. I have to put a barre on it to make it movable, but I still think one shape, move it up and down fretboard, and it plays major chords with roots on the 6 string, that's it. What are the 11 different shapes that take a couple months to learn?
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The 11 shapes are:
(Triad)
1-major
2-minor
(quadads)
3-dom 7
4-min 7
5-maj 7
6-minor 7b5
7-dim 7
8-sus 2
9-sus 4
10-maj 6
11-min 6
The E-shape is a 6th root shape, the A is a 5th string, the D is a 4th, the C is generally a 5th string root.
The purpose of the system is to be able to play these chords in any key, all over the fretboard. The C shape also has a 5th string root but as it uses a different shape, a major 7th for example in the C shape will sound different than an A shape in the same general area of the guitar neck.
As I see it, the purposes of the CAGED system are to be able to:
1) play hundreds of different chords using a much smaller subset of shapes
2) (as said above) to transpose a key easily to another
I created two study guides to help - BUT THEY ARE for LEFTHANDED players so the diagrams need to be reversed for righties:
E/A shapes:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/r1vlnernhe...hapes.pdf?dl=0
C/D shapes:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/zai02akafx...tures.pdf?dl=0
I may or may not do the G shape as they are not used as much.
Also, I did not incude the fingerings for the shapes, but that is described in Justin's Chord Construction Guide, or you can use your judgement, but I'd STRONGLY recommend getting his materials, they are tremendously helpful. My goal is to be a complete player, not just someone who knows 20 or 100 songs.