Beginner
Beginner
- Learn what’s really behind the CAGED system.
- Develop a deeper understanding of chord inversions.
- Create interesting progressions all over the neck.
Scaffolding is a teaching technique used to build connections for learners before the true concept is taught. An educator will select content that is not too difficult or unfamiliar for students and will use that familiar material to make connections to the new concept.
An example of scaffolding is a teacher discussing the themes of To Kill A Mockingbird before assigning a class to read the book itself. The CAGED system shares this same structure; instead of directly learning how chords are constructed, students learn chord shapes they’re already familiar with, but move the chord shapes to new locations on the neck.
There are advantages and disadvantages to learning with a scaffolding system.
Advantages:
- Scaffolding minimizes frustration
- Scaffolding is catered to students who are quick to give up
- Building connections based on known concepts (i.e.: chord shapes) speeds up learning
Disadvantages:
- Does not promote independent learning
- Over-scaffolding creates dependence
- CAGED system cannot be applied to music in general and is specific only to the guitar.
The ultimate goal of CAGED is not to teach shapes but to teach new chords.
I would like to offer another piece of scaffolding. Chord inversions will also teach students new ways to approach chords they already know. These two scaffoldings are not in competition, but in fact aid each other.
You will create a chord progression applying both the CAGED system and chord inversions. We will use the I–VIm–IV–V progression in the key of A major: A–F#m–D–E.
What's a Chord Inversion?
An inversion occurs when a chord’s notes are rearranged, specifically which note in the bass of the chord.
An A major chord in root position is A (root) C# (3rd) E (5th)
1st inversion is C# (3rd) E (5th) A (root)
2nd inversion is E (5th) A (root) C# (3rd)
In Ex. 1 you can see these inversions played on the top three strings.
Let’s simultaneously lay out the A major chords using the CAGED system in Ex. 2. (If you need a CAGED refresher, check out "The Guitarist's Guide to the CAGED System."
You will select one of these voicings for your chord progression. As you examine all eight voicings, pay attention to which voicing you’re drawn to. This will help build your creative voice. Personally, I’ve always loved the sound of a 1st inversion chord, so I will select that for the first chord in my progression.
The second chord in our progression is an F#m. Let’s examine the inversions for this chord in Ex. 3.
In Ex. 4 you can see the F#m CAGED system chords.
I want to include some descending pitches. I will select the F#m from the CAGED system, using the "E" shape. When moving between these two voicings the energy drops in a lovely way because there are so many descending pitches. We also add three new low notes, giving this voicing a deeper sonic space. This is a sound I enjoy. You may choose whichever voicings you think sound right for your exercise.
For my example, I’m going to select a D chord in root position. Curiously, I decided against using the "A" shape of the D chord. These two chords are incredibly similar but I wanted to stay away from the lower notes. This will add contrast in my progression for a dynamic effect.
Because E major is the final chord in our progression, I’d like to hear it end on a full sound with a nice bottom end. This will contrast the high voicing of the previous chord. For these reasons I simply choose the open E chord. The final result of my progression is in Ex. 5.
Scaffolding is not good or bad, just as the CAGED system is not good or bad. The power in this lesson comes from the student making strong creative choices, and analyzing why they’re making those choices.
Create your own chord progression and think critically as you select which chords you want. The system itself doesn’t give a player creativity. It’s the implementation of the system that builds creativity.
The CAGED system works a little bit like this: We use those open-chord shapes as a framework to understand the fretboard. For example, we can play five different C major chords, each based upon a different shape going up the neck. In Ex. 1 you can see how I'd lay out each C major chord.
Below you can hear how each chord shape sounds. Check out Clip 1 and notice the subtle difference between voicings.
To easily apply the CAGED system, you'll need to learn your root notes around the neck—especially on the lowest two strings. This will help you easily find the different shapes in the middle of a song. Once you get a good handle on your root-note positions, get familiar with a few options for every chord around the neck. I often use the “A" shape and the “E" shape in almost every key up and down the fretboard. This has also helped me get rid of my capo! Sometimes I'll still use a capo in the studio if I want to play specific chord voicings, but for the most part, I play capo-free thanks to the CAGED system. With practice, these will become second nature and they'll really help you expand your harmonic palette.
Now, let's break this down. In Clip 2, I've recorded a simple G–Em–C–D–G progression with the easy open-position chords we all know and love.
Now let's apply the CAGED system and play the same progression higher up the neck. I'm going to try to play all the chords around the 10th fret (Ex. 2). You'll hear what this sounds like in Clip 3.
Open-String Shimmer
Now, you can take it a step further. In certain keys, you can let some open strings ring. These open strings sound so beautiful and can really give some nice harmonies when someone else in your band is playing chords in open position. Let's take a listen (Clip 4). The chord progression is E–C#m–A–B–E. As you can see in Ex. 3, we leave the top two strings open throughout the progression.
This simple I–VIm–IV–V–I progression can be played in so many different ways. Using a capo, you can continue to use some of these chord shapes to layer intriguing harmonies if you're playing with other musicians or recording multiple guitar tracks in the studio.
Colorful Tones
Lastly, there are a few notes within these CAGED shapes that can enhance a chord progression with some cool, ear-grabbing colors. In Ex. 4, I've marked blue triangles on some of my favorite tones that surround the five CAGED shapes and add distinctive sonic flavors. Some are extended chord tones (like the 7 in the “C" shape), while others are ambiguous-sounding suspensions (the 2 in the “D" shape).
I hope this helps you get the most out of your chord progressions. See ya next time!
