| This video demonstrates a little exercise I made up a while ago for getting to grips with the CAGED system. It takes a short time to understand what CAGED is about, but a little longer to actually experience it as part of your playing. This exercise is pretty simple, it's a blues progression that uses all 5 shapes of the 7th chords. It's a way of getting the shapes under your fingers, and also, learning the flow from one shape into another in a seamless way. | |
One of the reasons I devised this exercise for myself is that I was a bit frustrated with my comping abilities. In the blues we don't have many options for chordal type - 7ths and 9ths are okay but if we go too far it starts sounding too much like jazz! So I wanted to be able to move around to any part of the fretboard to get a different voicing of the 7th chord very easily and instinctively. This exercise has definitely helped!
Once you learn to move in this way with 7th chords, the CAGED idea really gets into your own system. After that, you have a foundation into which you can slot any other chords you like.
I recommend starting with 7ths, like this exercise, because the 5 voicings all fit under the fingers quite easily.
Once you learn to move in this way with 7th chords, the CAGED idea really gets into your own system. After that, you have a foundation into which you can slot any other chords you like.
I recommend starting with 7ths, like this exercise, because the 5 voicings all fit under the fingers quite easily.
Explanation
Rhythm
I'm playing a funky 3 against 4 rhythm for most of the tune. The chord hits fall on the following 16ths (in red)
I'm playing a funky 3 against 4 rhythm for most of the tune. The chord hits fall on the following 16ths (in red)
1 e & a 2 e & a 3 e & a 4 e & a
Chords
The chords are standard blues changes in the key of G. I am moving through the CAGED system in order. It's useful to work out your own voicings for these chords, so I won't provide a tab, but I will provide a diagram below that shows the 5 shapes.
Bars 1-4, Chord I, G7
I'm playing the E shape, D shape, C shape, A shape, and G shape.
Bars 5-6, Chord IV, C7
I'm playing the C shape, A shape, G shape, E shape, D shape.
Bars 7-8, Chord I, G7
As bars 1-4.
Bars 9-10, Chords V and IV, D7 and C7
I'm playing the D shape, E shape, and G shape (reversing the order)
Bar 11 - Chord I, G7
As bars 1-4.
Bar 12 - Chord V, D7
Held C shape.
The chords are standard blues changes in the key of G. I am moving through the CAGED system in order. It's useful to work out your own voicings for these chords, so I won't provide a tab, but I will provide a diagram below that shows the 5 shapes.
Bars 1-4, Chord I, G7
I'm playing the E shape, D shape, C shape, A shape, and G shape.
Bars 5-6, Chord IV, C7
I'm playing the C shape, A shape, G shape, E shape, D shape.
Bars 7-8, Chord I, G7
As bars 1-4.
Bars 9-10, Chords V and IV, D7 and C7
I'm playing the D shape, E shape, and G shape (reversing the order)
Bar 11 - Chord I, G7
As bars 1-4.
Bar 12 - Chord V, D7
Held C shape.
The diagrams show the positions of the CAGED 7th chords for C7. You will need to move them into the right key to do the exercise. The notes which are outlines are the roots.
Note that for the G7 shape, I haven't included the root in the bass. It's not needed to get the sound of the chord.
Note that for the G7 shape, I haven't included the root in the bass. It's not needed to get the sound of the chord.
| caged_c7.pdf |
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