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soloing using CAGED system

Home › Forums › Music Theory › soloing using CAGED system

Tagged: CAGED

  • This topic has 15 replies, 8 voices, and was last updated 5 years, 4 months ago by Mike B.
Viewing 14 reply threads
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    • March 5, 2020 at 2:05 pm #163121
      Paddyboy
      Participant

        I believe this to be true……someone please correct me if I’m wrong.
        remember when trying to figure out soloing over chords………think, C A G E D and remember… if you’re using, for instance, an open G chord it uses the pentatonic shape number 1. Each of the CAGED system shapes corresponds to one of the 5 pentatonic shapes.
        “G” shape = pentatonic shape #1—–“E” shaped G chord = Pentatonic shape #2—–“D” shaped G chord = Pentatonic shape #3—–“C” shaped G chord = Pentatonic shape #4 and “A” shaped G chord = Pentatonic shape #5

        G=1 E=2 D=3 C=4 A=5 spells CAGED. the letters are the CAGED shapes and the numbers 1-5 are the corresponding pentatonic shapes. If your playing, for instance, an open G chord, that corresponds to the 1st pentatonic shape, if you move that G chord up to the next position in CAGED, that’s an E shaped bar chord and it gets the 2nd pentatonic shape in soloing. Then move that G chord up to the CAGED D shaped G chord and you will see it fits nicely over the 3rd pentatonic shape and so on for the last 2.

        ALL IT TAKES TO WRITE A SONG IS........3 CHORDS AND THE TRUTH!

      • March 5, 2020 at 3:01 pm #163123
        John H
        Participant

          What you are saying I believe to be true. Though I am not sure what you are asking or if you are just making a statement of fact? Each of the chords in the major and minor scales can be positioned and moved up and down the neck in correspondence to many scales. And, this is a great framework from which to derive solos.

        • March 5, 2020 at 7:56 pm #163127
          Usernameinvalid
          Participant

            Pattern 1 (for most people) is the E shape. So if you are
            playing a Barre G chord at the 3rd fret that is the E shaped
            barre chord and Major scale (all scales are made from the major
            scale.)
            If you’re playing a G open chord that would be patter 5 or G shape.
            The order of patterns is mostly E D C A G or 1 2 3 4 5
            I say mostly because most teacher teach the E shape first and call
            it patern 1.

            I prefer using the shape names it clears up any confusion

            • March 6, 2020 at 12:22 pm #163167
              Paddyboy
              Participant

                I think if your playing the open G chord, it’s pattern one pentatonic that you would use to solo over it.

                ALL IT TAKES TO WRITE A SONG IS........3 CHORDS AND THE TRUTH!

            • March 6, 2020 at 8:27 am #163149
              Laurel C
              Moderator

                A well done PDF was uploaded by Roland to the AM community early this year explaining how the pentatonic shapes related to the different CAGED shapes. These graphics show both the pentatonic major and minor. As was said above, the ‘E’ shape G on the 3rd fret tends to be regarded as Pattern 1 and ‘G’ shape G, Pattern 5. The ‘G’ shape shares the top part of the ‘E’ shape but also the bottom of the ‘A’ shape, so the open G (the bottom part of the ‘G’ shape G) would fit into Pattern 1 but the next ‘G’ shape G on the 15th, Pattern 5 includes the whole shape. Have attached the PDF file Roland shared with us.

                CAGED-Pentatonics

              • March 6, 2020 at 10:36 am #163158
                KevinE
                Participant

                  I believe Brian use the patterns 1-5 minor pentatonics as the same pattern #’s for the major pentatonic scales. Which is different than most of the literature out there. So if you are playing the minor pentatonic scale #1 and you slide it down three frets (flat) you are playing the major pentatonic scale for the same key. Brian calls that pattern #1 which is based on the G-shape. I made a graphic which reflects that.

                  https://crowssayveeeh.bandcamp.com/
                  https://soundcloud.com/kevin-emmrich

                • March 6, 2020 at 12:05 pm #163161
                  Paddyboy
                  Participant

                    So let me see if I can maybe try to simplify what I was saying
                    a chord, for instance, a G chord can be played in 5 places going up the neck using all the CAGED shapes. Each one of those caged shapes corresponds to a pentatonic scale that you can use to solo over and land on all the notes in that G chord. That’s it in a nutshell.
                    1. If you want to solo over an open G chord you can use pentatonic scale 1 and it will hit on all the notes in that G chord.
                    2. Now the next shape of a G chord going up the neck uses the E shape in the CAGED system. Pentatonic scale 2 will hit on all the notes in that G chord.
                    3. Now the next shape of a G chord going up the neck uses the D shape in the CAGED system. Pentatonic shape 3 will hit on all the notes in that G chord
                    4. Now the next shape of a G chord going up the neck uses the C shape in the CAGED system. Pentatonic shape 4 will hit on all the notes in that G chord
                    5. Now the next shape of a G chord going up the neck uses the A shape in the CAGED system. Pentatonic shape 5 will hit on all the notes in that G chord
                    Hope this helps to clarify what I was saying
                    Rgds,
                    Pat F

                    ALL IT TAKES TO WRITE A SONG IS........3 CHORDS AND THE TRUTH!

                  • March 6, 2020 at 12:16 pm #163164
                    Paddyboy
                    Participant

                      That is so true Kevin and for the longest time, that is what screwed me up. I subscribe to Brians way now which is to say pattern 1 pentatonic is always pattern one. the context you’re
                      playing it in will determine if it’s minor or major. If you start with your 1st finger, it’s minor. If your start it with your little finger it’s major.

                      ALL IT TAKES TO WRITE A SONG IS........3 CHORDS AND THE TRUTH!

                    • March 6, 2020 at 12:21 pm #163166
                      Paddyboy
                      Participant

                        ALL IT TAKES TO WRITE A SONG IS........3 CHORDS AND THE TRUTH!

                      • March 6, 2020 at 12:37 pm #163168
                        Usernameinvalid
                        Participant

                          1. If you want to solo over an open G chord you can use pentatonic scale 1 and it will hit on all the notes in that G chord.
                          Yes For the Major Pentatonic the intervals are 1, 2, 3, 5, 6
                          No for the minor Pentatonic the intervals are 1-b3-4-5-b7
                          Intervals of Major Chords are 1 3 5 But the minor prntatonic will sound good over major chord most times.

                          2. Now the next shape of a G chord going up the neck uses the E shape in the CAGED system. Pentatonic scale 2 will hit on all the notes in that G chord.
                          Same answer as question 1 except Patern 1 of the minor Pentatonic and Pattern 5 of the Major Pentatonic

                          And so on. This is way knowing the patterns By their Chord names is more important than calling the by numbers.

                          The chart Kevin E posted shows why this gets confusing. Every one has their own number system.

                          Laurel C’s chart shows how the chord shape names work. a much better system and less confusing.

                        • March 6, 2020 at 12:55 pm #163169
                          Paddyboy
                          Participant

                            Kevin, while it is true what you say…..that is what has always screwed me up in understanding this stuff. trying to say pattern 1 is minor and pattern 2 is major is just wrong to me cause they can be either. Once I understood that the pentatonic can be either major or minor, and it simply is a choice of how you use them for me it was easier to say you have 5 pentatonic scales 1 -5, they are named one through 5 and that’s it. now you decide if they are major or minor by how you use them. So……..if you are playing an open G chord (Major) and you use pattern one pentatonic (which is the E minor pentatonic) but start with your little finger, it has the exact same notes in it that pattern 2 has or what is called pattern 1 for the G major pentatonic. bottom line I guess is whatever works for someone as long as it’s correct in theory.
                            Em pentatonic is the same thing as the G major pentatonic

                            ALL IT TAKES TO WRITE A SONG IS........3 CHORDS AND THE TRUTH!

                          • March 6, 2020 at 2:25 pm #163172
                            Phil G
                            Participant

                              This is an interesting topic. Since we seem to be talking about the open G chord position, consider this. Paddyboy is correct that “pattern 1” in that position is either an E minor pentatonic, or a G major pentatonic. Regardless of what “pattern number” you call it. Brian calls it pattern 1, for both the E minor and the G major. Works for me.

                              However, if you want to play a G minor pentatonic in that same 3 fret position, which pattern would you use? Looking at the chart Laurel C. posted, it looks like you would use minor pentatonic pattern 5. Right?

                              phil g.

                            • March 6, 2020 at 3:59 pm #163173
                              Paddyboy
                              Participant

                                Phil, I would say you are right, pattern 5 according to most the literature out there. but again, to me, I would call it pattern 1 because it just makes sense to me.

                                I used to call pattern 2 of the minor pentatonic the first pattern of the major pentatonic or (pattern 1 of the major pentatonic). That caused me more confusion than you can imagine.

                                It’s actually only when Brian started saying it his way is, it finally clicked for me.

                                but whatever works

                                ALL IT TAKES TO WRITE A SONG IS........3 CHORDS AND THE TRUTH!

                              • March 7, 2020 at 6:19 am #163193
                                charjo
                                Moderator

                                  I think Brian’s numbering of the major and minor pentatonic shapes, where the number matches the shape and not location, is the easiest way for beginners to learn and visualize the patterns. As my playing advances and I attempt to mix the major and minor pentatonics, and even see how the myxolydian (and ionian and aeolian) mode fits over these shapes, the system that labels the major and minor shapes that overlay one another with the same number makes more sense.
                                  If you look at Laurel’s charts you can see that Major pent 1 and minor pent 1 overlay each other and the most important thing is that they share the same root notes in that location. Now when you’re in that position of the fretboard you can start to see the major scale and minor scale intervals around those roots. So, in my mind, this perspective that places the emphasis on the root notes is the more advanced and unifying way to see it. I think this numbering system will help the most with composing and soloing as you progress.
                                  John

                                • March 9, 2020 at 5:27 pm #163353
                                  Paddyboy
                                  Participant

                                    Charjo…..well explained, I agree.

                                    ALL IT TAKES TO WRITE A SONG IS........3 CHORDS AND THE TRUTH!

                                  • April 4, 2020 at 11:12 am #167855
                                    Mike B
                                    Participant

                                      Love this thread and realizing I was not alone in this confusion of “pattern numbers” being used differently by Brian and other instructors. Makes so much more sense to call the pattern by its underlying chord shape.

                                      Anyone aware of any video lessons out there which approach it this way?

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