Description
In this week’s guitar lesson you’ll learn how to play a standalone Blues / Bluegrass / Rockabilly style composition (1-4-5 progression) by starting with the G shape. Everything stays within the same 4 fret range.
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I think I’m starting to see a pattern here. 😉
Wow, so looking forward to the next lesson in the series…these small bites are such great prep for the next one, bringing the fretboard to life!
Great series Brian! Stay safe while enduring the ice!!
I enjoy it more and more had to run my mother to the hospital so I fell behind but I’m back
great takeaways like it
good lesson. this series is opening up a lot for me. really like where you are going with this
Looking forward to this latest in the series of blues by shape.
The concept of not needing to analyze the notes as you move up and down the fretboard – but knowing where your 1,4,5 chords and scales are relative to the root.
This series helps pave the way to play instinctively. Something we all want to achieve.
Great stuff, Brian!
I love how you make this stuff so simple. Another great lesson!
I like it when you do a series of lessons like this using the Caged System. Been going over all the others from the last month, as well as some of the older ones you did in that prior Caged System presentation.
I learn a lot from these. Thanks.
I meant lessons 556, 557, 558, 559 & 560. Keep it up. Lots to be learned here.
I’ve only done the C-one, but love it. Would be really good to have more compositions in these other CAGED positions – it just shows how we get so used to the E-home base. For instance, I’d love another C-home base with some of your 2-5-1 chords changes etc.. …. okay, going to try the D-shape lesson.
Great lesson Brian but I was confused when you barred the B chord put your pinkie down and called it a G maj seven !
I remember what it was like in the beginning to be confused over the major 7 and 7 chord. That last one is really a dominant 7, which means that it uses the flat 7 (one whole step below the root). A major 7 simply uses the 7 that is a half step lower than the root note (same as in the major scale).
Major scale is based off of this formula of whole and half steps: W W H W W W H
B(1) C#(2) D#(3) E(4) F#(5) G#(6) A#(7)
B major has five sharps in it, and only the B and E notes are natural notes. Notice which note is the 7, it’s the A#.
B: B D# F# B(octave)
Bmaj7: B D# F# A#
B7: B D# F# A
A little theory never hurt anyone. Hope this helps.
The names of the notes are not super important if your at the beginning of your journey, it’s the intervals that really matter (spacing between notes).
This series of lessons on the CAGED system has helped me unlock my understanding of the guitar fretboard. Really very productive.
Thanks again, Brian.
Hi Brian.. this is really helpful.. I appreciate when you show some of the CAGED chords visually on the screen and how to do an easier triad. Also like that you reinforce the major and minor pentatonic scales with a fretboard diagram on screen too.
Have tried playing this in a couple of different keys and it seems to work well.
Thanks.
Yes Brian…another great lesson. I was so happy when you said that a future idea is to connect all the CAGED shapes accross the fretboard in this same way. it will be fantastic so please do it.
beautiful martin…so small and handy but greatsounding.
Brian, a question for you. You oftem talk about pattern 1 of the pentatonic, occasionally about a small part of pattern 2 and never about patterns 3, 4 and 5. Any reason for this? Trying to understand, thanks,
That’s simply not true, there are many lessons that contain those other patterns. You just haven’t come across them in your exploration of the site. In fact a recent lesson ML129 was on playing the E blues using the C-Shape E7 chord rooted on the A-string at the 7th fret. The minor pentatonic scale around this I-IV-V progression uses pattern #3 of the minor pentatonic. You are right that he often omits showing the full patterns, but this is to show that most of your playing will end up on the higher strings. This makes it easier to digest for those that don’t yet know all of the patterns in full.
Pattern #3 is often referred to as the B.B. Box because that’s where the King spent a lot of time on the fretboard. Look up lessons on B.B. King for more on this.
By all means, learn the full patterns and use them as you see fit. I know I do. It’s really amazing how everything gets easier when you know the bigger picture and are aware of all five patterns. Heck, there are only five of them.
Pattern #4 is used a lot in combination with pattern #1 and this has been shown in many lessons. If you go through the CAGED course and the Lead Guitar course all of the nitty gritty details are shown. Bottom line is that eventually, you have to know those five patterns all over the neck. But as a beginner, they just need little bite sizes pieces of the puzzle to get them playing right away.
Pattern 3 of the major pentatonic is played in this piece. Very briefly…but it’s there. Check out 23 minutes in, Brian plays a lick from F# Major pentatonic pattern 3 – it’s that chromatic run in bar 10 (that morphs halfway through that bar back into pattern 1 of the B major pentatonic). Pattern 5 of the minor pentatonic (B minor) also gets a look in: the lick in bar 5 ( around 16 mins into the video).
Pattern 1 does feature strongly here, but that’s because it’s a major blues built around the G shape. Check out the other CAGED ‘shape’ videos and you’ll see other patterns often forming the main foundation.
Hope this helps.
Just to add: pattern 1 of the Major and minor pentatonic (note:same pattern shape using ‘Brian’s’ numbering system, but 5 and 1 respectively in other systems) does probably feature more often than other patterns. Why(?) is a good question. The simple answer is…it’s a great pattern!
Thinking a little more deeply – it allows you to play half of the pattern by simply barring a single finger across the fretboard – handy for double stops, slides, quick runs/licks etc.; the ‘blue’ notes’ are nicely placed for both major and minor variants (arguably allowing for easier bends than other patterns – due to the positioning of supporting fingers); the root notes are nicely placed too and it’s arguably the easiest pattern to memorise. Because of that ‘barre’ feature it means E minor pentatonic and G major pentatonic can utilise all the open strings in standard tuning…and as this tune shows, that ‘G major’ run (amongst others) can be easily transposed. Runs from pattern 5 through 1 to 2 also work/flow really well.
I’m sure others can think up lots more reasons why it’s popular.
This is all somewhat subjective, of course, but I doubt you’ll find many guitarists who hate pattern 1 – although I guess some might suggest it’s too familiar/generic (only to revert to it for their next great lick…).
At the end of the day, all these patterns are repetitions of the same five notes – so playing them where they’re most comfortable makes sense.
love this series, glad you are continuing it great way to learn, thank you
This is a great series glad you’re continuing it. Thanks
Love this caged series of lessons. I feel like I’m learning so much!
Great tools to not only identify the CAGED chords shapes but also play lead lines out of the same shapes. Inspiring lessons, Brian.
thanks for this wonderful lesson in the middle of the icestorms. Hope you, and everyone else are damage free.
I really like the concept and look forward to more lessons like this. This is a favorite!
These are really very good. I incorporate what I learn into leads that I’m playing in an old guys group. Wish I’d have know this when I was young!
I love that flat 3 to major three dissonance sound. Also this was a nice reminder to incorporate the G run in other spots on the fretboard. Great lesson as always!
Brian Visualizing the different scale patterns is very powerful. So much so I would like to get a screen shot if possible that you show during your discussion.
You mention how powerful that visualization is.
I am planning to review the caged series to see if I might find those visuals
Rellyappreciate your lrssons . After4 or 5 years of membership I a really starting to see progress
Newly retired at 74 and plan to laser focus and dig deeper.Thanks
Classic move, although I suspect a blue grasser would use a capo on the 4th fret. But I think this run is so important to internalize so great to have it here to work with an integrate with the D shape too. The chromatics take a bit of working on for me but this is quite fluid and I can play with my eyes on the tab without having to look at the fretboard!
You’re the best man, keep going on. I learned a lot from this series. Thank you so much
When you transpose the maj to min 3 move in bar 2 to a minor key it becomes a very cool flat 5 to 5. These licks are so versatile.
The G shape outlines the major pentatonic scale. How did I not see that years ago?
VERY EXITING STUFF, BLEW THE HOUSE POWER OUT WITH THE LIGHT BULBS GOING OFF.
THANKS BRIAN.
Hi Brian ,I’m new to Active Melody and just watched this lesson. Can you please give me the lesson number to the first lesson you did in this series?
ML129
Love it Brian, my speed is lacking but I’m understanding and really looking forward to where you are headed.
Bravo Brian,
Le système Caged est capital pour bien jouer de la guitare car il permet une fois qu’on commence à le maîtriser à connaître son manche de guitare et à le cartographier avec les différentes positions d’ accords en les connectant avec les gammes et arpèges.
Hey Brian thanks for this – I LOVE these “in the shape” lessons. Any and all of these, major or minor pentatonic are most welcome!
Hi Brian, great lesson btw, but one question if I may, why is the B major pentatonic scale position 1 not 5 like the B minor pentatonic ?
What model in the Martin line are you playing. Thank you in advance. The lessons are great, your passion for the instrument is evident. Had a bagpipe teacher ( he passed sadly) whose love and knowledge of the instrument was contagious. You wanted to return the following week well prepared. Thanks again.
Hi- I was wondering that also. I’ve seen Brian use it fairly frequently. It looks to be this: 000-17 Whiskey Sunset
Auditorium with mahogany back and sides, spruce top[. I think its a differernt shape but has same materials as the D-18′
Don’t quote me. I’m no experet on the Martin line. Love them though.
Martin CEO-7
Loving this one. That brief example of playing the piece slow really hooked me. I’ve started doing that with the minor pentatonic scale. So many cool riffs just right there where your fingers are already placed. It’s really opened a door for me. Thanks once again Brian.
great lesson , just curious is that an lr baggs anthem or a lrbaggs anthem sl in that martin ?
Hi Can you do a lesson of complimenting on top of chords using minor chords for a tune that is basically in minor. This is exactly what I have been trying to do. I also discivered the advantage of throwing in the ninth for a D chord.
Thank you once again for great lessons that give me ideas to apply to what I play.
NK
As someone who learned the Minor Pentatonic and never felt like he could make a real solo, the concept of passing notes has really opened my eyes. This is going to take awhile to get patterned out for all the different patterns.