Hey Charlie - newfound subscriber here. Came across your channel by chance in looking for practice ideas for theory. Have been playing for 12 years now and have never really benefited from my knowledge of using CAGED. What helped me the most early on was the Major Scale, learning the notes on the fretboard, and learning the pentatonic shapes across the fretboard. I know most of my triad shapes but the concepts of third intervals and mapping out the rest of the intervals is new to me and I am very excited to start hammering those concepts into my practice. I'm thankful to have come across this video and can't wait to dig deeper into your other lessons! Thanks again Charlie!

This is all stuff I never picked up on UNTIL I started learning CAGED. Everyone learns differently, and as a newcomer to music theory it was a welcome shortcut for me to better understand the fretboard. I don't think anyone believes they have mastered guitar once they have learned five shapes, but it's definitely not been as easy as "counting to 7" or reciting the alphabet from A to G. Putting all of that into practice in real time is taking me years and has been a much more advanced concept.

Still watching this same video again and again. I cant say enough about what it's done for me. The other musical theory videos are good to but this is the 1 for me. It's git everything u need

Thank you !! I’m 68 and love music have strummed or banged stings . Found you and this seems to be (as for me) the better way to learn what works for me to understand the fretboard at least a little. I know nothing of the fretboard a side from a few chords I learned when I was in grade school.

Love your comments at the beginning focus on playing music and not worrying about what system is best. I like watching a little bit about all of them. I learn something every time ..I've been playing for 30 years and I'm still learning new stuff and I love that.

I've learned basics of music theory with a piano - I can't play fluently yet, but I am able to construct major and minor scales and corresponding chords in any key from the underlying principles then improvise some melodies over chords. My approach to figuring out the fretboard was exactly like you have shown in the video: knowing how the strings are tuned and that frets are half steps I can find the min/maj 3rds, 5ths, octaves and scale notes from any starting point, slowly but accurately. The rest is practice & committing all the physical movements to memory which is a long way ahead (I'm not even at the "can play a clean sounding chord" level yet), but being able to lean back on the theory in case I'm stuck seems to be an advantage.

CAGED system was what really unlocked the fretboard for me and then set me on the road to learning theory. But that’s just me 😉

I agree Charlie..the CAGED system is an entry level learning tool that has limitations. It’s good if you never really intend to progress past a certain point. I did use it in initially and the best part of CAGED for me was that it made me curious about what I was missing…

Imo, Caged is a useful map, and makes learning triads and such easier.

This video is really interesting. I've been learning keys/music theory for the past 4 years and wanted to learn some guitar. All the videos seem to talk about CAGED but for me that isn't the right way, so I'm trying to find my 'on-ramp' to guitar based upon my need, which is to be able to play simple solos over my short compositions. Trying to find an alternative way that takes into account the knowledge I have already acquired is hard. When I look at a fretboard diagram I see triads, 7ths etc. What I have done is to just dive in, start to learn soloing etc from a guitar technique perspective and just use the hours I spent practicing scales/chords/arpeggios etc play out in my creativity. I think maybe if you start to understand music it is just better to play that instrument and learn from playing, rather than learn "systems". From what I have learned the 'guitar way' of playing a chord is literally just one option of many. If you understand that then forget CAGED, perhaps. I know I'm going to, but that's not to say others just should dismiss it out of hand. As the video says, there's more than one way and one size does not fit all.

Good video. I've gone back and forth. I was anti caged, then I pretty much learned it. But I can't say it ever helped me play.

I wouldn't even think to argue with anyone but the Caged System gave me a start to learning theory, I was one of those that used to blank just hearing the word theory. Maybe I was lucky but caged kind of gave me confidence to look further. Anyways great video as ever thanks.

Trying it and it is already starting to look better and easier!!! Thanks again

Great advice. Thanks Charlie!

Chords contain arpeggios, which contain the 1, 3, 5, notes, and are seen as repeatable shapes, on a guitar neck. These also outline scales, that help us, as we begin to learn to play the instrument and learn how to fret clear notes. It gets boring very quickly, which is easily fixed by playing over backing tracks that lead us to the next chord, which is usually the most important part of going from playing mind numbing scales, to actually making music. Add a backing track, and that box you think you are stuck in, simply falls away.

Wow 🤯, sounds like actually learning music theory can help you learn to make music. I am guilty thinking you can find a pattern and then learn the pattern at the different root notes, but have no idea what the other notes are. Then I wonder why I can not translate the ideas in my mind to the guitar. Great information and thanks for explaining music theory in a very simple way. Bravo!

Ive watched this video well over 50 times and Im still learning from it. I like the other content as well but this one by far dose the most for me. Tbh I never really understood penatonics, I just knew the shapes. now I understand and yeah I agree 100% this is much better to learn than caged

What a godsend!

Thank you, this is an excellent lesson and it'll help me play better. I also find CAGED to be very useful. Each additional way to understand the fretboard helps the knowledge stick.

I disagree...most people don't understand it the CAGED system..it not based on chords...it like studying the sax but not studying fingerings... People that know CAGED know know it's in every thing 3,NPS....It's your opinion..but there things that are not being seen...I go with Guthrie Trapp..Thanks for the Video and info RESPECT

Thank you so much Charlie! There IS NO SUBSTITUTE for learning theory and how the instrument and music work.

You are so right, thank you.

Makes total sense,, better than the caged system in my opinion,,but now to get all that information into my head,,

Fantastic, I’ve learned in a similar way.

That scream at :10 seconds! 😂😂😂 I’ve never been a fan of CAGED. I started to learn it and thought, “This is redundant.” It’s called putting in work! If CAGED works for you, cool. I don’t like it. There’s a guy that I really WANT to watch but everytime I start one of his videos, it’s ALL ABOUT CAGED. CAGED is always a prerequisite for everything he does.

Awesome.

I liked your lesson. Thankz. God bless you

Great lesson , thanks Charlie

And now someone is going to want to show the new super chord system. That's playing gluten-free, caged free, and carefree. Now we know the metaphorical way of what noodling is. For me, I learned relevant tools and trim the fat. I do not have to have the expensive acetylene to cut my strings when propane is fine for all my metal....without the account and cost. The turquoise guitar I made over 6mnths off n on. It was a great journey, challenge and rewarding. I just had to be I the mindset when I was in the process. I get your wisdom, thanks. Good to reafirm and never a mistake to keep the music tools appraised. I always am benefiting.

Knowing your triads is much better if you ask me💯

great video! 😊

Half a video saying why caged is inferior would have been better showing us the some more necessary theory. I am currently leaning guitar and find your videos very helpful. Thanks

I agree with you I find the caged system a bit confusing

caged teaches root notes and where the third and fifth are in relationship to the root. They are all just notes on the fret board. There are many ways to look at them.

CAGED is limited. Any tool can become a crutch when improperly used. But that doesn’t mean that it's unhelpful. It's not a substitute for learning theory, but, for me, it is the best tool for moving my music theory knowledge all over the fretboard in an instant and always knowing where my roots, thirds, fifths, and sevenths are in relation to wherever I am. By leaning your scales starting with the index or pinky finger on the E and A strings, you're just learning the E, G, A, and C shapes of CAGED without calling it CAGED. I studied music theory and composition at the university level on another instrument. CAGED was the fastest way for me to transfer all that theory knowledge to the fretboard. It's not either CAGED or theory. It's both/and.

"PLAYING FOR DECADES" are the key words sir.

It's good to challenge established ways of thinking and I found your video quite thought provoking. I agree with many of your points. However, what you are criticising is not how I use, or think about, a CAGED based approach. Perhaps the problem might relate to how some teach or perceive a CAGED based approach. I think individuals can take the basic concept and adapt it to their own needs and use it in a way and a level that they find helpful. I use a CAGED framework as an aid to fretboard visualisation and in that role I find it extremely helpful. In my case, it's an aid to visualising interval patterns in manageable chunks, which can then be adapted and extended as I wish to form such things as scales, chords and to see the interrelationship between scales and chords. I don't view CAGED as some sort of 'unified theory of everything' and I don't view it as being intended to be a substitute for other music theory. It's just one of a number of fretboard visualisation techniques, which include CAGED, 3NPS and Interval visualisation. I use a mixture of all three, but I happen to like building things on a CAGED framework. Use whatever floats your boat :) Check out Martin Miller on this subject, which broadly fits with my way of thinking. Can I recommend the following videos: "Fretboard Visualization - Tom Quayle vs. Martin Miller Methods (Vlog #5)" and "3-notes-per-string VS. The CAGED System - Mythbusting with Levi Clay (Vlog #8)" I also like how Jack Ruch adopts a CAGED based approach. His videos are well worth checking out for a blues/jazz based approach.

caged is a way to know where the music is..easier way to find notes..guitar frets aren't like a piano..it helps

Caged is a guitar specific solution to a guitar specific problem arising from the way guitars are tuned. You don't understand the why of caged because you don't understand the caged system.

If your going to learn music ( playing guitar or any other instrument) .. you need to be able to use and understand the language. Music is a language… All aspects of learning are constant to learning music ( in this instance.. guitar) .. Understanding the instrument you want to learn … means using your ability to better learn both your instrument of choice.. Once you learn the language of music.. you can easily transfer that to any other instrument. If your serious able learning an instrument.. learn the language .. If you wanted to live in foreign speaking country, you would have to learn their language…or you will find yourself trapped in your own ignorance…. Music is a language.. learn it to the best of your ability.. You will regret it in the long term as a “musician.”

👌 thankyou

Respect to you man. But nah CAGED is useful. You need a way to get a toehold on the fretboard when you're a beginner. It isn't as simple as "learn music theory then apply it to the fretboard." An aspiring guitarist could stay stuck into their 40s trying to figure out how to do the "apply it" part. CAGED is just training wheels that provide a beginner's roadmap. Eventually you know your way around well enough and the trainers come off. My first woodwind classes were taught with Essential Elements. Guess when I last thought about Essential Elements.

I knew I didnt want to get caged in!

C A G E D is incomplete!

Caged is the framework but music theory is still the fundamental to learning the nuts and bolts of music.

9:50 CAGED is just another tool in the toolbox.

Neither does my teacher is not needed 💯

CAGED (NOT a) System IS massively flawed. I agree 100% with this, and this is coming from someone that fully understands it inside and out.. But in this video i can tell you experience/understanding of it looks to be very limited, no disrespect intended here. But I agree with “the better way” you show in this video and is very close to how I view the fretboard (as it really is) but I disagree with the intervalic approach. Although learning all your intervals is important and very useful, but they are just the measurement from one note to the next, and they tell you nothing about the harmony within a key, moving from note to note and the different emotional response this has within the key. Using intervals “as a crutch” has it own pitfalls, just like CAGED visualisation. The better way is to simplify it all: By simply numbering the Diatonic Scale notes as 1,2,3,4,5,6,7 and keeping this basic framework throughout. So for example: a “two, five, one progression” is not only the chords built from these numbers of the diatonic (Major) scale, but you think in term of these number only and leave the intervalic labels behind: So you simply think of the Two chord as containing the notes 2,4,6 (& 1 if thinking of 7th chords,) the Five chord will be 5,7,2 & the one is 1,3,5. To solo over this progression you keep the same simplicity and just target these numbers as the chords change. This way NOTHING changes and you have one consistent map, no matter the Key or Mode your playing in. Thinking of the intervals all the time only creates “moving goalposts,” treating each chord as it’s own separate island: “Oh I’m on the two chord I better target the minor 3rd, oh now the five chords playing now all my intervals have changed in relation to this chord and so on….” You get the picture? It’s like having the “rug pulled out from under you feet” every time a chord changes. But by just keeping the basic numbering of the diatonic scale glues it all together, diatonic harmony, modes, chords arpeggios, the lot. The misconception people have with the way of thinking I’m talking about is “they think I’m just relating back to the Major scale all the time, but this is untrue. If I’m playing in Dorian I am thinking the “second harmonic environment of the diatonic” scale but just like using these one octave shapes near the end of your video, each mode has it’s own one octave fingering (in fact there’s 3 for each mode built from one of three fingers,) so I can start play any mode, from any string, off any note using one of three fingerings. But at the same time I also know where all the other chords,arpeggios and modes are within that key. So the fretboard becomes just one unit. The pros of this “Three Notes Per String System” (and yes it’s a system I’m talking about here) is you only need to learn one diatonic scale and by shifting just one single note (note 5) up one fret, you now have the Harmonic Minor scale with all it’s modes. Do the same again with another note and you have the Melodic Minor scale, plus it’s modes. That’s 21 modes with just two alterations 😮 , but you can still visualise the same diatonic scale the whole time. Because they’re only slight alterations. This cuts scale memorisation down tenfold. 1234567 can go a long way.

Dang!… I’m getting the impression that CAGED kicked your dog, stole your car and ran off with your wife!

It certainly does cage you lol

You spent the first 10 mins talking about why you shouldn't use CAGED, but then proceed to talk about other concepts without explaining why you should use them. Why learn all those third intervals all over the fretboard. How does that help me day to day, to learn a song or improvise? For such a long video you missed the crucial part, the "why".

way to confuse dude ................................imho

I learned all those things with caged, sorry

Beaucoup de causerie, dommage.....

Ya know what's a better way, jus learn fn chords in every position. Slackers!

S U B B E D ! ! !