Thanks very much for learning how to break out of the CAGED! Get the bonus video by making a donation to my buddy Brandon and his fight against cancer here: www.gofundme.com/f/lets-help-brandon-suttles
I remember when this video was posted. I donated back then, and watching this video tonight prompted me to see how he was doing. I was saddened to see that Brandon passed away. It was a beautiful gesture of you to support your friend like that, Ben. Godspeed to Brandon.
I kinda relate to what you said but differently. The way I was taught guitar, my teacher never used the CAGED system in order to introduce me to scales and chords. I still to this day wonder what the CAGED really is about. All I've found on the web is pretty contradictory. Is it a way to play scales starting on every strings and not just the root? Is it a method for acquiring chords (and then, scales) in relation to specific spots on the fretboard? Mystery.
DerTodesmeister - It is many things and different things to different people, but it’s just one approach to understanding ithe fretboard through visualization and patterns, just like other approaches, like the scale ‘system’ of 3 fingers per fret starting on digits 1, 2, or 4 and such. They all tend to be shortcuts of fretboard utilization, facilitating specific types of playing, but as I said earlier, mastering the guitar fretboard musically is a never ending battle of understanding from many different viewpoints. Too many people looking for the ‘easy’ key that unlocks the door, but it is an illusion that any form of pattern playing is an end all to greatness. The patterns facilitate navigation mostly. The point is to create music. Of course, if one’s sole idea of music is lightening speed shredding, then specific segments of focus from the overall toolbox of playing requirements would be more necessary. Players that focus on specific musical genres need specific skills and may not appreciate the required skills of other disliked musical genres. Hence, technique and instantaneous knowledge recall vary, but every player still benefits from the power of knowledge and understanding that come from many facets of analysis.
Man, I'm sorry your friend didnt make it Ben. Your guitar lessons are appreciated. I hope you and yours find a way to connect with eachother this holiday season even in these dark times. Thanks for what you do.
So the secret to playing any chord progression anywhere on the neck is to memorise all the notes on the fretboard and in every chord and then just select the notes you need to make the chord you want.
you can figure out how the chords are made from a scale actually and then figure out the notes for any chord yourself. It’s like a note formula (root, third, fifth of a scale forms a triad)
This is exactly how I use the CAGED system. Everything you need right where you are. Totally changed my playing and opened up the entire neck for chords, arpeggios and scales.
i like the idea of using any four frets anywhere on the neck.You are totally correct Ricky.It is exactly how i use the CAGED system.Just confined to the designated frets.I think the title to the video is off.Great lesson but it is the CAGED system.it is not ditched at all.
@@leegibson8186 the biggest problem with CAGED is youtube teachers that don't understand it. CAGED is just a skeleton. It's up to you to add muscles, tendons, cartilage, fat, and skin. Scales, arpeggios, intervals, triads and fretboard knowledge have to be added to the CAGED skeleton. This guy is saying to learn all those things, with no context and no structure. It's like telling a piano student to ignore the 12 note pattern of black and white keys.
@@Kevinschart It was a life changer for me.All of the sudden the neck became smaller and clearer.Now when i see the shape of the chord i see the scale and root and flat thirds around it.Every once in a while a little light comes on and it burns for hours . Another thing i ,like to do which i think is a great exercise and useful ,i take a solo and practice using the last note as being the first note in the next run further up the neck., it helps my neck reading a lot.Sorry to ramble on so much. In short .''I love the caged system''
Caged isn't a prison , just a system to help you learn a lot of chords via 5 simple shapes. No reason to ditch it , just another tool you can use to help you learn
I think the whole benefit of the caged system is that it gives you a way of easily finding root notes . Being a shape based system it makes it easier to these notes and based on the root note positions its paves the way to locating the others notes on the fret board . The system Ben is sharing relies on you already knowing where all notes are on the fret board . My suggestion is learn the cage system so that you are able to learn where the notes are on the fret board and then use the system in this video
The problem with the caged system is that after you figure out the root notes you're still unsure of what are the other notes in that position Simply memorizing the notes in each fret is actually simple then you can start memorizing scales by notes
This is good information and quite interesting. This method is probably most useful for advanced players or jazz musicians etc (not me). Caged is so much easier for a beginner or intermediate player to get under their fingers. I don't see how to use this method to make a solo unless you are advanced. I think uncle Ben himself made the case by repeatedly citing Eric Johnson. That said both methods are solid gold.
@@superrookie-1 nothing in the CAGED system says you can't ALSO learn the notes on your fretboard, or learn the notes in the position. If you don't know your notes it means you haven't done the work.
I used the Caged system I put dots on the route the 3rd and the 5th different colored dots that way I learned all the Triads I just did it in the key of C. Once I learned all the positions and where the root 3rd and 5th notes were it was easy for me to put together any kind of cord I wanted to anywhere on the neck and any key
If you know the notes on the guitar, why would you need any system at all to help you find root notes? My issue with CAGED is that it enables not knowing the notes on the guitar.
That only gets you halfway there. You also need to know the names of every note in every chord. My teacher, Shredi Master Bob Applegate made me memorize them.
@@aliray1165 Literally, my teacher made me memorize these 7 major triads in order: FAC CEG GBD DF#A AC#E EG#B BD#F#. You learn to flat and sharp them all. That's 21. You learn to make them minor, diminished, and augmented. That's 84. You learn the formulas to all of the extensions. Now, you know them all. So when someone asks what notes are in a D# minor 11 chord, you can tell them D# F# A# C# E# and G#
This content is amazingly powerful if you spend the time to get it into your ears / brain / fingers. You sir are a gentleman to share so freely with your community.
I've used (practiced) this system for years too. A jazz teacher would quiz me every lesson and it was instantly obvious if I had or hadn't been practicing. I didn't scrap the CAGED system though. I've made use of all the methods I know combined into one whole method. Practicing all of them helped me memorize the notes of the fretboard too.
Ever notice how so many people wanna learn guitar but they fail because of RUclips videos.....an ad on RUclips! I've learned more from RUclips than any other format!
I learnt the CAGED system a few years ago and it opened doors for me, but this video simplifies it even more and is definitely a great way to learn it so I’ll be practising this!
I’m a piano player(learning guitar)so the caged system is so alien to me because it is based on physical shapes. It’s easier for me to think chord tones( inversions). Isn’t the caged system require a lot of Barr chords?
Knowing that all 12 notes are available in just a 4 fret span anywhere on the neck is a great way to break out of stock chord voicings and find interesting alternatives. Thanks for that insightful way to see the fingerboard.
Seee this is exactly why I love music so freakin much. You think you know your way around the guitar , then you hear stuff like - and it gives you the sense of wonder again - like if you missed something so obvious somehow because you just never looked at it that way - what else are you maybe not seeing yet ? That moment when you get this "aha" moment - pure bliss ! Thanks for this lesson Ben !
One of the greates things of your videos for a non-english speaker like me is that I perfectly understand what you say just like I do in my native language! I've found this is not very common (other few examples are John Petrucci, Steve Vai, Stevie Terreberry, Troy Grady) and I appreciate it so much! I also wish all the best to Brandon and hope he's going to receive all the care he needs. Cheers from Italy
Mate your teachings are brilliant. Every. Single. Video , is packed with amazing ideas... and its very refreshing to see, as a beginner, you highlight a few of the ideas I've considered and cement them in. Love your work!
The one thing you said that absolutely sold me was "play the ball where it lies".....a frikin light went on like I've never had before. I'm betting it's going to change the way I play. I've known "tunes" for a long time. I'm wanting mt guitar to be like my car....drive anywhere in any direction any time I want...to ANY destination. You really just changed my thought process on that. Thanks uncle Ben! see you on the site! Will donate to your friend
if you truly understand the caged system you are free to play in any position it is a logical system for understanding the fretboard not to be ditched but rather expanded upon caged agedc gedca edcag dcage caged agced.......ect. it's good to have more than one trick up your sleeve
I kind of discovered on my own that all the chords that you need are right under your fingers. It's kind of like busking. I wasn't really thinking of individual notes so much. Good info. I like looking at things in a new light. Thanks Uncle Ben.
Nice job once again Mr. Eller! I don't actually need this video, but I had to comment on it anyway, because I'm stoked to see a great RUclips teacher that i respect teaching the system that I've naturally gravitated to and used for a long time(been playing on and off since i first picked up a guitar in 1985). It seems like everybody pushes the caged system, and it can be easy, but to me it's always much easier to do a lot more with this type of system once you have down a decent mental map of the fretboard - which every player needs anyway. Lately I've watched a lot of YT guitar lesson guys, to try and shake off the mental rust (now that my neck feels okay and playing again)and there are some guys that are indeed shredderific players, but you are by far the best Teacher on here! Thanks for being cool brutha! :)
Insightful as ever! have been practicing this method for couple of days now and it truly feels like getting myself a new toy. Also made a point of identifying which chord degree each note represents in every position, because even when picking a position at random it's often too easy to go "ahh ok.. I know this one.. it's just C shaped"
Ben, your sense of humor and talent is just 2nd to none sir! Absolutely love your videos man. You have really sparked a new love for guitar for me. Well, Ola England's channel as well. Im a metal guy.... your explanation of things is just rad and super easy to understand. You don't "dumb things down" either. Thanks for all you do brother. 🤘
Thanks Ben. That’s revolutionary for me. Working to memorize the fret board and this really helps with that. It also gives me a practical use for knowing where the notes are located across the fret board.
Holy f#ck! This just blew my mind. Every once in a while you come across a video that teaches a concept so exciting that you stop the video, grab your guitar and start applying it immediately. Ben, you weren't kidding: it's obvious this is going to change the way I play guitar going forward. Very grateful that you shared this with us.
This is an excellent lesson. I've always been jealous of pianists ability to make chord progressions sound more melodic than the standard chords on a guitar.
One of the very first lessons any guitar teacher should use. Drawing the parallel to the keyboard use of chords was very enlightening. Wish I had been a helluva lot younger than 59! You sir, had a wonderful teacher. Thank you for teaching me! Namaste.
Took lessons when I was a kid for about 7yrs. I've been staring at those same frets for many decades. WOW! what an eye opener. Just like a piano (which I am a beginner at).
At first I fell in love with the CAGED, as it showed me a path when I was also a young Shredi knight. But lately ive been feeling trapped.. Thanks for showing me the ways of the Sixth so that I can bust out of the damn box.
This lesson fits right in with a jazz comping course I’m working through. The voicings we choose and how we voice lead make all the difference. Thanks Uncle Ben!
Never learned CAGED. My first guitar teacher had me memorize the fretboard and figure out triads - everywhere. CAGED just seems like a whole lot of “A in the E position... D in the G... etc” when it doesn’t have to be this kind of transposition all the time. Maybe it’s just me. But if you know where your notes are in the first place that kind of constant mental repositioning/naming seems to be a hinderance in the long run no matter how fast you translate. I’m glad it’s another option for folks who are learning - I just wonder about the long term effects - which could be mitigated by memorizing the notes and learning triads all over. Seems like you see the fretboard more organically that way instead of constantly thinking of reorienting these shapes. Best piece of advice still goes to Mick Goodrich though, about practicing everything on one string - up and down. Arpeggios, scales, changes - by limiting yourself to one string you’re forced to approach things in an entirely new way while becoming familiar with the entire fretboard.
Thank you. Of course, it’s not the magical panacea one clicks on these types of videos for, but it immediately rang true; in that I’ve heard what you’re advocating stated firmly many times before, and the fact that total-fretboard/one-string practice methods aren’t some easy fun trick indicates that it’s the way to do it. I’ll keep that approach in mind. Just hope I can find the dedication to take a deep breath and start actually using it. I’m sure I won’t regret it if I can muster the wherewithal.
Never really thought of it before. I’m also a pianist, and when you mentioned that the concept matches the idea of a pianist keeping his hands in basically one position, it really hit home. Elton is fantastic at doing this, and it really simplifies playing his songs on piano. Guitar is obviously more difficult because those 12 notes’ orders change as you progress through the fretboard, but I’m motivated to give this a try.
Music is really just the same as a spoken language, and what you're teaching here is the alphabet and how to put simple words together, everything flows from this one piece, what a lesson! It's hard for guitarists to break out of shapes and patterns, they serve us well but they limit us at the same time, I taught myself some basic keyboard, and you know what to my shame I was looking for patterns in the keys as a short cut.....
Triads help every guitar player learn better! It's actually more fun than you think! I actually learned by playing at church. I grew bored of playing the same chords the same way, so I forced myself to play each week at church a bit differently. That actually unlocked a whole new world to lead guitar playing.
Same here. With more than one guitar player, I had to come up with something different. Sometimes, the pastor or speaker wanted the band to keep playing quietly while he spoke. We would loop some part of the song and keep playing, sometimes for a while! So, it became a game just like Uncle Ben said: Pick a spot, play all the chords in that spot using triads. You and your listeners won't get bored of the same 3 or 4 chords over and over if you can shift your voicings. I'd say it was probably the biggest fretboard epiphany for me.
I'm going to say that all that Ben teaches just makes sense. Don't ask questions, it just works. Ben is the type of person that simplifies concepts, motions, techniques to the point that you see the essence of the shit that you're learning. That's why is just works, because is just like that.
This does not mean that the CAGED system is useless. What Uncle Ben is showing is just another way of fretboard visualisation. Whatever that he showed in this video can be done the same with the CAGED system. I am not trying to say which way is better. You have to learn and find which works better for yourself. Just wanted to let the newer guys know. I learned the CAGED system and it really helped me out in learning the fretboard.
What he showed in the video is the CAGED system. All CAGED does is allow you visualize the triads he was making on the fly, without having to build them from scratch every time. I don’t really get his title at all. I mean obviously the basic CAGED system is just a springboard for more complex chord tone improvisation, but it’s a great place to start to learn and understand the fretboard.
The CAGED system is geometric pattern system that reflects the 2-dimensional surface that is the guitar fretboard. Being a math guy is kind of cool but I am not sure it's that helpful. It would be good if Ben would do a video to show how one could play/compose songs using this shorthand.
The next step would be learning about rootless voicings, so you can also play jazz/blues with a bassist. the bassist’s job in jazz is to lay out the chord with the root usually on the first beat of each measure, while the guitarist (and sometimes pianist) try to come up with individual rootless voicings with different syncopated compings.
phoenix _RISE1 I noticed you were talking about the caged system as a joke, but I also thought you wanted another push in the right direction, a step beyond this one if you will lol
Being a fairly competent guitarist with a lot of years under my belt (including being indoctrinated into the CAGED system pretty early on), I'll say this: 1) CAGED is truly at its most powerful once you understand how to build chords from any scale shape, and then how to link both chords and scale shapes together with this visualization technique. I think its a great system and still has its uses. 2) I never really thought about every note existing within 4 fingers, but it makes a lot of sense! Pretty cool to think about. 3) I especially loved the part in this video where you built chord progressions within the same 4 fret position. Never would have thought to try this, but you can pull some really interesting voicings with this. I guess it gets much trickier once you start to build more complex chords, but its a great creative exercise to break out of a rut! Awesome vid Ben, as always! We're lucky to have you
Dude I watched this video for the first time now, and just went to Brandon Suttles page on gofundme. It says he passed away on March 20, a few weeks ago. May his soul Rest in Peace.
If you learn music theory including how scales and chords are constructed and reading and writing music even to a basic level, which will probably take as long as memorising patterns/shapes/CAGED etc, it will pay off more in the long run
I’m trying to break 30+ years of bad habits and gain some knowledge instead of just playing by “feel.” Great lesson stepson Ben! I’m too damn old to be your nephew
Brilliant! Kind how I learnt to play in the 80’s by immersing myself in learning every note on the board and then using that road map to navigate chords and scales. The CAGED system is new to an old fart like me but if it helps then yay but I prefer your method as you see the notes in a different way.
Thanks Uncle Ben! Revisited this video today. What a great idea! Been working with Tom Quayle's 'Solo' app as an exercise to finally learn the notes of the 'thin' strings. Using your method, I plan to start at the first four frets, work the exercise, and then move up one fret and do it again all the way up the neck. Noticed that a lot of the shapes repeat themselves. So, that will be helpful too. Thanks again! Always love your content.
Finding major chord 1, 3, & 5 notes should reveal patterns. When you find the 1 you will know where 3 & 5 are. The patterns for the minor chords vary slightly using the flat 3.
Lessons like this are so awesome! I have been working on memorizing triads and inversions on all the string sets for a while now and finally getting a bit comfortable with major progressions and not having to jump all over the place. Cadged is ok and helpful but triads, inversions and voicings is Cadges on steroids imo. Thanks for another great lesson Unc!
@@aldenunion too bad for me I play in a ton of different tunings, so trying to memorize the fretboard is a joke. Currently don't even have a guitar in standard
Great lesson as usual Ben. I’m a self taught player (35+ years) I discovered this in my very first year of playing. I would sit and pick 2 random strings, say an open D and G. I would then play the chromatic scale on the D string down the neck to the 12th fret and follow it note for note on the G string. Try doing this a few thousand times a day people...everyday for a year...on all 6 strings...locked in your room...repeating the same damn 7 notes over and over and over...omg time for the next string Eric..then and only then If you can do this and memorize where every damn note is...and not lose your mental shit, you are worthy of being a guitar god...why am I only wearing one shoe? Learn from Mr.Eller boys and girls, he will help save your mental state.
Dude the Grunge pedal bit was gold. Cereal bit is a close second. It's the small things in life...lol. Excellent way to master the fretboard. Thanks for the share
I hope your friend get back in good health , very good video great for those who have been plucking away and putting it together over time . you bring it home as they say!
Sorry to hear about your friend Ben. I was diagnosed last year with stage 3 kidney cancer. Had one removed and today (Aug 15th) is my 1 year anniversary since my surgery.. I wont say it was easy. Your friend has a tough battle ahead of him. He will be in my prayers tonight. The best thing I can share with him is the Gospel. 1 Corinthians 15:1-4 in which if we believe that Lord Jesus died for our sins, was buried and was raised on the 3rd day, we will have everlasting life. Nothing more, nothing less, Faith plus nothing equals salvation. God bless.
The caged ‘system’ of the guitar fretboard is nothing more than another way of looking at the fretboard in patterns to see how the scales and arpeggios are connected within any tonal center. It is not a prison, not a system, and certainly not an end all approach; it’s just another way of looking at the neck to help you visualize the fretboard and navigate beyond any area knowing your target notes underneath your fingertips. In order to truly have the musical freedom on your instrument, you need to know where all tone possibilities are in forward reverse piecewise intervallically enharmonically and inside out and backwards from any point in any key. Thinking of any approach as a panacea for enlightenment is just nonsense. You should also know the name of every note, every note that’s in any key or chord, and even know the positions of the notes within the scale i.e. b7 b3 # 9 or whatever. Also study melody harmony and rhythm.. Knowledge is power!
@@jerrymckenzie6205 I know right? People are commenting "memorize everything possible" as advice on a video about helping people learn systems. If we could memorize everything, we wouldn't be watching Ben's videos.🤷🏻♂️
@@richardcochrun3869 This does kinda lead to a uncomfortable issue. The guitar is a pretty popular instrument for people who have no prior musical knowledge and as such, there are a lot of instructional materials and even teachers that will actively push new players away from actually learning how the guitar works as a musical instrument and towards shortcuts that will get them "results" quickly but will probably put them in ruts that are difficult to escape later down the line. This isn't a thing that is exclusive to the guitar (a lot of hobbies have a form of this problem) but with the guitar, you end up with a lot of players who spend years trying to find ways to avoid a couple of weeks worth of learning and memorization.
i know every note.. there are seven... and of course there are 4 sharps/flats... its not that hard.... now learn every chord !!!!! its gonna take awhile... lol
watched this video when it first came out (subscribed) and not long after realized this is the most important lesson I've ever had. "Every note is everywhere". Thanks Ben, I love the inversion tones and versatility.
This is cool concept with all the notes between 4 frets, but if you are trying to find notes it seems you need to look at a reference sheet to know where each note is, but with CAGED, theres only 5 postitions that cycle, where if you memorize where the root notes are you can easily find all the different note intervals. If you go deeper in CAGED you can know where every single possible triad shape is if you know the 5 shapes. I think CAGED is a good way to start learning the fretboard and using Ben's technique aswell would allow you to find another way around. Feel free to offer opinions!
Thanks for confirming that. I was thinking the same thing. I want to learn the fretboard so I think I'll study caged and use the "ben franklin method" (BFM) afterwards.
Best use of CAGED is recognizing the truth discussed in this video - every note is available in every position - and knowing that with your five CAGED forms you can therefore find the needed root notes and just switch between forms in that one position to switch seamlessly between chords, keys, arpeggios, triads, it's all there. I think a lot of people initially learn about CAGED as a way to play in one key and move it around, you know, 'play the A minor pentatonic all over the neck!' stuff. the power comes when you realize that getting chord tones means just changing form in a given position - and hence key - all the time to get the notes you need right there wherever 'there' is. In other words, pick a position, find a root note, play in the corresponding CAGED form for that root and you can't go wrong.
Exactly. Don't ditch CAGED. Use this method to figure out why the CAGED shapes are what they are, so that you understand the shapes. But definitely continue using those shapes, because that's what you are going to do any way - all of the shapes shown in this video are included in the CAGED shapes. Guitar is such a shape-based instrument that it is much more practical to learn the shapes instead of building each chord one note at the time. If you build every chord shape one note at the time, after you have done it with five chords, you'll probably notice that the same shapes keep on repeating in different positions. Obviously it's good to be aware of how the shapes are built and what notes they contain. But it's still important to practice the shapes, because when you are playing music, you don't have time to think about building the chords one note at the time. You need to have them in your muscle memory. The method in this video is a good exercise, though. And knowing where each note is located on the fretboard is definitely helpful. Using this method could also make you discover shapes that you might not have otherwise found. But don't use it to replace the CAGED system. Use it in combination with CAGED, so that you understand where the shapes come from - you are still going to end up using those same shapes.
The thing that transformed my playing is when I started playing intervalicaly. It happened when I started playing keys because I got sick of the stupid pattern based guitar playing that I wasted years of my life on. So, in the piano there's no patterns for scales because every scale looks different, so people just learn the scale steps ( WWHWWWH for major) and then just play that in relation to the keys. It totally blew my mind then I applied it on the guitar. First I figured out the intervals, then started practicing scales and arpeggios on just one string, then on two, then three etc. Now I don't just look at the fretboard differently I play differently, I dont play patterns I play melodies because I actually play and think in intervals rather than those CAGED, three notes per string and other stupid patterns.
I actually really dig this sentiment! I'm also inclined to advocate the importance and long-term benefits in taking the time to fundamentally engrain the intervallic relationships that comprise basic scales and chords, as well as conditioning the ear to readily identify & memorize all the intervals and their inversions. I've always expressed how liberating it is for keyboard/piano players to assimilate the intervallic formula for both scales and chords instead of succumbing to the 'double edge sword' nature which shapes often 'CAGE' guitar players in.
I’ve heard enough advanced players say this (Petrucci for example), that I really believe it’s the way to go. When I started, patterns really helped to “get me going”, which is why I believe so many teachers use them, they get you making “music” pretty fast. The problem is I would completely forsake learning the notes and intervals, completely relying on muscle memory. I think most people do this, especially with basic pentatonic stuff. Obviously this only gets you so far, especially if and when you decide to use a different tuning. Or maybe using a seven string, or even playing around with modes. So now I’ve been focusing on learning intervals and notes first and foremost. It’s a little overwhelming at first, but it’s starting to come together.
Thanks very much for learning how to break out of the CAGED! Get the bonus video by making a donation to my buddy Brandon and his fight against cancer here: www.gofundme.com/f/lets-help-brandon-suttles
WTF i had a guitar teacher named Ben Franklin in the 90's at Loyds same guy?
This is the second earth shattering lesson you've had in as many weeks. I am just blown away by this. Thank you!
Saythein yup, that’s the guy!!! My sensei!!! Real sweet dude, so laid back. Influenced me a lot.
@@BenEller Small world lol, ya he was a cool dude i hope hes doing well. Thanks for all the content!
Prayers to your friend and his loved ones Uncle Ben!
I remember when this video was posted. I donated back then, and watching this video tonight prompted me to see how he was doing. I was saddened to see that Brandon passed away. It was a beautiful gesture of you to support your friend like that, Ben. Godspeed to Brandon.
I thought the same thing. I came back to revisit this video and did a quick search to see he did not win his fight. sorry for your loss my friend.
Can’t ditch it if you never knew it. I always knew all this hard work not learning it would pay off
Haha you did it!!!
I kinda relate to what you said but differently. The way I was taught guitar, my teacher never used the CAGED system in order to introduce me to scales and chords. I still to this day wonder what the CAGED really is about. All I've found on the web is pretty contradictory. Is it a way to play scales starting on every strings and not just the root? Is it a method for acquiring chords (and then, scales) in relation to specific spots on the fretboard? Mystery.
Hahahahaha... You're the best! 😂
Ignorance and indolence are my greatest strengths.
DerTodesmeister - It is many things and different things to different people, but it’s just one approach to understanding ithe fretboard through visualization and patterns, just like other approaches, like the scale ‘system’ of 3 fingers per fret starting on digits 1, 2, or 4 and such. They all tend to be shortcuts of fretboard utilization, facilitating specific types of playing, but as I said earlier, mastering the guitar fretboard musically is a never ending battle of understanding from many different viewpoints. Too many people looking for the ‘easy’ key that unlocks the door, but it is an illusion that any form of pattern playing is an end all to greatness. The patterns facilitate navigation mostly. The point is to create music. Of course, if one’s sole idea of music is lightening speed shredding, then specific segments of focus from the overall toolbox of playing requirements would be more necessary. Players that focus on specific musical genres need specific skills and may not appreciate the required skills of other disliked musical genres. Hence, technique and instantaneous knowledge recall vary, but every player still benefits from the power of knowledge and understanding that come from many facets of analysis.
Despite all my rage I'm still just a Nicholas Cage.
Traped in a bee cage.
Warlark Sam living on a minimum wage ...
@Rafa Vieira but ended up engage
@Rafa Vieira cause that’s Cage.
The world is a camp fire
Man, I'm sorry your friend didnt make it Ben. Your guitar lessons are appreciated. I hope you and yours find a way to connect with eachother this holiday season even in these dark times. Thanks for what you do.
Still hope Brandon gets well...all my best wishes for him and his family, and all strength they need during these harsh times! 🙌🙏🍀🍀🍀
So the secret to playing any chord progression anywhere on the neck is to memorise all the notes on the fretboard and in every chord and then just select the notes you need to make the chord you want.
Laughed out loud, this sums it up.
It is an excellent way to master the fretboard. I have a ways to go. 😃
you can figure out how the chords are made from a scale actually and then figure out the notes for any chord yourself. It’s like a note formula (root, third, fifth of a scale forms a triad)
My problem with this is i always found some positions of the caged system chords really hard to strum
I am thinking just the other way. By figuring out the chords in all positions, remembering all the notes on the fretboard will be a free bonus 😏
This is exactly how I use the CAGED system. Everything you need right where you are. Totally changed my playing and opened up the entire neck for chords, arpeggios and scales.
i like the idea of using any four frets anywhere on the neck.You are totally correct Ricky.It is exactly how i use the CAGED system.Just confined to the designated frets.I think the title to the video is off.Great lesson but it is the CAGED system.it is not ditched at all.
@@leegibson8186 the biggest problem with CAGED is youtube teachers that don't understand it. CAGED is just a skeleton. It's up to you to add muscles, tendons, cartilage, fat, and skin. Scales, arpeggios, intervals, triads and fretboard knowledge have to be added to the CAGED skeleton. This guy is saying to learn all those things, with no context and no structure. It's like telling a piano student to ignore the 12 note pattern of black and white keys.
@@Kevinschart It was a life changer for me.All of the sudden the neck became smaller and clearer.Now when i see the shape of the chord i see the scale and root and flat thirds around it.Every once in a while a little light comes on and it burns for hours . Another thing i ,like to do which i think is a great exercise and useful ,i take a solo and practice using the last note as being the first note in the next run further up the neck., it helps my neck reading a lot.Sorry to ramble on so much. In short .''I love the caged system''
I thought I was the only one who realized all he was doing was explaining the CAGED system. Thank God I'm not alone, lol
Caged isn't a prison , just a system to help you learn a lot of chords via 5 simple shapes. No reason to ditch it , just another tool you can use to help you learn
No one can ever really ditch what the cage system is, you can only ditch the name.
Im sure it was just clever click bait.... face it, it worked
@@slowdownbrucemediaproducti1944 Or put another way, hyperbole.
@@HigherPlanes this right here
@@HigherPlanes Precisely and CAGED is clearly visible underneath this new approach.
I think the whole benefit of the caged system is that it gives you a way of easily finding root notes . Being a shape based system it makes it easier to these notes and based on the root note positions its paves the way to locating the others notes on the fret board . The system Ben is sharing relies on you already knowing where all notes are on the fret board . My suggestion is learn the cage system so that you are able to learn where the notes are on the fret board and then use the system in this video
The problem with the caged system is that after you figure out the root notes you're still unsure of what are the other notes in that position
Simply memorizing the notes in each fret is actually simple then you can start memorizing scales by notes
This is good information and quite interesting. This method is probably most useful for advanced players or jazz musicians etc (not me). Caged is so much easier for a beginner or intermediate player to get under their fingers. I don't see how to use this method to make a solo unless you are advanced. I think uncle Ben himself made the case by repeatedly citing Eric Johnson. That said both methods are solid gold.
@@superrookie-1 nothing in the CAGED system says you can't ALSO learn the notes on your fretboard, or learn the notes in the position. If you don't know your notes it means you haven't done the work.
I used the Caged system I put dots on the route the 3rd and the 5th different colored dots that way I learned all the Triads I just did it in the key of C. Once I learned all the positions and where the root 3rd and 5th notes were it was easy for me to put together any kind of cord I wanted to anywhere on the neck and any key
If you know the notes on the guitar, why would you need any system at all to help you find root notes? My issue with CAGED is that it enables not knowing the notes on the guitar.
It’s simple! All you need to know is every single note on the guitar and exactly where it is and you’re a pro! Amazing!
That only gets you halfway there. You also need to know the names of every note in every chord. My teacher, Shredi Master Bob Applegate made me memorize them.
mandohat how do you know the names of every note in every single chord in existence, isn’t that almost limitless?
@@aliray1165 Literally, my teacher made me memorize these 7 major triads in order: FAC CEG GBD DF#A AC#E EG#B BD#F#. You learn to flat and sharp them all. That's 21. You learn to make them minor, diminished, and augmented. That's 84. You learn the formulas to all of the extensions. Now, you know them all. So when someone asks what notes are in a D# minor 11 chord, you can tell them D# F# A# C# E# and G#
mandohat I love you. I can’t believe you wrote all that for me. Thank you ;-)
@@mandohat A big Thank You from me too!!!
“You just gotta learn to play the ball where it lies”. What a gem, Uncle Ben
This content is amazingly powerful if you spend the time to get it into your ears / brain / fingers. You sir are a gentleman to share so freely with your community.
I've used (practiced) this system for years too. A jazz teacher would quiz me every lesson and it was instantly obvious if I had or hadn't been practicing. I didn't scrap the CAGED system though. I've made use of all the methods I know combined into one whole method. Practicing all of them helped me memorize the notes of the fretboard too.
Ever notice how so many people wanna learn guitar but they fail because of RUclips videos.....an ad on RUclips! I've learned more from RUclips than any other format!
I learnt the CAGED system a few years ago and it opened doors for me, but this video simplifies it even more and is definitely a great way to learn it so I’ll be practising this!
I’m a piano player(learning guitar)so the caged system is so alien to me because it is based on physical shapes. It’s easier for me to think chord tones( inversions). Isn’t the caged system require a lot of Barr chords?
Knowing that all 12 notes are available in just a 4 fret span anywhere on the neck is a great way to break out of stock chord voicings and find interesting alternatives. Thanks for that insightful way to see the fingerboard.
I hope your friend gets well soon uncle ben
Seee this is exactly why I love music so freakin much. You think you know your way around the guitar , then you hear stuff like - and it gives you the sense of wonder again - like if you missed something so obvious somehow because you just never looked at it that way - what else are you maybe not seeing yet ? That moment when you get this "aha" moment - pure bliss ! Thanks for this lesson Ben !
"...By taking a dod grunge pedal, and not using it." 😄😄😄
Pure gold, Uncy Bang!
One of the greates things of your videos for a non-english speaker like me is that I perfectly understand what you say just like I do in my native language! I've found this is not very common (other few examples are John Petrucci, Steve Vai, Stevie Terreberry, Troy Grady) and I appreciate it so much!
I also wish all the best to Brandon and hope he's going to receive all the care he needs. Cheers from Italy
This man deserves more subscribers.
Been playing for 15 years, avoided it at all cost. Learned basic theory and was all the knowledge I needed.
Mate your teachings are brilliant. Every. Single. Video , is packed with amazing ideas... and its very refreshing to see, as a beginner, you highlight a few of the ideas I've considered and cement them in. Love your work!
Thanks buddy!!!
The one thing you said that absolutely sold me was "play the ball where it lies".....a frikin light went on like I've never had before. I'm betting it's going to change the way I play. I've known "tunes" for a long time. I'm wanting mt guitar to be like my car....drive anywhere in any direction any time I want...to ANY destination. You really just changed my thought process on that. Thanks uncle Ben! see you on the site! Will donate to your friend
Id rather expand my knowledge than ditch anything. Caged system, especially the extended arpeggios within it, changed my life as a guitar player.
if you truly understand the caged system you are free to play in any position
it is a logical system for understanding the fretboard
not to be ditched but rather expanded upon
caged agedc gedca edcag dcage caged agced.......ect.
it's good to have more than one trick up your sleeve
totally agree scotty
Hey Scotty, favorite place to learn it as you did? Seemingly infinite vids out there
@@fishermanryan oddly, the book that helped me understand the caged system was a dummies book. Theory for dummies I think.
It's the most boring book on the planet but the section about the cage system is worth the cost of the book
I kind of discovered on my own that all the chords that you need are right under your fingers. It's kind of like busking. I wasn't really thinking of individual notes so much. Good info. I like looking at things in a new light. Thanks Uncle Ben.
Basically, you're teaching triads. Prayers to Brandon...
Nice job once again Mr. Eller! I don't actually need this video, but I had to comment on it anyway, because I'm stoked to see a great RUclips teacher that i respect teaching the system that I've naturally gravitated to and used for a long time(been playing on and off since i first picked up a guitar in 1985). It seems like everybody pushes the caged system, and it can be easy, but to me it's always much easier to do a lot more with this type of system once you have down a decent mental map of the fretboard - which every player needs anyway. Lately I've watched a lot of YT guitar lesson guys, to try and shake off the mental rust (now that my neck feels okay and playing again)and there are some guys that are indeed shredderific players, but you are by far the best Teacher on here! Thanks for being cool brutha! :)
I "Like" Ben's videos before I even watch them. Always great content.
same here. least i can do.
Insightful as ever! have been practicing this method for couple of days now and it truly feels like getting myself a new toy.
Also made a point of identifying which chord degree each note represents in every position, because even when picking a position at random it's often too easy to go "ahh ok.. I know this one.. it's just C shaped"
This guitar feels like its made for open chords. Really nice
Thanks so much.
I came back to watch.
Ive always thought it should come like this, looking at the fretboard.
Grateful.
I subscribed.
Thanks for being here! Glad to help.
Ben, your sense of humor and talent is just 2nd to none sir! Absolutely love your videos man. You have really sparked a new love for guitar for me. Well, Ola England's channel as well. Im a metal guy.... your explanation of things is just rad and super easy to understand. You don't "dumb things down" either. Thanks for all you do brother. 🤘
Thanks Ben. That’s revolutionary for me. Working to memorize the fret board and this really helps with that. It also gives me a practical use for knowing where the notes are located across the fret board.
The Ben Eller process has made me a betterlyler playerer.
Holy f#ck! This just blew my mind. Every once in a while you come across a video that teaches a concept so exciting that you stop the video, grab your guitar and start applying it immediately. Ben, you weren't kidding: it's obvious this is going to change the way I play guitar going forward. Very grateful that you shared this with us.
This CHANGED the way I play- I swapped out my ERNIE BALL XL’s for FISHING LINE
Thanks Uncle Ben! I've seen so many other guitar youtubers make videos on the CAGED system but your explanation here just clicked with me.
This is an excellent lesson. I've always been jealous of pianists ability to make chord progressions sound more melodic than the standard chords on a guitar.
One of the very first lessons any guitar teacher should use. Drawing the parallel to the keyboard use of chords was very enlightening. Wish I had been a helluva lot younger than 59! You sir, had a wonderful teacher. Thank you for teaching me! Namaste.
“Shredi-Knight Apprentice” 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
Took lessons when I was a kid for about 7yrs. I've been staring at those same frets for many decades. WOW! what an eye opener. Just like a piano (which I am a beginner at).
The DOD crack killed me. Anyone that has ever played through one of those knew exactly where that was going.
At first I fell in love with the CAGED, as it showed me a path when I was also a young Shredi knight. But lately ive been feeling trapped.. Thanks for showing me the ways of the Sixth so that I can bust out of the damn box.
18 year old me circa 2002 feels personally attacked by the DOD Grunge pedal comment lol.
Was my first pedal - loved it, and still have it.
First pedal for me as well, still have it too after 20+ years.
I had the Digitech version and loved it. I still think there are some great metal tones in that purple box.
I had a Peavey 15w so the Grunge pedal was the closest I could get to Metallica at the time
This lesson fits right in with a jazz comping course I’m working through. The voicings we choose and how we voice lead make all the difference. Thanks Uncle Ben!
Never learned CAGED. My first guitar teacher had
me memorize the fretboard and figure out triads - everywhere. CAGED just seems like a whole lot of “A in the E position... D in the G... etc” when it doesn’t have to be this kind of transposition all the time. Maybe it’s just me. But if you know where your notes are in the first place that kind of constant mental repositioning/naming seems to be a hinderance in the long run no matter how fast you translate. I’m glad it’s another option for folks who are learning - I just wonder about the long term effects - which could be mitigated by memorizing the notes and learning triads all over. Seems like you see the fretboard more organically that way instead of constantly thinking of reorienting these shapes. Best piece of advice still goes to Mick Goodrich though, about practicing everything on one string - up and down. Arpeggios, scales, changes - by limiting yourself to one string you’re forced to approach things in an entirely new way while becoming familiar with the entire fretboard.
Thank you. Of course, it’s not the magical panacea one clicks on these types of videos for, but it immediately rang true; in that I’ve heard what you’re advocating stated firmly many times before, and the fact that total-fretboard/one-string practice methods aren’t some easy fun trick indicates that it’s the way to do it. I’ll keep that approach in mind. Just hope I can find the dedication to take a deep breath and start actually using it. I’m sure I won’t regret it if I can muster the wherewithal.
Never really thought of it before. I’m also a pianist, and when you mentioned that the concept matches the idea of a pianist keeping his hands in basically one position, it really hit home. Elton is fantastic at doing this, and it really simplifies playing his songs on piano. Guitar is obviously more difficult because those 12 notes’ orders change as you progress through the fretboard, but I’m motivated to give this a try.
No, I enjoy being caged up! hehe. ;)
Hahahaha tiger can’t hunt if it’s in a cage!!! ;)
Especially during Covid!
Ben you’re approach did the way
I thought you preferred 3 notes-per-string :P @The-Art-of-Guitar
Mind: Blown. What a great way to open up the fretboard for different chord voicings.
Music is really just the same as a spoken language, and what you're teaching here is the alphabet and how to put simple words together, everything flows from this one piece, what a lesson! It's hard for guitarists to break out of shapes and patterns, they serve us well but they limit us at the same time, I taught myself some basic keyboard, and you know what to my shame I was looking for patterns in the keys as a short cut.....
Sort of reminded me what I don't know and should know.
Dear Ben, a big thanks here. A fantastic resource for an ancient wannabe trying to unlearn umpteen years of mistakes.
Triads help every guitar player learn better! It's actually more fun than you think! I actually learned by playing at church. I grew bored of playing the same chords the same way, so I forced myself to play each week at church a bit differently. That actually unlocked a whole new world to lead guitar playing.
Same here. With more than one guitar player, I had to come up with something different. Sometimes, the pastor or speaker wanted the band to keep playing quietly while he spoke. We would loop some part of the song and keep playing, sometimes for a while! So, it became a game just like Uncle Ben said: Pick a spot, play all the chords in that spot using triads. You and your listeners won't get bored of the same 3 or 4 chords over and over if you can shift your voicings. I'd say it was probably the biggest fretboard epiphany for me.
I'm going to say that all that Ben teaches just makes sense. Don't ask questions, it just works. Ben is the type of person that simplifies concepts, motions, techniques to the point that you see the essence of the shit that you're learning. That's why is just works, because is just like that.
This does not mean that the CAGED system is useless. What Uncle Ben is showing is just another way of fretboard visualisation. Whatever that he showed in this video can be done the same with the CAGED system. I am not trying to say which way is better. You have to learn and find which works better for yourself. Just wanted to let the newer guys know. I learned the CAGED system and it really helped me out in learning the fretboard.
What he showed in the video is the CAGED system. All CAGED does is allow you visualize the triads he was making on the fly, without having to build them from scratch every time. I don’t really get his title at all. I mean obviously the basic CAGED system is just a springboard for more complex chord tone improvisation, but it’s a great place to start to learn and understand the fretboard.
The CAGED system is geometric pattern system that reflects the 2-dimensional surface that is the guitar fretboard. Being a math guy is kind of cool but I am not sure it's that helpful. It would be good if Ben would do a video to show how one could play/compose songs using this shorthand.
Love the Happy Gilmore reference. Best guitar teacher on youtube. Let's get uncle Ben to 1 million subs you guys he deserves it big time
IM GUNNA BREAK. I GUNNA BREAKK MYYYYYYY. I AM GOING TO BREAK MY RUSTY CAGEEEEEEEDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD AND RUNNNNNNNNNNNNN.
The next step would be learning about rootless voicings, so you can also play jazz/blues with a bassist. the bassist’s job in jazz is to lay out the chord with the root usually on the first beat of each measure, while the guitarist (and sometimes pianist) try to come up with individual rootless voicings with different syncopated compings.
@@LucasBozovich what?!? What does that have to do with this post?!?
phoenix _RISE1 I noticed you were talking about the caged system as a joke, but I also thought you wanted another push in the right direction, a step beyond this one if you will lol
WE"RE BREAKING THE CONDITIONING RAAAAAAAAAAAA
@@LucasBozovich #woosh
Being a fairly competent guitarist with a lot of years under my belt (including being indoctrinated into the CAGED system pretty early on), I'll say this:
1) CAGED is truly at its most powerful once you understand how to build chords from any scale shape, and then how to link both chords and scale shapes together with this visualization technique. I think its a great system and still has its uses.
2) I never really thought about every note existing within 4 fingers, but it makes a lot of sense! Pretty cool to think about.
3) I especially loved the part in this video where you built chord progressions within the same 4 fret position. Never would have thought to try this, but you can pull some really interesting voicings with this. I guess it gets much trickier once you start to build more complex chords, but its a great creative exercise to break out of a rut!
Awesome vid Ben, as always! We're lucky to have you
Dude I watched this video for the first time now, and just went to Brandon Suttles page on gofundme. It says he passed away on March 20, a few weeks ago. May his soul Rest in Peace.
Yeah man, absolutely tragic.... he was a great friend. Proceeds from his page are going to his medical bills and stuff.
MY GOD UNCLE BEN!!!! Your Teacher/YOU.....are a genius!!!! Thanks so much for sharing this idea! Applying it now!
13:34 - Learning To Fly by Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers
Also the same progression as Tracy Chapman - Fast car (but in a different key)
Oh my gosh! U have changed my world! Thank u so much. I was do frustrated with CAGED
Lmao "improve tone by taking this grunge pedal and not using it"
If you learn music theory including how scales and chords are constructed and reading and writing music even to a basic level, which will probably take as long as memorising patterns/shapes/CAGED etc, it will pay off more in the long run
Peter Kelly think you’re replying to the wrong comment amigo. Not applicable.
I think that was the first pedal i ever owned.
BREAKING: Alexander Povetkin has tested positive for coronavirus so his rematch with Dillian Whyte has been postponed.
I highly recommend the movie
The Count of Monte Cristo (2002) if you haven't seen it yet
So much gold in this one. Going to be reviewing this a few times. Thanks, Ben.
I’m trying to break 30+ years of bad habits and gain some knowledge instead of just playing by “feel.” Great lesson stepson Ben! I’m too damn old to be your nephew
Playing by feel is best though. I see this as a way to add a different flavor to one’s playing.
Wow. This is something I knew intuitively but having it laid out like this makes it so much more apparent
Uncle Ben, you should be a Suhr Artist! It’s about time you get your own signature model.
Brilliant! Kind how I learnt to play in the 80’s by immersing myself in learning every note on the board and then using that road map to navigate chords and scales. The CAGED system is new to an old fart like me but if it helps then yay but I prefer your method as you see the notes in a different way.
So many times during this video I heard the intro to "Silent Lucidity"
That and "Far Behind" by Candlebox Box.
Generation Landslide...Alice Cooper.
@@therapist6328 close the gap between 'em
You beat me to it.
Thanks Uncle Ben! Revisited this video today. What a great idea! Been working with Tom Quayle's 'Solo' app as an exercise to finally learn the notes of the 'thin' strings. Using your method, I plan to start at the first four frets, work the exercise, and then move up one fret and do it again all the way up the neck. Noticed that a lot of the shapes repeat themselves. So, that will be helpful too. Thanks again! Always love your content.
Finding major chord 1, 3, & 5 notes should reveal patterns. When you find the 1 you will know where 3 & 5 are. The patterns for the minor chords vary slightly using the flat 3.
If you had ears you could hear it without making it a math problem🤦
Thanks ! As a bass player playing for 35 years, this is a good lesson.
When I got tired of searching for the perfect system, I just learned theory.
Most frett opening lesson i have ever had. Never had but a few lessons, thanks for sharing. Now the hard work starts, have to put it into practice....
Lessons like this are so awesome! I have been working on memorizing triads and inversions on all the string sets for a while now and finally getting a bit comfortable with major progressions and not having to jump all over the place. Cadged is ok and helpful but triads, inversions and voicings is Cadges on steroids imo. Thanks for another great lesson Unc!
Awesome Lesson. Its always nice to get into chord inversions and I like this concept a lot. Thanks Ben
Better than caged.... memorize the fret board 🤣😂
Who says you can't do both? Why can't the caged system be used to help learn the fretboard? I guess Tim Pierce is just a hack.
Played 40years and just doing just that now....Don't anyone give up,stall or be lazy....Don't wait either,do it now!!!!
@@aldenunion too bad for me I play in a ton of different tunings, so trying to memorize the fretboard is a joke. Currently don't even have a guitar in standard
@@Madchris8828 Yeah,that is another aspect,your sound..
Great lesson as usual Ben. I’m a self taught player (35+ years) I discovered this in my very first year of playing. I would sit and pick 2 random strings, say an open D and G. I would then play the chromatic scale on the D string down the neck to the 12th fret and follow it note for note on the G string. Try doing this a few thousand times a day people...everyday for a year...on all 6 strings...locked in your room...repeating the same damn 7 notes over and over and over...omg time for the next string Eric..then and only then If you can do this and memorize where every damn note is...and not lose your mental shit, you are worthy of being a guitar god...why am I only wearing one shoe? Learn from Mr.Eller boys and girls, he will help save your mental state.
"I'm learning to fly but I ain't got wings
Coming down is the hardest thing."
Ding ding ding!!!
@@BenEller when you hit those chords it hit me instantly. Thanks Ben.
R.I.P. Tom Petty.
@@cb4j Me too , i'm still mad that we lost him so soon ... I'm a hard rocker ay heart , but i loved his music . RIP
That's an incredible way of thinking. Thanks a million uncle Ben!!
This lesson could make a step dad sound good.
Dude the Grunge pedal bit was gold. Cereal bit is a close second.
It's the small things in life...lol.
Excellent way to master the fretboard. Thanks for the share
This is a really cool approach I haven't heard before. I'm definitely going to try it out. Thanks for the help.
So what you're telling me is that Uncle Ben was taught to play guitar by another Uncle Ben ?
i am part of a grand tradition going back eons!
I hope your friend get back in good health , very good video great for those who have been plucking away and putting it together over time . you bring it home as they say!
Sorry to hear about your friend Ben. I was diagnosed last year with stage 3 kidney cancer. Had one removed and today (Aug 15th) is my 1 year anniversary since my surgery.. I wont say it was easy. Your friend has a tough battle ahead of him. He will be in my prayers tonight. The best thing I can share with him is the Gospel. 1 Corinthians 15:1-4 in which if we believe that Lord Jesus died for our sins, was buried and was raised on the 3rd day, we will have everlasting life. Nothing more, nothing less, Faith plus nothing equals salvation. God bless.
Uncle Ben bringing the goods as usual. Great content - by far my favorite "get better" channel.
"A" is not a random note. It's the first note! E#. Now, that's random!
I never understood how players put there fingers all over the fret until you showed me and it blew my brains! thanks man !!
I need to buy me one of them there fancy guitars that play chords past the 5th fret. 🤯
Thanks Ben, excellent take on chords up the neck. It is like ditching the CAGED but providing a reason to understand it at the same time!
The caged ‘system’ of the guitar fretboard is nothing more than another way of looking at the fretboard in patterns to see how the scales and arpeggios are connected within any tonal center. It is not a prison,
not a system, and certainly not an end all approach; it’s just another way of looking at the neck to help you visualize the fretboard and navigate beyond any area knowing your target notes underneath your fingertips. In order to truly have the musical freedom on your instrument, you need to know where all tone possibilities are in forward reverse piecewise intervallically enharmonically and inside out and backwards from any point in any key. Thinking of any approach as a panacea for enlightenment is just nonsense. You should also know the name of every note, every note that’s in any key or chord, and even know the positions of the notes within the scale i.e. b7 b3 # 9 or whatever. Also study melody harmony and rhythm..
Knowledge is power!
Yeah, why learn the CAGED system when you can just memorize EVERYTHING instead!
@@jerrymckenzie6205 I know right? People are commenting "memorize everything possible" as advice on a video about helping people learn systems. If we could memorize everything, we wouldn't be watching Ben's videos.🤷🏻♂️
'If you don't eat your meat, you can't have any pudding!!'
@@richardcochrun3869 This does kinda lead to a uncomfortable issue. The guitar is a pretty popular instrument for people who have no prior musical knowledge and as such, there are a lot of instructional materials and even teachers that will actively push new players away from actually learning how the guitar works as a musical instrument and towards shortcuts that will get them "results" quickly but will probably put them in ruts that are difficult to escape later down the line. This isn't a thing that is exclusive to the guitar (a lot of hobbies have a form of this problem) but with the guitar, you end up with a lot of players who spend years trying to find ways to avoid a couple of weeks worth of learning and memorization.
i know every note.. there are seven... and of course there are 4 sharps/flats... its not that hard.... now learn every chord !!!!! its gonna take awhile... lol
watched this video when it first came out (subscribed) and not long after realized this is the most important lesson I've ever had. "Every note is everywhere". Thanks Ben, I love the inversion tones and versatility.
You should definitely teach how to voice lead chords like Stairway to Heaven with the chromatic movement :)
Thank you Uncle Ben. You are a Shreadi Master.
This is cool concept with all the notes between 4 frets, but if you are trying to find notes it seems you need to look at a reference sheet to know where each note is, but with CAGED, theres only 5 postitions that cycle, where if you memorize where the root notes are you can easily find all the different note intervals. If you go deeper in CAGED you can know where every single possible triad shape is if you know the 5 shapes. I think CAGED is a good way to start learning the fretboard and using Ben's technique aswell would allow you to find another way around. Feel free to offer opinions!
Thanks for confirming that. I was thinking the same thing. I want to learn the fretboard so I think I'll study caged and use the "ben franklin method" (BFM) afterwards.
Best use of CAGED is recognizing the truth discussed in this video - every note is available in every position - and knowing that with your five CAGED forms you can therefore find the needed root notes and just switch between forms in that one position to switch seamlessly between chords, keys, arpeggios, triads, it's all there. I think a lot of people initially learn about CAGED as a way to play in one key and move it around, you know, 'play the A minor pentatonic all over the neck!' stuff. the power comes when you realize that getting chord tones means just changing form in a given position - and hence key - all the time to get the notes you need right there wherever 'there' is. In other words, pick a position, find a root note, play in the corresponding CAGED form for that root and you can't go wrong.
Exactly. Don't ditch CAGED. Use this method to figure out why the CAGED shapes are what they are, so that you understand the shapes. But definitely continue using those shapes, because that's what you are going to do any way - all of the shapes shown in this video are included in the CAGED shapes. Guitar is such a shape-based instrument that it is much more practical to learn the shapes instead of building each chord one note at the time. If you build every chord shape one note at the time, after you have done it with five chords, you'll probably notice that the same shapes keep on repeating in different positions. Obviously it's good to be aware of how the shapes are built and what notes they contain. But it's still important to practice the shapes, because when you are playing music, you don't have time to think about building the chords one note at the time. You need to have them in your muscle memory.
The method in this video is a good exercise, though. And knowing where each note is located on the fretboard is definitely helpful. Using this method could also make you discover shapes that you might not have otherwise found. But don't use it to replace the CAGED system. Use it in combination with CAGED, so that you understand where the shapes come from - you are still going to end up using those same shapes.
Thank you for expanding my musical mind today Uncle Ben. Rock on!
The thing that transformed my playing is when I started playing intervalicaly. It happened when I started playing keys because I got sick of the stupid pattern based guitar playing that I wasted years of my life on. So, in the piano there's no patterns for scales because every scale looks different, so people just learn the scale steps ( WWHWWWH for major) and then just play that in relation to the keys. It totally blew my mind then I applied it on the guitar. First I figured out the intervals, then started practicing scales and arpeggios on just one string, then on two, then three etc. Now I don't just look at the fretboard differently I play differently, I dont play patterns I play melodies because I actually play and think in intervals rather than those CAGED, three notes per string and other stupid patterns.
I actually really dig this sentiment! I'm also inclined to advocate the importance and long-term benefits in taking the time to fundamentally engrain the intervallic relationships that comprise basic scales and chords, as well as conditioning the ear to readily identify & memorize all the intervals and their inversions. I've always expressed how liberating it is for keyboard/piano players to assimilate the intervallic formula for both scales and chords instead of succumbing to the 'double edge sword' nature which shapes often 'CAGE' guitar players in.
I’ve heard enough advanced players say this (Petrucci for example), that I really believe it’s the way to go.
When I started, patterns really helped to “get me going”, which is why I believe so many teachers use them, they get you making “music” pretty fast.
The problem is I would completely forsake learning the notes and intervals, completely relying on muscle memory. I think most people do this, especially with basic pentatonic stuff.
Obviously this only gets you so far, especially if and when you decide to use a different tuning. Or maybe using a seven string, or even playing around with modes.
So now I’ve been focusing on learning intervals and notes first and foremost.
It’s a little overwhelming at first, but it’s starting to come together.
This would have to be the most useful and well delivered lessons I've ever found on youtube, thank you so very much!