Agree or disagree? This is why I don’t teach CAGED. Let’s have a healthy discussion. Leave your comments below. Let me hear from the R&B, gospel and neo-soul players.
I disagree. To me, the point of the CAGED system is to visualize movable shapes, with barre chords still being based on the CAGED shapes. That first C major7 shape you played can be thought of as an A major7 CAGED shape moved up, with the barre replacing the open strings. By knowing how to move each CAGED shape up the neck, and by knowing how to break each shape up (into triads, inversions, drop 2/drop 3, etc), the voicing possibilities are pretty endless. Playing Gospel, I find CAGED helpful because playing a triad based on one of the shapes, I already see 3 or 4 triads within the same original shape that I could play with. The difference is approaching CAGED with this mentality takes more time than the "open string" approach, but I think if someone's willing to put in the time, the results speak for themselves.
I understand what you are trying to say here. I'm just a beginner and every time I look up the chords for an RnB song online, I get the basic vanilla chords that don't sound as good for that particular song. CAGED is a great start to learning the neck. Your ideas add a lot more to it.
Thank you for this channel and the work you put in. My partner and mother of our four babies all under 10 years old passed away 30th December 2021. About a week after she passed away i picked up my guitar and came across one of you're videos. You have drastically improved both my playing and understanding of R & B and all the things that make it beautiful. You have and continue to help me through a difficult time and for that i would like to thank you brother. Peace and stay safe.
The CAGED system doesn't really have anything to do with voicings and more to do with mapping out how a specific chord is positioned up and down the neck. It is simply usually illustrated with basic open triad shapes for simplification. If you decided to make all those chords 7th chords, the organization of them would would still run in CAGED order. It is simply stating that a certain guitar specific shape of a voicing for a chord will be followed by another guitar specific shape as you move up the neck. Matter of fact, regardless of what extensions, voicings, or inversion you prefer using, the CAGED system will still serve as a basic map for finding chords up and down the neck. It is not genre specific, it is guitar specific.
Not sure that you've fully understood how CAGED works... It's a essentially a system that helps us navigate triad inversions across the fretboard. Yes playing them as full voicings could be seen as vanilla, but alot of the smaller major/minor voicings you get (especially on the higher register strings) are all over R&B!
Yeah - to ME the CAGED system talks more to soloing - recognize which chord shape you're soloing over, (A shape? E shape?) and the notes that you can move around there. For ME - "where's the root notes next to the notes I'm hitting right now? So I have an anchor from which to get busy doing my thing".
@kerry2smooth I think you didn’t represent the CAGED system properly. You played C A G E D As separate cowboy, open chords instead of showing how 1 chord, ie a C chord, could be played anywhere on the neck (using barre chords) using the 5 different shapes to help with different voicing and recognition of where the root is. I generally like your videos but your argument in this one was not supported properly.
kcorso71 it’s not actually a minor9, it’s a major 7 still, search up c major 7 ukulele chord it’s the exact same thing, I know that depending on the chord you can have multiple chords, but think of it like the second string is the root note to create your chord or the G string in this case
@@kamarienedwards1757 The diagram shows Fmaj7/C, but he's playing Fmaj7/G. And - by not using the CAGED system correctly - Kerry is missing out on at least 4 voicings for each of the chords he played.
CAGED system is very essential when you're trying to understand the guitar fretboard and trying to link every note in a particular key. CAGED are not just the chords that are played in open position but, it is a series progressive spread of notes and different positions. It actually opens a lot of options and possibilities. It is just a reference tool that when used properly is a superpower in guitar playing.
@@Mulberry2000 if that's the only way you're able to visualise the fretboard then, you must learn more and be flexible in your learning. CAGED is a very useful concept to trace a pattern, and bear in mind that it is one of the many ways to visualise patterns on the fretboard. In order to be able to play anything you want and gain a sound command on the fretboard you will need to practice and try every concept you can find.
@@shravanburagapu8364 There are other ways to learn the fret board, ie memorizing the notes etc. That is how I do it and others have done the same. I did not need to memorize the fret board to play what I wanted, that is why I can play lots of songs and chor progressions.
@@shravanburagapu8364 No professional ever got to where they are with CAGED. You gotta learn your notes, intervals, chords, etc. This is why other multi-stringed instruments don't do CAGED crap (like violin). It will only get you so far but you're limited by your lack of TRUE comprehension of the instrument which ONLY comes when you actually learn your notes and when you actually learn to sight read standard notation (like actually professionals do).
@@Chris-MusicTheoryAndFretboard There are a SHITLOAD of amazing professionals who don't site read music and never learned. You don't need to learn music notation to become really good, in the same way that someone who is illiterate is still fully capable of telling a good story.
Kerry, I truly appreciate you taking the time out to teach what you've learned over the years. I've been playing bass guitar for about 10 years and this is helping me to see that I could possibly learn guitar as well...thank you for your sacrifice and I hope that you don't get discouraged to the point where you stop uploading because of people that aren't your people. You've got your people ✊🏿 and we here. All love big bro!
Dude I have been watching videos for a week straight trying to get somebody to sum up r&b in a nutshell, theory wise. Thank you! Getting into the genre and love your stuff. So pleasing to the ear. Excited to learn this new sound
That’s a minor 9 or a major 7 voicing depending on the context, I.e where the root is. here it’s actually being used as a major 7, composed of the triad on strings D G B strings (it’s an inversion) and adding the major 7th on the high E string. If you learn caged you would learn this 😉
I just found your channel. I've been playing for close to 30 years, but I never bothered to learn the basics. I chose to be narrow minded and just play straight heavy metal, so I'm an expert at power chords. This stuff your showing me is opening my eyes, and I'm really starting to understand this instrument that I've loved for so long, so thank you.
I have to agree with a previous comment saying, the caged system doesn't just teach the "cowboy" chords. The caged system actually does in fact teach the various voicing that you yourself are using and in fact goes beyond the types of chords but the multiple ways to find the same chords with their different voicings anywhere on the fretboard. More specifically, the minor7th chord that you use and teach on is actually C form chord however that is only one of the five different forms and positions that the caged system teaches. I as well as others who do know and understand the caged system can tell that you do not fully understand the actual teachings of it. Kerry I would highly recommend that you take the time and get the book, you may even prove yourself wrong just by studying volume one, chapter one.
To be fair, that's only the VERY basic concept of the CAGED system. CAGED is simply a way of "seeing" and navigating along the fretboard. Like the old saying about kids, those big open CAGED chords are to be SEEN (they're a map) but rarely to be heard, lol. They are NOT to be played in their entirety like that. They show you different ways of playing the same chord in different areas so you have more options. And then each of those areas can be changed and rearranged into the chord voicings you used above, but they began life as a CAGED shape chord. CAGED is to be used as an invisible map where you can pick an area to vacation in but then you can choose to turn down all kinds of different roads: double stops, triads, other chord voicings, scales, licks, solos. You can drive up or down to different letters in CAGED super easily to explore all kinds of new tourist stops. The CAGED shapes are like big dart boards that you see but then you aim for smaller areas on that dartboard as far as what you want to play to get certain score points across or to hit a big bullseye. You'll find a variety of scale patterns that live in the area of each CAGED letter and how they flow up and down into other areas of the fingerboard so you never get lost. You'll find all the chords you need in one limited area if you want to relax in one spot for a while. But you can also slide into other areas at will. And you'll find that you can turn those big chords into other voicings (including all the R&B chords) by doing nothing more than simply rearranging your fingers slightly. It's really a misunderstood concept that I see a lot of R&B players dismiss because they seem to have only been introduced to the very bare bones BIG OPEN CHORDS basic concept of it. The big open letter chords concept is only the starting line and not the finish line. But then again, there are all kinds of ways to look at this thing we call guitar. Once I found CAGED, the light bulb lit up like never before. I used to play songs and never knew why the chords in the song were chosen. But after learning CAGED, it all made perfect sense. Still, the concept you presented above looks like another very valuable tool to help navigate and make sense of the guitar. Just because I love CAGED doesn't mean I can't love the above video, too, and can learn from it. So peace and thanks! : )
Actually the caged system is based on the open chords as shown in this video. You can play these chords also by barring up and down the fretboard but they are based on open G etc..
Love this. I always thought I would never be any good at R&B because I was born on the country side of town. But you've given me hope for the music I love. Thank you bro.
All that barre chords are in the caged system. I did not learn the cage system myself, i learned barre chords exactly how you are talking about them. It wasnt until a few years later that i realized they are just the barre chords on open strings. The caged system shapes doesnt stop at open strings it literally is them moved everywhere. Its just a different in mindset. Also maj7 min7 sus chords and diminished every chord is in the caged system too. It all depends on your mindset and teacher.
I would see this as a good start to learning the caged system if I'm honest. The E and A shaped barre chords are a good start point but then why not learn the rest of the shapes across the neck? Once you know the shapes and intervals there's nothing but practice stopping you from making 7ths/9ths/11ths etc across all the caged system
I've been playing for about a year and a few months and i got a lot to learn and you've shown me a lot and thank you. hopefully i can soon afford to sign up because i know this is definitely the direction i want to go in.
I learned about the CAGED system long after I had learned my major and minor scales and barre chords. I, too, thought it was rather limiting. Once I began learning triads, the CAGED system revealed itself because I could see the chord shapes through the triads. Love your tutorials, by the way.
another great smart lesson.... I think you should teach the C-A-G-E-D if its basic chords.... because some people can start in the fast lane before they learn how to drive.... and some other people like me needs to take one step at a time. I ride a motorcycle.... I started off with a small motor but they told me that I will want a larger one and they where correct but I was NOT wrong for wanting to start of SLOW then elevate to a faster bike.... but the same goes with intro chords, barre chords and open chords.... what you said makes a lot of sense but if your NEW you dont know what CAGED mean or what Dominant 7 chords are.... and if you analyze the open string and CAGED system, many of the notes are repeated in the chord shape.... whereas jazz, gospel and dominant chords usually dont.... so playing the exact chord provides a harmonic texture that we know to be jazz or R&B, and when I say R&B im really saying Jazz Chords.... because I have many books and they all say something different.... but jazz chords involves adding the 7, 9, 11 and 13. So you call them R&B chords.... Im calling them Jazz chords.... if you play a 1-3-5 it wont sound as good unless you add the 7 or 9 or 6 or 4..... these are jazz chords. Calling it R&B chords is saying that the chords are soulful and works better with harmony than the CAGED system.... many songs are built from the CAGED open chord type of system.... but it wont fit many gospel and R&B songs. I totally agree. I realized this a couple of years back when I knew I had the correct ROOT note but was not playing the correct chord because the "voicing " of that chord was wrong... but the bass note was correct.... however, teaching someone to ride a 1,000cc bike before you teach them how to ride a bike thats a 250cc bike or 600cc bike is risky... I knew many people who started riding first on a 1,000cc bike.... so NOT teaching the CAGED system is essentially saying that it dont exist and serves no purpose.... you explained it well.... but I feel learning BASIC chords is necessary to build finger muscles, fret board knowledge and overall understand of chords by learning ALL types of other systems other than the one we are focussing on. Thats just me. then you're putting the player in another BOX, that cant play with a band that uses the CAGED system for the majority of their songs.... in other words, know both. This was my issue.... trying to learn something out of order.... its better to learn in a progression or a logical order.... instead of learning step 17 first, maybe we should learn steps 1-16 first..... just a thought.
I respectfully disagree. The CAGED system is not just chords..it is a system in which can locate and play all your chords,Scales ,Arps ,melodies etc in any key...it helps you to learn your neck if you know how to use it .It also will help in position reading.I has been used by Joe Pass ..Barney Kessel..Herb Elises..Tommy Tedeseco...it does matter about style.its just like GPS...
I will be watching this video multiple times and im heading over to your site also to join the community. Im at a point in my guitar playing where Im learning barre chord licks and hammer ons. I watch your "Before I let You Go" lesson every night. I will try to apply this because I was questioning the CAGED system because I get the concept but I dont want to continue to stagnate myself growth
Thank you very much for your videos! I'm a beginner guitar player and want to solely focus on rnb, jazz, and gospel chords. They're so beautiful, and I want to improve in my phrasing, voicing and adding more "flavor" to my playing. I will focus on learning the barre chords, thanks!
I’m a little late to this party, but here we go. CAGED is cool for all the reasons people say, but you could just as easily learned scales and more importantly the number system. After that, if you’ve got an ear, you’ll start recognizing intervals and it will come together for you with practice. It also helps to improvise and jam with different players with different levels of musicianship. Love the Channel man!
Nice presentation. Rhythm playing is super important. I'm sure you know this but it's worth mentioning, Hendrix was was an amazing rhythm player rooted in the the very same things you're teaching. Love it!
Thank you, you can’t believe how happy I am right now. This opens up the fretboard for my r&b playing a ton. Love your replacement for the 5, gives the scale a whole other feel.
This is 100% true. I learned the CAGED system and it is a great system because it helps you find chords across the fretboard going from C to A to G and so on to D. But because it is typically not taught to include the 7th, 9th and 11th intervals I found myself feeling like I needed to relearn to play the guitar as Soul and R&B require those, especially the 7ths. CAGED is great in Rock, Country and Blues though.
I like this lesson, though I do use CAGED. A lot of my CAGED application is done by using the upper triads of chords and modifying them accordingly. I love the substitution tip!
Beginner here. I'm learning the pentatonic shapes and heeding the advice on your beginner video on learning the notes on the first two strings. I'm working on my ear and playing within a minor scale. Thank you for all your work!
Kerry , saw a golf teaching pro comment on your teaching abilities and as a tennis teaching pro and long time guitar player I wanted to second his compliment on your teaching ability which as a teacher I also quickly recognized ,as informative to the point and appreciate the effort on the diagram window which is very helpful and an ease of following your lesson , keep up the great work !!
As a jazz bassist wanting to learn guitar, this lesson really helped me get started! the shapes you have shown so far have opened up the fret board for me. Plz expand on more shapes and voicings. Great work!!!
i think CAGED makes sense if a player really focused on the open chords in the beginning of their playing and they primarily play guitar. i learned piano first and when playing guitar went straight to barre chords and so i don't really like to think of things from the CAGED pov
Hey K2S, I was told, because I didn't understand the CAGED system, I'm not really a guitar player. However, when I explained that I have classical guitar experience, and I understood the circle of 4ths and 5ths he changed his attitude. That is why watching your videos are very helpful...
Wow! You just further opened up the neck for me in five minutes! This is good stuff (though I think it can’t hurt to *also* utilize CAGED). I wish I’d seen this video twenty years ago!
The caged system is all over the neck, it just uses the basic open chords as a reference point & a place to start from, it can definitely be useful for lead playing & solos & to familiarize yourself with the entire fretboard
I’ve spent pretty much my entire time playing guitar learning how to solo effectively (blues, rock some jazz). I’ve learned a lot of scale/modes, but I want to learn more about chords. I have always been told that the CAGED system is a form of learning how to find your way around the fretboard more easily and effectively as a guitar soloist, didn’t know that it was about chords too.
I've never actually learned any music theory and I just played what sounded good or right. Like stuff that added depth, articulation or flavor to my playing. After playing on and off, gathering info over the years, it kind of just fell into place. Thank you for making these videos and helping us!
Just have found your channel nice work my friend... excellent approach for teaching these beautiful voicings... inversions next would be great.... again great video
I get this video, and this is why I’m attracted to what you’re doing because I’m trying to learn to play jazz as a soloist, but I want to blend it with R&B chordal approaches, retaining a jazzy feel but with a more contemporary vibe that moves on from jazz... I just want to create beauty on the electric guitar.
From what I leaned, the CAGED system is a way for students to learn the fingering of major scales, which can be played on the fingerboard following the five open chord (CAGED) shapes. For example, D major scale can be played in a open C shape from the fifth fret of the A string, or in a open G shape from the 10th fret on the low E string, or a open D shape from the 12th fret on the D string etc.
The fact you used a Dmin9 instead of G7 was really my topic moment in this video!!... Thanks !(by the way this also clears a question I had from a cord progression you teach in the Kamp) .thanks again 🙏
Brother Smooth! Thank you for bringing this vital information to the forefront. I've been playing since the 80s and learned the Harmonized Scale very early. the CAGED System has always been a rigid way of approaching the fret board and doesn't fit when trying to learn modern R&B guitar. I'm learning a lot from you, thank you.
I really appreciate how simple you make learning to Guitar. I am a beginner trying to find a good system that will work for me as a singer songwriter. Even though I am 58 years old I really need to get this. I have so many songs I need to put music to. I’ve been flipping around the Internet trying to find a way to learn better and faster for three years now. Please help me to stay with something that I can really get this guitar playing down.
Thank you for a video I'm glad I watched. I'm as rank a beginner as 'rank' can get and I've seen a LOT of videos to get some guidance on my quest for competence. A huge number of them emphasize and extoll the CAGED system, but not quite all. Maddeningly, one presenter made the offhand comment "... if you use the CAGED system, although I hope you don't" without mentioning why. While I seem to grasp barre chords well enough and the concept behind CAGED to some extent, the actual utility of it is still elusive. Having another perspective on the topic, as well as alternative approaches is profoundly helpful. I think it's also helpful that you didn't edit out mistakes. It's a reminder that even really good players aren't always perfect. :-)
I actually started with what you're teaching and I ran into a wall a few years back. The CAGED system really opened up the fretboard for me. It's not meant to be played in one place on the neck. I can play 5 chords phrasings in one place on the neck. 🤷🤯
I consider that Caged system as using any chord whose shape can be moved, thus moving the root. Breaking out of the caged system can be done by finding chords that are unique to the shape. For example something crazy like a G7+5. You probably could move that shape, thus making it Caged. Breaking out of Caged would be playing a G#7+5 without copying the same shape, cutting the fluff notes and getting to the heart of the matter (omiting notes when necessesary)
I like the approach of this teaching. I see value in the CAGED system in that it opens up the interconnectivity of the fretboard in a "learn every note" kind of way. I think what you're teaching works well with that in that takes the plain vanilla of the former and adds the "now lets make some music out of all this theory" mindset. Again, very cool.
i'm new to guitar and all i have is an acoustic guitar rn but this video really helped me to understand the number system better! thank you so much :')
been a beginner for the last 10 years. like you, caged system is a little bit confusing to me too eventho i do get the general concept. this was quite helpful and definitely watching it again.
I’m new to guitar. 6 weeks or so. I enjoy your videos. You helped me realize rnb guitar is what I loath want to play. Unfortunately, a lot of what you say goes over my head. I’ll check your website to see if some things come together.
I started on guitar with the caged system although until recently I didn't know that it had a name. It has given me an approach to guitar I may have not had otherwise, but recently I have been interested in R & B and found my approach had limitations that made me sound like I was playing country. I have only recently begun to break free of this by checking out videos on youtube with Spanky Alford and many of the great gospel players. Exploring these players and techniques has expanded my playing to incorporate many styles of guitar. In conclusion I agree wholeheartedly on the premise of this video!
Hello Kerry, I’m new to all this and understand what your saying about the differences, but it would be a great addition to the lesson if you can so examples of playing the same progression in cages and then in your method to hear the difference. Thank you, Anthony
Fantastic, thank you! I know theory is important, but I'm more of a Feel guy, and therefore would prefer the simplest route to achieve those voicings. That's exactly what you did, thanks!
Thanks bro, I dont usually comment but this is one of the best nuggets of information on TH-cam, for r&b guitar, you made it really simple this is helpful. Love your content great channel. Keep it up!!
Great vid, I appreciate your approach to learning this style of guitar. Although for some Ive heard the caged system may help them navigate the fretboard, I feel for me, the number system along with the rnb chord voicings you've shown us has been most helpful for me learning to unlock the fretboard. & that progression you used as an example is 🔥 . Thanks for sharing 💯
I agree, the cage system works in certain areas, but in R&B, not so much at all, plus, I'm also a Huge fan of Major 7 & moinor7 chords, to me, it sets this smooth, Sunday morning feeling, & that's why I'm a big fan of it, thanks bro, you ROCK!!! Stay safe my friend, Rick On & God Bless!!!
![THIS is My Favorite R&B Guitar Chord! [R&B Guitar Lesson from Kerry 2 Smooth]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/ZqPYD_x5CF8/mqdefault.jpg)
![THIS is My Favorite R&B Guitar Chord! [R&B Guitar Lesson from Kerry 2 Smooth]](/img/tr.png)
Agree or disagree? This is why I don’t teach CAGED. Let’s have a healthy discussion. Leave your comments below. Let me hear from the R&B, gospel and neo-soul players.
I disagree. To me, the point of the CAGED system is to visualize movable shapes, with barre chords still being based on the CAGED shapes. That first C major7 shape you played can be thought of as an A major7 CAGED shape moved up, with the barre replacing the open strings. By knowing how to move each CAGED shape up the neck, and by knowing how to break each shape up (into triads, inversions, drop 2/drop 3, etc), the voicing possibilities are pretty endless. Playing Gospel, I find CAGED helpful because playing a triad based on one of the shapes, I already see 3 or 4 triads within the same original shape that I could play with.
The difference is approaching CAGED with this mentality takes more time than the "open string" approach, but I think if someone's willing to put in the time, the results speak for themselves.
I agree
@@alexmak5038 agree with you! CAGED everywhere!
i desagree... every chord you played are still CAGED...
I understand what you are trying to say here. I'm just a beginner and every time I look up the chords for an RnB song online, I get the basic vanilla chords that don't sound as good for that particular song. CAGED is a great start to learning the neck. Your ideas add a lot more to it.
Thank you for this channel and the work you put in. My partner and mother of our four babies all under 10 years old passed away 30th December 2021. About a week after she passed away i picked up my guitar and came across one of you're videos. You have drastically improved both my playing and understanding of R & B and all the things that make it beautiful. You have and continue to help me through a difficult time and for that i would like to thank you brother. Peace and stay safe.
The CAGED system doesn't really have anything to do with voicings and more to do with mapping out how a specific chord is positioned up and down the neck. It is simply usually illustrated with basic open triad shapes for simplification. If you decided to make all those chords 7th chords, the organization of them would would still run in CAGED order. It is simply stating that a certain guitar specific shape of a voicing for a chord will be followed by another guitar specific shape as you move up the neck. Matter of fact, regardless of what extensions, voicings, or inversion you prefer using, the CAGED system will still serve as a basic map for finding chords up and down the neck. It is not genre specific, it is guitar specific.
Not sure that you've fully understood how CAGED works... It's a essentially a system that helps us navigate triad inversions across the fretboard. Yes playing them as full voicings could be seen as vanilla, but alot of the smaller major/minor voicings you get (especially on the higher register strings) are all over R&B!
Yeah - to ME the CAGED system talks more to soloing - recognize which chord shape you're soloing over, (A shape? E shape?) and the notes that you can move around there. For ME - "where's the root notes next to the notes I'm hitting right now? So I have an anchor from which to get busy doing my thing".
@kerry2smooth I think you didn’t represent the CAGED system properly. You played C A G E D As separate cowboy, open chords instead of showing how 1 chord, ie a C chord, could be played anywhere on the neck (using barre chords) using the 5 different shapes to help with different voicing and recognition of where the root is. I generally like your videos but your argument in this one was not supported properly.
Agreed. I was confused watching this. I like his stuff, but this isn't a great video. Cool tip on the V chord though.
kcorso71 it’s not actually a minor9, it’s a major 7 still, search up c major 7 ukulele chord it’s the exact same thing, I know that depending on the chord you can have multiple chords, but think of it like the second string is the root note to create your chord or the G string in this case
@@kamarienedwards1757 The diagram shows Fmaj7/C, but he's playing Fmaj7/G. And - by not using the CAGED system correctly - Kerry is missing out on at least 4 voicings for each of the chords he played.
Patrick van Vlooten yeah, I know that, I was just tryna to fix his mistake about the dm9 chord because Kerry was wrong
Daniel Woodcock I understand
CAGED system is very essential when you're trying to understand the guitar fretboard and trying to link every note in a particular key. CAGED are not just the chords that are played in open position but, it is a series progressive spread of notes and different positions. It actually opens a lot of options and possibilities. It is just a reference tool that when used properly is a superpower in guitar playing.
its rubbish is just all barre chords all over which make it very difficult to learn.
@@Mulberry2000 if that's the only way you're able to visualise the fretboard then, you must learn more and be flexible in your learning. CAGED is a very useful concept to trace a pattern, and bear in mind that it is one of the many ways to visualise patterns on the fretboard. In order to be able to play anything you want and gain a sound command on the fretboard you will need to practice and try every concept you can find.
@@shravanburagapu8364 There are other ways to learn the fret board, ie memorizing the notes etc. That is how I do it and others have done the same. I did not need to memorize the fret board to play what I wanted, that is why I can play lots of songs and chor progressions.
@@shravanburagapu8364 No professional ever got to where they are with CAGED. You gotta learn your notes, intervals, chords, etc. This is why other multi-stringed instruments don't do CAGED crap (like violin). It will only get you so far but you're limited by your lack of TRUE comprehension of the instrument which ONLY comes when you actually learn your notes and when you actually learn to sight read standard notation (like actually professionals do).
@@Chris-MusicTheoryAndFretboard There are a SHITLOAD of amazing professionals who don't site read music and never learned. You don't need to learn music notation to become really good, in the same way that someone who is illiterate is still fully capable of telling a good story.
Kerry, I truly appreciate you taking the time out to teach what you've learned over the years. I've been playing bass guitar for about 10 years and this is helping me to see that I could possibly learn guitar as well...thank you for your sacrifice and I hope that you don't get discouraged to the point where you stop uploading because of people that aren't your people. You've got your people ✊🏿 and we here. All love big bro!
Matthew Jamison awesome
Dude I have been watching videos for a week straight trying to get somebody to sum up r&b in a nutshell, theory wise. Thank you! Getting into the genre and love your stuff. So pleasing to the ear. Excited to learn this new sound
This was so helpful, especially the minor shape for the 5, that's game changing!
Trevor Marshall good deal
That’s a minor 9 or a major 7 voicing depending on the context, I.e where the root is. here it’s actually being used as a major 7, composed of the triad on strings D G B strings (it’s an inversion) and adding the major 7th on the high E string. If you learn caged you would learn this 😉
Look up diatonic theory
Best teacher during this season!! Thanks for the amazing content! Going to check out your website now!
I just found your channel. I've been playing for close to 30 years, but I never bothered to learn the basics. I chose to be narrow minded and just play straight heavy metal, so I'm an expert at power chords. This stuff your showing me is opening my eyes, and I'm really starting to understand this instrument that I've loved for so long, so thank you.
The flavor you put in is very much what I love about R&B. Thanks for your channel.
I have to agree with a previous comment saying, the caged system doesn't just teach the "cowboy" chords. The caged system actually does in fact teach the various voicing that you yourself are using and in fact goes beyond the types of chords but the multiple ways to find the same chords with their different voicings anywhere on the fretboard. More specifically, the minor7th chord that you use and teach on is actually C form chord however that is only one of the five different forms and positions that the caged system teaches. I as well as others who do know and understand the caged system can tell that you do not fully understand the actual teachings of it. Kerry I would highly recommend that you take the time and get the book, you may even prove yourself wrong just by studying volume one, chapter one.
Bro this is dope!! Appreciate you. Just getting started and this makes so much more sense
To be fair, that's only the VERY basic concept of the CAGED system. CAGED is simply a way of "seeing" and navigating along the fretboard. Like the old saying about kids, those big open CAGED chords are to be SEEN (they're a map) but rarely to be heard, lol. They are NOT to be played in their entirety like that. They show you different ways of playing the same chord in different areas so you have more options. And then each of those areas can be changed and rearranged into the chord voicings you used above, but they began life as a CAGED shape chord. CAGED is to be used as an invisible map where you can pick an area to vacation in but then you can choose to turn down all kinds of different roads: double stops, triads, other chord voicings, scales, licks, solos. You can drive up or down to different letters in CAGED super easily to explore all kinds of new tourist stops. The CAGED shapes are like big dart boards that you see but then you aim for smaller areas on that dartboard as far as what you want to play to get certain score points across or to hit a big bullseye. You'll find a variety of scale patterns that live in the area of each CAGED letter and how they flow up and down into other areas of the fingerboard so you never get lost. You'll find all the chords you need in one limited area if you want to relax in one spot for a while. But you can also slide into other areas at will. And you'll find that you can turn those big chords into other voicings (including all the R&B chords) by doing nothing more than simply rearranging your fingers slightly. It's really a misunderstood concept that I see a lot of R&B players dismiss because they seem to have only been introduced to the very bare bones BIG OPEN CHORDS basic concept of it. The big open letter chords concept is only the starting line and not the finish line. But then again, there are all kinds of ways to look at this thing we call guitar. Once I found CAGED, the light bulb lit up like never before. I used to play songs and never knew why the chords in the song were chosen. But after learning CAGED, it all made perfect sense. Still, the concept you presented above looks like another very valuable tool to help navigate and make sense of the guitar. Just because I love CAGED doesn't mean I can't love the above video, too, and can learn from it. So peace and thanks! : )
elfhermie I appreciate you’re feedback
@@Kerry2smooth And I appreciate your lessons and all the help you provide to keep R&B alive! Thanks again, my good man!
I’ve been playing for years and I know this but it’s good to know. I’m going to look into your guitar community.
God bless you dude.
Barre chords are the caged system
I think he may be misinformed as to what the CAGED system is and all that it offers.
Actually the caged system is based on the open chords as shown in this video. You can play these chords also by barring up and down the fretboard but they are based on open G etc..
Kurtis Ackenhausen right ! Which I’s what he’s playing
You guys should learn what the caged system is..smh
@@dandrews2850 meaning what ?? elaborate please
Love this. I always thought I would never be any good at R&B because I was born on the country side of town. But you've given me hope for the music I love. Thank you bro.
You're welcome...keep going!
All that barre chords are in the caged system. I did not learn the cage system myself, i learned barre chords exactly how you are talking about them. It wasnt until a few years later that i realized they are just the barre chords on open strings. The caged system shapes doesnt stop at open strings it literally is them moved everywhere. Its just a different in mindset. Also maj7 min7 sus chords and diminished every chord is in the caged system too. It all depends on your mindset and teacher.
I would see this as a good start to learning the caged system if I'm honest. The E and A shaped barre chords are a good start point but then why not learn the rest of the shapes across the neck? Once you know the shapes and intervals there's nothing but practice stopping you from making 7ths/9ths/11ths etc across all the caged system
I've been playing for about a year and a few months and i got a lot to learn and you've shown me a lot and thank you. hopefully i can soon afford to sign up because i know this is definitely the direction i want to go in.
I learned about the CAGED system long after I had learned my major and minor scales and barre chords. I, too, thought it was rather limiting. Once I began learning triads, the CAGED system revealed itself because I could see the chord shapes through the triads.
Love your tutorials, by the way.
another great smart lesson.... I think you should teach the C-A-G-E-D if its basic chords.... because some people can start in the fast lane before they learn how to drive.... and some other people like me needs to take one step at a time. I ride a motorcycle.... I started off with a small motor but they told me that I will want a larger one and they where correct but I was NOT wrong for wanting to start of SLOW then elevate to a faster bike.... but the same goes with intro chords, barre chords and open chords.... what you said makes a lot of sense but if your NEW you dont know what CAGED mean or what Dominant 7 chords are.... and if you analyze the open string and CAGED system, many of the notes are repeated in the chord shape.... whereas jazz, gospel and dominant chords usually dont.... so playing the exact chord provides a harmonic texture that we know to be jazz or R&B, and when I say R&B im really saying Jazz Chords.... because I have many books and they all say something different.... but jazz chords involves adding the 7, 9, 11 and 13. So you call them R&B chords.... Im calling them Jazz chords.... if you play a 1-3-5 it wont sound as good unless you add the 7 or 9 or 6 or 4..... these are jazz chords. Calling it R&B chords is saying that the chords are soulful and works better with harmony than the CAGED system.... many songs are built from the CAGED open chord type of system.... but it wont fit many gospel and R&B songs. I totally agree. I realized this a couple of years back when I knew I had the correct ROOT note but was not playing the correct chord because the "voicing " of that chord was wrong... but the bass note was correct.... however, teaching someone to ride a 1,000cc bike before you teach them how to ride a bike thats a 250cc bike or 600cc bike is risky... I knew many people who started riding first on a 1,000cc bike.... so NOT teaching the CAGED system is essentially saying that it dont exist and serves no purpose.... you explained it well.... but I feel learning BASIC chords is necessary to build finger muscles, fret board knowledge and overall understand of chords by learning ALL types of other systems other than the one we are focussing on. Thats just me. then you're putting the player in another BOX, that cant play with a band that uses the CAGED system for the majority of their songs.... in other words, know both. This was my issue.... trying to learn something out of order.... its better to learn in a progression or a logical order.... instead of learning step 17 first, maybe we should learn steps 1-16 first..... just a thought.
Solid lesson into those 7 chords, just finished learning CAGED and how all the scales fit into it. Now going into this, it makes tons more sense 🔓
Dude !! Ppl don't understand how valuable this kind of information is wow *THANK YOU*
I usually like his vids but I don’t think he knows what the CAGED system actually is
Well apparently you don't need to if you play like him
I respectfully disagree. The CAGED system is not just chords..it is a system in which can locate and play all your chords,Scales ,Arps ,melodies etc in any key...it helps you to learn your neck if you know how to use it .It also will help in position reading.I has been used by Joe Pass ..Barney Kessel..Herb Elises..Tommy Tedeseco...it does matter about style.its just like GPS...
Phil Tay I appreciate your feedback
Its cool we all out here..doing our thing...and I Love your playing ...your a Beast..lol 🎸🔥🔥🔥
Man keep pushing out this quality content i am learning so much from you and my confidence level is rising thank you so much!
I will be watching this video multiple times and im heading over to your site also to join the community. Im at a point in my guitar playing where Im learning barre chord licks and hammer ons. I watch your "Before I let You Go" lesson every night. I will try to apply this because I was questioning the CAGED system because I get the concept but I dont want to continue to stagnate myself growth
Thanks Mr Kerry, those are the sounds/styles that I
I learned some thing to day. Iam a biggner as you sed family gave me a guitar for my birthday 71y
I like this concept. Alternatives to using the CAGED for R&B. One more video like this please.
Thank you very much for your videos! I'm a beginner guitar player and want to solely focus on rnb, jazz, and gospel chords. They're so beautiful, and I want to improve in my phrasing, voicing and adding more "flavor" to my playing. I will focus on learning the barre chords, thanks!
I’m a little late to this party, but here we go. CAGED is cool for all the reasons people say, but you could just as easily learned scales and more importantly the number system. After that, if you’ve got an ear, you’ll start recognizing intervals and it will come together for you with practice. It also helps to improvise and jam with different players with different levels of musicianship.
Love the Channel man!
I am a member of Kerry’s camp. I need some drills to get my pinky finger into the mix. Exercise drills. Ty
Send a note to Support or Complete the form, Suggestions for Lessons on the site.
Our new go-to channel. Thanks man.
Nice presentation. Rhythm playing is super important. I'm sure you know this but it's worth mentioning, Hendrix was was an amazing rhythm player rooted in the the very same things you're teaching.
Love it!
Thank you, you can’t believe how happy I am right now. This opens up the fretboard for my r&b playing a ton.
Love your replacement for the 5, gives the scale a whole other feel.
This is 100% true. I learned the CAGED system and it is a great system because it helps you find chords across the fretboard going from C to A to G and so on to D. But because it is typically not taught to include the 7th, 9th and 11th intervals I found myself feeling like I needed to relearn to play the guitar as Soul and R&B require those, especially the 7ths. CAGED is great in Rock, Country and Blues though.
I like this lesson, though I do use CAGED. A lot of my CAGED application is done by using the upper triads of chords and modifying them accordingly. I love the substitution tip!
Beginner here. I'm learning the pentatonic shapes and heeding the advice on your beginner video on learning the notes on the first two strings. I'm working on my ear and playing within a minor scale. Thank you for all your work!
Kerry , saw a golf teaching pro comment on your teaching abilities and as a tennis teaching pro and long time guitar player I wanted to second his compliment on your teaching ability which as a teacher I also quickly recognized ,as informative to the point and appreciate the effort on the diagram window which is very helpful and an ease of following your lesson , keep up the great work !!
Sam Aparicio thank you.
Hi Kerry. Great tutorial. very clear explanations. Thanks for sharing!!!!!
Kerry i love those chords and yes i do like your teachings.
keep up the good work my brother.appreciate you.
As a jazz bassist wanting to learn guitar, this lesson really helped me get started! the shapes you have shown so far have opened up the fret board for me. Plz expand on more shapes and voicings. Great work!!!
This came right on time fr! Your page is fr a gem! 🙌🏽🔥
i think CAGED makes sense if a player really focused on the open chords in the beginning of their playing and they primarily play guitar. i learned piano first and when playing guitar went straight to barre chords and so i don't really like to think of things from the CAGED pov
Hey K2S,
I was told, because I didn't understand the CAGED system, I'm not really a guitar player. However, when I explained that I have classical guitar experience, and I understood the circle of 4ths and 5ths he changed his attitude. That is why watching your videos are very helpful...
Hey kerry 2 smooth,I've been chasing the pentatonic scale for twelve months,you my friend have made more sense in twenty minutes Thankyou x
The V chord is dominant (major third with minor 7) because of the b7 of Mixolydian, the fifth mode.
Wow! You just further opened up the neck for me in five minutes! This is good stuff (though I think it can’t hurt to *also* utilize CAGED). I wish I’d seen this video twenty years ago!
The caged system is all over the neck, it just uses the basic open chords as a reference point & a place to start from, it can definitely be useful for lead playing & solos & to familiarize yourself with the entire fretboard
Thanks Kerry keep up the Great work.my playing has improved tremendously by taking your time and walking through the teaching 👍🏾🙏🏼
You are shining a bright light for me, adding that flavor changes up my whole sound...
Casell Davis good deal.
I’ve spent pretty much my entire time playing guitar learning how to solo effectively (blues, rock some jazz). I’ve learned a lot of scale/modes, but I want to learn more about chords. I have always been told that the CAGED system is a form of learning how to find your way around the fretboard more easily and effectively as a guitar soloist, didn’t know that it was about chords too.
I've never actually learned any music theory and I just played what sounded good or right. Like stuff that added depth, articulation or flavor to my playing. After playing on and off, gathering info over the years, it kind of just fell into place.
Thank you for making these videos and helping us!
Really learn from the lesson you provide.Your lessons are very well explained.......🙏
Man you got a fantastic Vibe my Brother.. God Bless you and prosper your R&B Techniques.
Just have found your channel nice work my friend... excellent approach for teaching these beautiful voicings... inversions next would be great.... again great video
I get this video, and this is why I’m attracted to what you’re doing because I’m trying to learn to play jazz as a soloist, but I want to blend it with R&B chordal approaches, retaining a jazzy feel but with a more contemporary vibe that moves on from jazz... I just want to create beauty on the electric guitar.
From what I leaned, the CAGED system is a way for students to learn the fingering of major scales, which can be played on the fingerboard following the five open chord (CAGED) shapes. For example, D major scale can be played in a open C shape from the fifth fret of the A string, or in a open G shape from the 10th fret on the low E string, or a open D shape from the 12th fret on the D string etc.
I'm new at guitar, but I know some chords, you really opened my eyes! Keep teaching, I'm going to keep watching!
The fact you used a Dmin9 instead of G7 was really my topic moment in this video!!... Thanks !(by the way this also clears a question I had from a cord progression you teach in the Kamp) .thanks again 🙏
Such a helpful video! Really appreciate the wisdom
Brother Smooth! Thank you for bringing this vital information to the forefront. I've been playing since the 80s and learned the Harmonized Scale very early. the CAGED System has always been a rigid way of approaching the fret board and doesn't fit when trying to learn modern R&B guitar. I'm learning a lot from you, thank you.
I think this is the most beginner friendly lesson you came out with on such a difficult style of music.
I think you are one of the better teachers out there
KERRY!! You just unlocked this for me ! 🙏🏾
I love the way you teach... Hoping to play as you do.. Someday
How do you get such beautiful guitar tones? Did you already make a video discussing your tone?
I really appreciate how simple you make learning to Guitar. I am a beginner trying to find a good system that will work for me as a singer songwriter. Even though I am 58 years old I really need to get this. I have so many songs I need to put music to. I’ve been flipping around the Internet trying to find a way to learn better and faster for three years now.
Please help me to stay with something that I can really get this guitar playing down.
Thank you for a video I'm glad I watched. I'm as rank a beginner as 'rank' can get and I've seen a LOT of videos to get some guidance on my quest for competence. A huge number of them emphasize and extoll the CAGED system, but not quite all. Maddeningly, one presenter made the offhand comment "... if you use the CAGED system, although I hope you don't" without mentioning why. While I seem to grasp barre chords well enough and the concept behind CAGED to some extent, the actual utility of it is still elusive. Having another perspective on the topic, as well as alternative approaches is profoundly helpful. I think it's also helpful that you didn't edit out mistakes. It's a reminder that even really good players aren't always perfect. :-)
My man, easy to follow, so beneficial, thanks
I actually started with what you're teaching and I ran into a wall a few years back. The CAGED system really opened up the fretboard for me. It's not meant to be played in one place on the neck. I can play 5 chords phrasings in one place on the neck. 🤷🤯
great lesson learnt a lot. But can we call this click-bait, lol! I mean this was a CAGED lesson, E and A shapes.
I consider that Caged system as using any chord whose shape can be moved, thus moving the root. Breaking out of the caged system can be done by finding chords that are unique to the shape. For example something crazy like a G7+5. You probably could move that shape, thus making it Caged. Breaking out of Caged would be playing a G#7+5 without copying the same shape, cutting the fluff notes and getting to the heart of the matter (omiting notes when necessesary)
I like the approach of this teaching. I see value in the CAGED system in that it opens up the interconnectivity of the fretboard in a "learn every note" kind of way. I think what you're teaching works well with that in that takes the plain vanilla of the former and adds the "now lets make some music out of all this theory" mindset. Again, very cool.
i'm new to guitar and all i have is an acoustic guitar rn but this video really helped me to understand the number system better! thank you so much :')
been a beginner for the last 10 years. like you, caged system is a little bit confusing to me too eventho i do get the general concept. this was quite helpful and definitely watching it again.
Great lesson. What an awesome way to get a grasp on your theory!
I’m new to guitar. 6 weeks or so. I enjoy your videos. You helped me realize rnb guitar is what I loath want to play. Unfortunately, a lot of what you say goes over my head. I’ll check your website to see if some things come together.
This was the most helpful video I’ve watched to help understanding how you wanna approach progressions
Smooth with sauce ...... thanks.
Love how you break down the number system.
I started on guitar with the caged system although until recently I didn't know that it had a name. It has given me an approach to guitar I may have not had otherwise, but recently I have been interested in R & B and found my approach had limitations that made me sound like I was playing country. I have only recently begun to break free of this by checking out videos on youtube with Spanky Alford and many of the great gospel players. Exploring these players and techniques has expanded my playing to incorporate many styles of guitar. In conclusion I agree wholeheartedly on the premise of this video!
I've been watching your stuff since 2009 You're style teaching has improved so much over the years.
I'm going from rock to to R&B and you are a very good teacher. I just subscribed and hopefully I can learn from you. Keep up the great work
Nice and very knowledgeable vid. Can you post more vid trying to unlock the fret board
yo this is so helpful, can’t wait to get home from practice to just learn this, keep it up man
MaXtheKiD good deal
Thanks for the V minor shape idea. I knew it worked sonically but I wasn’t sure if it was the proper way to do things. Thank you
Hello Kerry, I’m new to all this and understand what your saying about the differences, but it would be a great addition to the lesson if you can so examples of playing the same progression in cages and then in your method to hear the difference. Thank you, Anthony
Fantastic, thank you! I know theory is important, but I'm more of a Feel guy, and therefore would prefer the simplest route to achieve those voicings. That's exactly what you did, thanks!
K2S I appreciate how you call it flavor! I do see making music like a dish
The quality of ingredients help determine the end result
jambajoby32 indeed
Always excited to hear what you have to say
Thanks bro, I dont usually comment but this is one of the best nuggets of information on TH-cam, for r&b guitar, you made it really simple this is helpful. Love your content great channel. Keep it up!!
Gabriel lockley thank you.
Great vid, I appreciate your approach to learning this style of guitar. Although for some Ive heard the caged system may help them navigate the fretboard, I feel for me, the number system along with the rnb chord voicings you've shown us has been most helpful for me learning to unlock the fretboard. & that progression you used as an example is 🔥 . Thanks for sharing 💯
I've practiced this for a couple of days and this has helped a lot. Thanks! Love your videos and guitar playing
I agree, the cage system works in certain areas, but in R&B, not so much at all, plus, I'm also a Huge fan of Major 7 & moinor7 chords, to me, it sets this smooth, Sunday morning feeling, & that's why I'm a big fan of it, thanks bro, you ROCK!!! Stay safe my friend, Rick On & God Bless!!!
Thanks!
Thank you.
I need to learn those chord shapes.
Definitely my preferred way to play.. Bars make more sense & you can have fun with the pinky with the hammer ons