The guitar is a complicated instrument, and it’s very difficult to master. It’s hard to see all the notes, and most things can be played on the guitar in many ways. And I don’t mean different chord voicings or melodic ideas, I mean the exact same notes.

But if you look closer there is a way to simplify things. All you need to know are these basic chord shapes:

Each of these chord shapes is the basis for a basic chord form (or shape), and each of these basic chord forms can be moved up the fingerboard to play any major chord. For example, when you play the E shape on the 3rd fret (your basic barre chord) you are playing a G major chord. It can be thought of as the E form of the G major chord. In other words, it is shaped like an open E chord.

Each of these chord forms can be found somewhere on the fingerboard with any of the 12 notes as the root. And if you look closely you will notice a few things:

• When the root note is the same (for example, all C chords) for all the chord forms, the shapes lay out on the fretboard in this order: C-A-G-E-D. Of course, the lowest (closest to the nut) form varies. For example, the lowest form of the F major chord is the E form, and the lowest form of the G major chord is the G Form. The shapes then continue up the fretboard from there in the CAGED order. Note that the D form is followed by, and connected to, the C form.
• There are notes common to consecutive chord forms.
• The full pattern (all 5 forms) covers an entire octave and then starts over. (Notice in the chart below that the D form connects to the C form).

C A G E D Guitar Patterns in C Major

C A G E D Guitar Patterns in G Major

Notice that the G form in the chart above can also be played at the 1st position. It’s the basic open G chord.

This way of understanding the fingerboard has come to be known as CAGED theory. The great thing about CAGED theory is that everything we do as guitarists can be seen in the CAGED framework. After you can see the big shapes it is easier to understand how the scales are arranged in all the patterns. And chords are specific notes that we pick out of the scales.

CAGED theory is the framework upon which all of the scale patterns, arpeggios, and positions on this website are based. It is very important that you see the guitar fingerboard in this way.

Video Guitar Lesson

(From my other blog 100 Blues Licks)

www.youtube.com/watch?v=1_lYPR41auc

How To Master CAGED Guitar

Step 1

Play all the chord forms of the C major chord up the fingerboard. Some of them aren’t the most practical way to play a chord, but remember that the purpose of this exercise is to see the shapes and how they lay out on the fingerboard. Be sure to pay attention to how the patterns are connected, and that you know the location of the root notes in each pattern.

In order to do this you will need to know the notes on the E and A strings pretty well. If you need help with that take a look at this: Learn The Guitar Notes.

Step 2

Once you can do step 1 easily, play each of the forms in order (C-A-G-E-D) in every key (around the circle of 4ths) beginning with the C form. You will have to shift down the fingerboard for most keys.

Step 3

Play the pattern around the circle of 4ths beginning with the lowest chord form available on the fingerboard. All 12 major chords can be played in the 1st or 2nd position in one of the chord forms.

Step 4

Choose a 5 fret area anywhere on the fingerboard. Limiting yourself to that area, play all 12 major chords around the circle of 4ths.

Eventually you will be able to see how everything you play fits into the CAGED guitar system, and you will be able to navigate all areas of the fretboard easier than ever before.

• The Guitar Pick

The first thing you need to start sweep picking is the right guitar pick. I really like the Dunlop Jazz III, and I’m not alone. A couple of years ago I did see an article in a guitar magazine (I can’t remember which one) that asked the question “Can this pick make you a better player?” The answer was yes. Also notable shredders John Petrucci, Alexi Laiho, Mick Thomson and Joe Bonamassa all use them.



It may take a little while to get used to these picks because they are quite small, but it’s worth it. Once I started using them my accuracy and speed increased dramatically.

• Holding The Pick

Opinions on this vary, but I have found the best way to hold the pick is between the thumb and the side of the first finger, with the point of the pick sticking out sideways from the thumb.



When you put your hand up to the guitar the pick is in the perfect position relative to the strings when you hold it this way. Also, even though it has nothing to do with sweep picking, it’s easy to use your other fingers in combination with the pick, something I do all the time. And I find that it’s easier to control the pick when there’s only a little bit sticking out, especially when playing single note lines.

• Drive That Guitar?

Sweep picking is easier if you use a lot of distortion due to the compression. It’s easier to get an even sound, and it’s probably more fun too. But if you want to get really good you should spend some time practicing with a clean sound. This will force you to learn to control your pick in more subtle ways, and prevent you from hiding behind the dirt and compression.. Of course if your goal is to play a style of music that uses a distorted guitar tone it is important to practice that way.

• Begin Sweep Picking

This first sweep picking lick is a D minor 7 arpeggio.  Set your metronome at a moderately slow pace , around 120 bpm, and play one note per beat.  To begin with go nice and slow. Focus on getting an even sound and playing in time with the metronome. Gradually increase the tempo over time. Remember, if you practice sloppy you will play sloppy.

Your hand should be in the 5th position (your first finger is at the 5th fret of the guitar).  This lick consists of 4 notes, the first 3 are played as down strokes and the last one is an upstroke. See the bottom of this page for an explanation of the picking pattern.

|-----5-8-----5-8----|
|---6-------6--------|
|-7-------7----------|
|--------------------|
|--------------------|
|--------------------|

Picking pattern: d d d u

Listen:

Sweep Picking Exercise 1

The next sweep picking lick takes the first one a little farther. This time you will play the notes of the arpeggio descending with a pulloff and upstrokes. Once again, be sure to start out slow until it gets easy and increase speed gradually.

|-----5-8-5-------|-5-8-5------|
|---6-------6---6-|-------6----|
|-7-----------7---|------------|
|-----------------|------------|
|-----------------|------------|
|-----------------|------------|

Picking Pattern: d d d u p u

Listen:

Sweep Picking Exercise 2
The last lick of this lesson is an A major arpeggio. It is in the 9th position on the guitar neck, playing the C shape of the A major chord. (I am referring to the CAGED guitar shapes here. If you don’t know what that is don’t worry, just follow the exercise).

|------------9-12-9--------------------9-12-9------------|
|---------10--------10--------------10--------10---------|
|-------9--------------9----------9--------------9-------|
|----11------------------11----11------------------11----|
|-12------------------------12---------------------------|
|--------------------------------------------------------|

Picking Pattern: d d d d d h p u u u

Listen:

Sweep Picking Exercise 3

• In Conclusion

Sweep picking is a very cool technique that really isn’t as hard as it may seem once you get the hang of it. Like anything else with guitar it just takes practice and determination. Soon I will post the next in this series of guitar lessons. Tell me what do you think so far?

Picking Pattern: d=downstroke u=upstroke h=hammer-on p=pulloff

After a lot of struggling and frustration I was able to finally get a grip on using scales to make music.  I hope this article can help you in your guitar practice.

1. Start Out Slow

Play the scale pattern slowly ascending and descending. The first step is to get to know it and to train your fingers to know it. Pay attention to the location of each degree of the scale, especially the root notes.  Once you get the hang of the scale pattern, play it in all 12 keys.   It’s a good idea to practice them in this order (the circle of 4ths):

C F Bb Eb Ab Db Gb B E A D G

(Don’t worry if you don’t know about circle of 4ths – I will cover that in a future post).

2. Scale, Arpeggio, And Chord

Play the scale, the arpeggio, and the chord. This is a very important step to learn how all these elements fit together.

3. Get In The Groove

Once you are familiar with the scale pattern, play 8th notes (2 notes per beat) with the metronome. Use alternate picking, even across strings. Begin with a moderately slow tempo, 80 to 100 beats per minute, or slower if need be. Remember, speed is not important yet. Right now the most important thing is accuracy. Make sure you are playing in time with the metronome. When you find that you are off, just focus and get back with it. Make every note solid and even.

4. Speed It Up, Gradually

Once you are comfortable with the scale pattern, slowly increase the tempo on your metronome. You want to find the tempo where you can play it as fast as you can without making many mistakes. Once again every note should be solid and even. Remember, if you practice sloppy you will play sloppy.

5. Track Your Progress

It is essential that you keep track of your tempo in your practice journal so that you can pick up where you left off the next time you practice. This is the key to develop speed. It is my experience that to begin with you will be able to increase your speed very quickly. At that stage you feel like you’ll be shredding in just a few weeks! But eventually you will reach a point where you feel stuck. Don’t be discouraged just keep practicing. You will still be able to go faster, it’s just going to take more work and more time. Remember, you have the rest of your life to work on it!

6. Don’t Just Drill, Make Some Music

Once you have become familiar with a scale, you need to start learning how to use it. Start with a play along practice track or a computer program like Band-in-a-Box to loop the appropriate chord and play along. To begin with just play the scale up and down, then try to be creative with it. Have some fun!

7. Mix It Up

After you have a few scales under your fingers you should work on combining scales. Start with common chord changes. For example if you are working on the Mixolydian scale, which fits over a V7 (dominant) chord, work on resolving it to the I (tonic) chord. For example, you could record yourself playing D7 and G, or Gmaj7, 4 bars each over and over again. Then play it back and solo over it. It’s really easy to do this with Band-in-a-Box. You can control the tempo, instrumentation, and groove with just a few clicks of your mouse. And there are a lot of play-along materials available to help you work on certain scales and chord progressions.

8. Apply The Scales To Real Tunes

That’s what all this is about! Focus on a certain common chord progression and find tunes that give you a chance to work them out. After a while work on another common chord changes and find more tunes.

9. Learn The Melody

Make sure you learn the melody to every tune you play. Analyze the melody to see how it fits into the scales. and how the scales relate to the chords. Learn to play them in as many different areas of the fingerboard as you can in all the CAGED forms.

10. Embellish

Base your solo on the melody of a song. Changing rhythms, adding or subtracting notes, and embellishing the melody is a great way to find good solo ideas.

11. Shut Up And Listen!

Listen to what other people play. Listening is the most important thing a musician can do. Figure out and analyze what your favorite guitarists play. One of the best ways to become a better soloist is to copy players that you admire. Don’t be afraid to steal from others, believe me everyone does it! Take ideas from other players, learn them well and then change them around a bit to make them your own.

12. Expand Your Horizons

Don’t limit yourself to just what guitarists play. Copy horn players, pianists, and even bass solos. Guitarists tend to do things that are convenient on the guitar. You will find that learning a saxophone or trumpet solo will help you find new and interesting ways to put notes together. There are lots of great books of transcriptions available to help you along.

13. Play What You Sing

Here’s a great way to get to the music you know is in your soul. Record yourself singing a solo along with a play along track. Just relax and let it rip! I’m sure you can come up with all kinds of cool stuff. Then play it back and figure out how to play what you sang.

14. Sing What You Play

Another great idea is to sing what you play while you are playing the guitar. Start by limiting yourself to only 2 notes. Once you can sing and play the same notes comfortably, add another note. Keep adding one note at a time, as you get comfortable. This is a great way to get a handle on the notes in any scale so that you can make music out of it.

I’ll never forget the night I saw the great jazz organist Jimmy Smith. He was grunting and humming the entire time he played. It didn’t take me long to realize that in his mind he was singing what he played. If you don’t know who Jimmy Smith is, believe me you definitely should find out. That night was one of the greatest musical performances I have ever witnessed, and I’ve seen a lot of great musicians in my time! So if Jimmy Smith does it, believe me, it will work for you.

15. Write It Down

Keep a lick book. A lick book is a notebook where you write down ideas. Some you may get from listening to other guitar players, and some you may compose yourself. This is a great way to build up your own personal bag of tricks.

16. Play It All Over The Guitar

When you hear or invent a lick you really like, it’s a great idea to figure out how to play it in all the CAGED forms. Then play the idea in all 12 keys. For a real challenge, play it in all 12 keys in one area of the fretboard. Remember, wherever your hand is you can reach any note, usually in 2 octaves.

Conclusion

Most of all, be patient and keep going at it.  Sometimes it feels like you are never going to get it, it can be very frustrating.  But if you keep practicing you will get it.  And keep in mind that learning to play guitar is a process that never ends.  No matter what you can do, there is always more to learn.  And that’s one thing that makes it so great, isn’t it?