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  • Posted by campfire on September 12, 2023 at 8:17 pm

    I’m getting to the end of the Fretboard wIzard, caged lessons. I didn’t have any trouble w/ the individual lessons. We always started the the typical chord shape for a C, A, G, E, D chords. Then I could go down each string, knowing where to put my fingers by the musical alphabet. Now, in Lesson 7, Tony is showing the different G chords that are shaped like G, E, D, C, A shapes. I don’t know where to start… which string…. which root… I feel like I’m missing something so simple, but I have spent all afternoon on this and now it is past 9 PM. What am I missing?

    As always, thanks in advance.

    campfire

    campfire replied 2 years, 6 months ago 4 Members · 4 Replies
  • 4 Replies
  • Loraine

    Member
    September 15, 2023 at 5:57 pm

    Hi @campfire I haven’t taken Fretboard Wizard in Long time, and I haven’t visited the updated one since it came out. But I’m curious as to what you’re referring to, so if nothing else comes out of your post, please know that you may have prodded me along into action. From reading the comments on the lesson, it sounds like several people were confused with the change up and what was being taught. I hope it becomes more clear for you or that someone else can help you out with the concept.

  • jumpinjeff

    Member
    September 16, 2023 at 3:24 pm

    I have tried to figure out a good response for you campfire. I need more specific information or I start becoming a less effective version of FW trying to explain what I think you may be asking. Or maybe ask your question differently and maybe this old brain may sift a better answer.

  • Bill_Brown

    Member
    September 16, 2023 at 5:09 pm

    Hi @campfire , the lesson is 2 fold. First, it goes back to knowing the octaves between strings. For example, let’s start with a C note on the 1st fret B string. The next closest C note is on the A string 3rd fret. From there, the next one is on the G string 5th fret. Then, both E strings 8th fret. From there, we go to the D string 10th fret. And finally, we go back to the B string 13th fret and start the whole thing over again. Notice that we just spelled “CAGED” (substituting the letter C for the B string) while going from string to string through the C octave notes along the fretboard. This is an important concept, because by knowing it, you can move forward or backward along the fretboard (starting on any string, any fret) to find the same note by equating the word “CAGED” to the appropriate strings. Tony is doing the same thing with the open G chord (starting with the open G string) and showing the relationship to other G chords along the fretboard. So looking at the spelling of CAGED, the next letter (moving forward) is E. Meaning that the next G note root is on the E string and the G chord happens to be an E shaped barre chord with the root on the 3rd fret loE string. The next G note root is on the D string 5th fret and the resulting G chord is played out of a D shaped barre chord. The next G note root is on the B string 8th fret and the resulting G chord is played out of a C shaped barre chord (remember that I said to substitute the letter C for the B string). And finally, the next G note root will be on the A string 10th fret and played out of an A shaped barre chord. So, once again we’ve spelled the word “CAGED”, but we started with the letter G.

    Just go back and watch the lesson again when you’re ready, perhaps it will make more sense at that time. Good luck on your journey.

  • campfire

    Member
    September 17, 2023 at 8:53 pm

    Thanks to all for the responses. I’m just going the best I can. spending over time w/ this.

    I might have more questions for clarification as I go. With most of it now, I don’t know what to ask. I need to remember this when I’m teaching how to solve equations w/ multiple steps in algebra, which is so much easier. lol

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