From Triads to CAGED to CST... a method of visualizing the fretboard.

[JonnyPac]

Here's a little run through of some fretboard visualization methods. It goes like this: 1. see Triads 2. see basic chords that we can easily reach 3. understand the CAGED system (any those pesky shape names!) 4. Build stuff!!!


Fretboard Triads:



Everyday Guitar Chords:



CAGED boxes named after the shapes above:



Images Copyright Jonathan Pac Cantin 2011 from Chord-Scale Theory and Linear Harmony for Guitar Book

[JonnyPac]

Building voicings from CAGED boxes (and other intervals/scale patterns).






***


CST Chicken or Egg?


In this series of illustrations in the pic above (made special for jazzguitar.be) we can see the progression from Octaves to Chromatic scale or the complete inverse. Chord-scale theory is often posed against chord-tone soloing; this is unfortunate! Either way, we are just playing intervals with meaning- If CST with connectors or chord-tones with connectors floats your boat, GOOD! I feel they are one and the same.

Enjoy!

(Note: the Mixolydian and Lydian Dominant boxes were chosen arbitrary. Obviously we can build any scale, mode, or subset this way.)


Images Copyright Jonathan Pac Cantin 2011 from Chord-Scale Theory and Linear Harmony for Guitar Book

[JonnyPac]

Probably good to mention this when even hinting at using CST:

It is a common pitfall for students of chord-scale equivalency theories to give every note within a chord-scale equal treatment. There is a tonal hierarchy that must be recognized. The core triad needs to be thought of as the lower structure, the seventh as what I call the “gateway” tone, and the other chord-tones as “upper-structures” or “extensions”. Every note besides the core triad may be treated as a “tendency tone” (meaning a tone that is unstable and naturally tends to resolve either upward or downward to a more stable tone) depending on the immediate context. “Avoid” notes or “handle with care" notes are the most unstable tones within each chord-scale. Tonal hierarchies within each chord-scale can fluctuate depending on the harmonic conditions of the music at hand. Use your ear to determine the level of complexity that is appropriate.

[JonnyPac]

Anyone check this material out?

[chrisobrien]

Johnny Pac, thank you so much for posting this! I've made it a goal between now and January to (among other things) improve my fretboard knowledge and these charts will definitely be getting taped to the wall in my practice room!


You da man!

[MikeJ]

Hi Jonny

I did and decided to order the book.. They tell me you are pretty close to the Author

cheers

Mike

[brwnhornet59]

I just found this post Jonny. Always great stuff dude!! T/y.

[JonnyPac]

Gee thanks, guys! Let me know if you have any questions, etc. I'm always happy to help.

[Sailor]

Wish I found this stuff years ago Johny...love your stuff

Unfortunately, I can't look at another chart or diagram about chords, intervals, scales, etc... too old and burned out I just play and discover variations on what I know now.

Sailor

[JonnyPac]

Originally Posted by Sailor

Wish I found this stuff years ago Johny...love your stuff

Unfortunately, I can't look at another chart or diagram about chords, intervals, scales, etc... too old and burned out I just play and discover variations on what I know now.

Sailor

Thanks! Well, it's here if you ever get bored.

Next I'm gonna make a new chart of all of the P4 quartal triad inversions. Stay tuned...

[Drumbler]

Visualize the fretboard by learning where the notes are.

Can you find all the G's?

B's?

Eb's?

Etc.

[FatJeff]

Dude, you should write a book on this stuff.

[brwnhornet59]

Originally Posted by JonnyPac

Thanks! Well, it's here if you ever get bored.

Next I'm gonna make a new chart of all of the P4 quartal triad inversions. Stay tuned...

That will be cool Jonny!!!!

I agree with FatJeff. Write that book brother!!

[Al_F]

what's the 1st thing you do , memorize each triad shape & the intervals on each string ?

[guitarplayer007]

Jonny,

You should have yoru own thread for all your charts and alike So we know where to locate all this great info.
thx
ken

[JonnyPac]

Originally Posted by Al_F

what's the 1st thing you do , memorize each triad shape & the intervals on each string ?

I'd say so. Triads really make sense out over everything to come. I was really stuck on the fretboard before I could whip those out in real-time.

[JonnyPac]

Originally Posted by guitarplayer007

Jonny,

You should have yoru own thread for all your charts and alike So we know where to locate all this great info.
thx
ken

Good idea... I'll ask Mr. B if I can start an archive thread with charts and links. Fun!

[JonnyPac]

Here are the P4's as promised. Print it up and get cookin'!



I just color coded the three notes because they can be used to outline so many intervals within a scale, etc. This will be a work in progress. Suggestions are welcome. Enjoy!

[guitarplayer007]

Cool
Ken

[JonnyPac]

Stay tuned. I'll make a lesson page on my site and drop an index of topics here for all y'all to sift through. Thanks again for checking it out!

[rNeil]

When I look at the initial post of this thread, the diagram section ... my brain is stuck at puzzling what all the diagonal lines MEAN? Why are they there? Being as I can't answer that question, my brain futzes and hems and haws with the rest of it ... so, what ARE those diagonal lines for? Decoration, or is there something to them we are supposed to somehow know? I'm lost.

Neil

[FatJeff]

The notes within the same area outlined by the diagonal lines are different inversions of the triad that span 3 consecutive strings.

[JonnyPac]

Originally Posted by FatJeff

The notes within the same area outlined by the diagonal lines are different inversions of the triad that span 3 consecutive strings.

Correct. It is a visual aid to keep players from crossing directly over in a typical 4-5 fret position.

[rNeil]

Ahh ... I get it now! Thanks ... putting this together is a lot of work, I do this kind of thing in my profession (photography). Trying to express complex interactions in ways easy to 'grok' takes a TON of time before one ever gets the concept ready for public presentation.

Neil

[JonnyPac]

Cool.

This is a way of practicing the shapes within the diagonal via inverting them. Example in A.




--5-------------------------------------------
--5---5------------------------------------------
--6---6---6------------------------------------------
------7---7---7------------------------------------
----------7---7-----------------------------------
--------------9-------------------------------

[rNeil]

I've tried to figure out what the figure in your last note represents, but I'm stumped! Of course, I also have to work at 're-interpreting' so many of the posts on here with examples that put the low-pitched E string on the bottom of horizontal strings in a tab-sort of display. I'm so used to the "image" being set as you would look at a guitar held in someone else's hands, say, though the low-pitch-on-bottom way is just as valid.

I am happy to note that your postings of your work and your comments here are MOST appreciated!


Neil

[JonnyPac]

Well, it's standard TAB.

Strings:

e-----Fret number-----
B-----Fret number-----
G-----Fret number-----
D-----Fret number-----
A-----Fret number-----
E-----Fret number-----

This is open G major in TAB. "0" is open from the nut. w/o a 0, you do not play the string.




-3--------------------------------------------
-0--------------------------------------------
-0--------------------------------------------
-0--------------------------------------------
-2--------------------------------------------
-3--------------------------------------------

[JakeAcci]

(critique deleted)

[bako]

I am a frequent visitor to the idea of mining a given note collection for all it's inherent harmonies.
From this perspective I view the extension as the basic chord, that in a 7 note scale, there are 7 points of harmonic orientation.
The 7th chord, triad or slash chord are just a partial view of the total picture.

Looking at a chord independent of any scale it may be derived from, more by it's function can be very freeing.
Viewed from this angle any harmony that can bring you to a chosen destination is available if you can establish
a sonic link to the prevailing language contained in the composition (and the ensemble).

Every concept contains both strengths and limitations. We are wise if we don't get overly attached to any one idea and remain free to use whatever tools will best assist us in getting at the music we are trying to create. Remaining fearless to reach for sounds that we can hear but can't explain is also important.

I believe the phrase painting by numbers in music refers more to the act of applying an idea that we are aware of verbally but are at present not fully aware of the resultant sound. In other words following a rule because it is the rule.

[JonnyPac]

I understand you are anti-CST, Jake, like many others. Thanks for publicly trashing on my work (again). Time to put you back on ignore for a while, despite your other very helpful contributions here. I'd consider taming down your indignation to a more friendly voice.

It seems the real debate is if chords, scales, and harmony are created in a "bottom-up" or "top-down" fashion. "The song/melody/line comes first" is very top-down compared to a view that builds the music from the underlying raw elements. Call it "paint by numbers" (which it isn't), but having a sense of the most "inside" routes is a good foundation for beginners compared to reverse engineering a substitution of a substitution of a reharmonization, IMHO. My lessons and work are aimed at newer jazz players, not seasoned guys who know every esoteric concept to date. I focus on the most common pop-friendly subsets and harmonies; nothing non-standard or "outside", though I have studied a huge amount of the latter concepts and see their merit.