Which Root Note to Begin From?

[dwparker]

I am probably over thinking this, or I have missed something in the CAGED Basics lesson. So I started to go through the circle of 5ths and the key was G. I looked at the fretboard and was really confused where to begin, since there are two CAGED chord forms for the key of G with the root on the 6th string, 2 with the root on the fifth string and 1 with the root on the 4th. I said screw it and did the exercise starting with a root of G for all five chord forms, then went back and did it again beginning with the forms which also have roots on the second and first strings. But I'm pretty sure this ISN'T what Griff is intending for me to do when going through the circle of fifths, at least at this stage. So, should I always start with the C form, whereever it is on the neck, or just randomly choose a G note wherever I am on the fretboard and just cycle through from whereever I happen to start?

I hope the description of my delima makes sense.

 

[Paleo]

I looked at the fretboard and was really confused where to begin....

1) Short answer:

He always starts from whatever shape is lowest on the fretboard for a given chord and goes up and back.

So when doing G, you start from the lowest shape, which is the open G chord.


2) Further, longer, more drawn out explanation (from the video):

Before he goes into the Circle of 5ths exercise he goes through the C chords.

The lowest shape is the open C shape, then the A, G, E, D, C shapes up the fretboard and back.

Then he does F, specifically to point out that the C shape of F is higher on the neck. So he works his way backwards to get to the lowest shape. The lowest shape is the E shape, then D, C, A, G, E shapes up and back.

The order they connect is always the same, just starting from a different lowest shape. (Kinda like relative scales.)

Then he does B. The lowest shape is the A shape, then G, E, D, C, A up and back.


When doing the Circle exercise, G then starts from its lowest shape, which is the open G shape.

(Left-facing from the 6th string root, if you prefer.)

Then the E , D, C, A, G shapes of the G chord up and back.

Then following the Circle you start D with the open D shape.
Then A from the open A shape.
Then E from the open E shape.
Then B from the A shape.
Then F# from the E shape.
etc.

Start from whatever shape is the lowest on the neck for a given chord and work your way up the neck and back.


3) My thoughts, not from the video:

If you prefer, you can think of the G shape as Left-facing from the 6th string root.
The E shape as Right-facing from the 6th string root.
The D shape as Right-facing from the 4th string root.
The C shape as Left-facing from the 5th string root.
The A shape as Right-facing from the 5th string root.

This will help when you want to get to a particular shape without having to go through all the of them in order from the C shape to get there.

This is similar to our pentatonic boxes. For example, knowing how to start from Box 3 without having to start on Box 1 and going through Box 2 to get there. And knowing how to play a scale to the left or right from a given root note in a box. In fact, these 5 chord shapes and 5 Boxes are related, occupy the same 5 areas of the fretboard and are connected by the same root notes.

 

[dwparker]

Thanks! Yeah, I was overcomplicating things. Again.

 

[Walt H]

Hey, If you are AAP Griff did a video in technique dated 5/24/2018. He explains how vital this exercise is as well as how to do it. This one is a beast and it definitely takes time to master. I sunk a ton of time into it and am extremely pleased that I did, my understanding of how the fretboard works went through the roof with this one. I rip through this drill day and am a huge fan of this course.

 

[dwparker]

I am and I will check this out. Thanks!

 

[BoogieMan]

If you prefer, you can think of the G shape as Left-facing from the 6th string root.
The E shape as Right-facing from the 6th string root.
The D shape as Right-facing from the 4th string root.
The C shape as Left-facing from the 5th string root.
The A shape as Right-facing from the 5th string root.

This will help when you want to get to a particular shape without having to go through all the of them in order from the C shape to get there.

This is similar to our pentatonic boxes. For example, knowing how to start from Box 3 without having to start on Box 1 and going through Box 2 to get there. And knowing how to play a scale to the left or right from a given root note in a box. In fact, these 5 chord shapes and 5 Boxes are related, occupy the same 5 areas of the fretboard and are connected by the same root notes.

Very helpful Paleo.