CAGED System Basics | 2 | D Shape
Added 2021-06-28 14:39:36 +0000 UTCWhere to Start • Lesson Archive • Recommended Lesson Plan • Book a Private Lesson
Hi Everyone,
This is the second installment of my CAGED Basics series, where we focus on getting to know the D Shape. While this might seem like a simple concept at first, getting comfortable with the variety of voicings the D Shape has to offer can take a bit of work! The more time you spend getting to know each shape in this series, the easier it will be to move on to the next lesson.
This lesson is fairly straightforward, especially if you've already worked through my Music Theory for Guitar Course. Work through the homework with me and then try out the practice tracks - even tab out some of your own D shaped chord voicings! These concepts apply to rhythm guitar, soloing, and just general creative guitar knowledge. By the end of this series you'll have a much stronger sense of how to navigate the fingerboard. Look out for the next lesson, where we discuss the intricacies of the C shape and how it connects to the D shape.
Here is the jam track I used for this lesson: A Major I IV V IV (also check out the attached mp3s for a few more tempos)
I've also attached an audio version of the jam track at a variety of speeds. You'll find it with the PDFs at the bottom of this page.
Post your homework and questions on the community forum. Also, if you come up with some nice D shape voicings during the practice session, please post what you find, whether that is an audio recording, video link, or tabs!
More from this course:
Other helpful links:
Scott's Recommended Lesson Plan
Searchable Lesson Archive
How to Join the Community Forum
Scott's Jam Tracks
SPJ Live YouTube Channel
Scott's Main YouTube Channel
Comments
I love it! I’m like molasses playing with the slow track but it’s soooo fun
Erin
2025-05-28 00:55:11 +0000 UTCyeah! I think I know the one, it would be something like this: X 2 2 4 5 X And yeah, it would be a powerchord basically - all roots and fifths. Cool chord though, still. I like this alternative with a third: 4 2 2 4 x X
Scott Paul Johnson
2023-09-22 17:18:17 +0000 UTCReally interesting. A tricky shape to strum but I though I had learnt a way to play the D shape using the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th strings. What I didn't realise was that there was no major 3rd in there. It wasn't a triad after all but a 5 chord. Learning is great!
Jon Rogan
2023-09-21 19:56:46 +0000 UTCI don't! Part of the reason is because the relative minor of any scale or chord is so easy to figure out. Relative minor scale = start on the sixth note of a major scale, or find the root note and move back a half step and whole step
Scott Paul Johnson
2023-06-14 18:40:26 +0000 UTCI have a printed copy of your "Circle of Fifths Infographic" that I use as a visual aid when watching your lessons. Do you have a similar "Circle of Fifths" that includes and applies to the relative minor scales?
Sandra Peters
2023-06-14 15:19:24 +0000 UTCPracticing this is a meditation in itself.
harsh ghesani
2023-02-16 16:19:11 +0000 UTCHi Scott, thanks for the lesson! I think I understand the concpet pretty wwell. However, I cannot come up with fingerpicking in an original way.. How about a serie on arpeggio, fingerpicking, finding different rithms..
Marco Martinelli
2022-12-21 19:49:00 +0000 UTCGreat lesson! The HW really helped cement the material. I appreciate the emphasis on knowing the shape relative to the root. This just makes me want to memorize all the notes on the open D and B strings.
Peter Tran
2022-05-26 18:01:55 +0000 UTCDoes it matter if I replace the first E in an A maj with an A? The open A string to be precise. I guess this is some kind of special case, as for other progressions it would not work (because the required note is not on the open string). Hope my question makes sense.
Escanor
2022-04-19 16:50:20 +0000 UTCBrian - important question! It’s all about options and preference. The triangle D is great, but it’s always nice to have more options.
Scott Paul Johnson
2022-01-29 15:36:07 +0000 UTCI completely understand the moveable shape and how the shape will always include the Root, 3rd, and 5th. What I’m struggling with is when you use different R, 3, 5 combinations. For example, on page 3 of the PDF under the section labeled “D shaped E Triad”, why is the G# on the low E string used instead of the G# on the high E string? Same for the other examples that don’t just use the “triangle” D shape. Is it just because it’s a nicer voicing or is there some other reason/rule that I’m missing?
Brian Kilgore
2022-01-29 05:19:01 +0000 UTCGood idea! You could also tap into my Rhythm Jam tracks AND mess with the gear button to slow down the tracks to your desired comfort zone: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCcoYnbB6Ykf5CDLqpMeUVpw
Scott Paul Johnson
2021-08-05 22:08:42 +0000 UTCThanks Scott…. I know my pentatonic/diatonic and fretboard and can noodle to my heart’s content but playing over chord progressions is my nemesis. I will take some time with this as I feel this could take me to the next level.
Sara Jay
2021-08-05 21:52:04 +0000 UTCI'd recommend watching a combination of Rubik's Cube lessons and Music Theory Monday. One for learning more voicings of these shapes and the other for fun ideas on writing chord progressions and rhythm parts and stuff
Scott Paul Johnson
2021-08-05 21:35:35 +0000 UTCBecause there are endless options, it's kind of up to you! But generally, it's probably easiest to focus on one root, one third, and one fifth
Scott Paul Johnson
2021-08-05 21:34:29 +0000 UTCI have seen previously mentioned to pick out the root notes….. I am able to do that what would be the next step?
Sara Jay
2021-08-05 21:25:58 +0000 UTCSo I am trying to be thorough and learn all the voicings for the d shape before moving on to the next video. In my practice I can get all the variations until I start to play the Jam track and then the chord changes happen seemingly too fast…. How many notes do I pick out for each progression? (Apart from the D-shape itself that one is easy 😁)
Sara Jay
2021-08-05 20:50:55 +0000 UTCStart out by looking for the root notes on one string. Get really familiar with that one string, then try finding the roots on another string. As you add shapes in the following videos, it will click more and more. Don't count how many frets, just memorize where the roots are for this jam track
Scott Paul Johnson
2021-07-11 15:35:59 +0000 UTCThanks Scott, this series is a great addition to the rest of your work. The concept is sinking in more and more. Currently, my main challenge is to figure out how your brain approaches the shifting of the shapes during a chord progression like in the practice session. Do you look for the new root, or do you know how big (how many frets to left or right) the displacement of the shapes is on basis of the chord progression, do you have other shapes/ratios/relationships between the CAGED shapes with basic chord progressions? Or is is just experience :o) keep up the great work Scott
Robbert Proost
2021-07-10 22:35:37 +0000 UTCScott, I think this is starting to fall into place now. Thank you. Looking forward to the rest in this series.
Paul Burrows
2021-07-03 07:28:34 +0000 UTCThis serie in combination with the Rubiks Cube serie is like giving us a magic key, which we can use to open any door in this world. 🗝
DeDé
2021-07-02 22:58:10 +0000 UTCI forgot to post the Jam track! Editing now...
Scott Paul Johnson
2021-06-28 14:50:08 +0000 UTC
