Connecting C and A - chord tones

Let's get to work on connecting the C and A shapes so we can start to taste some of that fretboard freedom. We'll start by connecting chord tones across the two shapes, still in the key of D. Tomorrow, we'll build out the pentatonic scale.

Almighty chord tones

Developing an innate sense of chord tones within your CAGED shapes is crucial.

• Chord tones are anchors for visualizes the fretboard.
• These tones are your prime targets when soloing.
• They also make it easy to fill in the gaps to create the pentatonic and major scales.

Let’s jump into the exercises.

Exercise 1. Up and down both shapes  

To start, we’ll work on chord tones within each shape individually. Don’t forget to say/sing as you play through the shapes.

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Exercise 2. Up C, down A  

Still working our chord tones, but this time we'll go up one shape and down another. Make sure you use your first finger to slide up to the A shape.

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Exercise 3. Lick  

Now, for a (slightly) more musical way to connect these shapes. Molly demonstrates various ways to pull off this lick – do what feels right to you.

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Jam  

Got time for a jam? Follow along with Sam. Let loose.

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Nicely done. We're quickly building our CAGED foundation. But there’s a lot more to music than chord tones, so tomorrow we’ll build out our full pentatonic scales in both positions.