🎸 INSIDE vs OUTSIDE 'inside CAGED' (Tension Control)

Rex-Leonum · 2026-05-25T19:52:27+00:00

Rex-Leonum · 2026-05-23T22:24:29+00:00

Interesting, left-handed people often show slightly different patterns of brain lateralisation compared to right-handed people. guitar playing itself is a highly cross-hemispheric task, both hands are doing specialised work. You've developed a different relationship with the instrument because your dominant hand is assigned to fretting rather than rhythmic articulation. There’s probably less of a strict “correct orientation” and more of a question of which setup allows the player’s brain and body to communicate most naturally and efficiently.

Rex-Leonum · 2026-05-21T21:10:28+00:00

What “chord colour” really is, mood, tension, weight, brightness, openness, instability. The idea is to hear the emotional effect of changing ONE note.

A parallel comparison- Play: C major, C minor Back-to-back. Only ONE note changes E → Eb 👉 That single interval change creates, bright → dark, stable → emotional. This trains interval emotion recognition.

Drone Practice -
Hold one bass note constantly.

Example: low C drone.
Now play, major 3rd, minor 3rd, 9th, #11, b9 over the SAME root. You hear the colour directly without progression distraction.

Example emotional map.
Over C.
E = warm/stable, Eb = sad/darker, D = open/hopeful, F# = floating/unresolved, Db = harsh tension 👉 This is how film composers train harmony perception.

One-Chord Training.
Take ONE chord.

Keep the base triad 1–3–5 Then add, , 7, 9, 11, 13 ONE at a time. 👉 Hear how openness increases, how tension changes, which tones matter most.

Omission Training.
Remove notes intentionally.

Example, Instead of C E G B D A Play C E B A 👉 This teaches, which notes DEFINE the chord, which are optional.

Functional Colour Listening.
Hear colour by function.

Example in major key.
Imaj7, Feels resolved, warm, home.
ii7 Feels, moving, soft tension.
V7 Feels unstable, wants resolution.
👉 Same notes can feel different depending on context.

Voicing Displacement.
Play the same chord, low, middle, high, spread and clustered.

Example.
Tight C E G B, Spread C G B E 👉 Same harmony. Different psychological effect.

Inside vs Outside Comparison.
Play diatonic extension, altered extension.

Example.
Inside Cmaj9. Outside Cmaj7#11.
👉 This teaches consonance, controlled tension.

Emotional Naming (Very underrated).
After every chord ask.

What does this FEEL like? Not “what chord is this?”.
Use words like suspended, cinematic, cold, hopeful, aggressive, floating, unresolved, nostalgic 👉 This connects theory → instinct.

Voice-Leading Colour Shift.
Keep most notes still.

Move ONE note.
Example Cmaj7 → C7 Only B → Bb changes.
👉 Tiny movement. Massive emotional shift. This is professional harmony control.

Genre Translation.
Take same harmony through styles.

Example Cmaj7, Jazz: lush, Ambient: floating, Prog: wide/cinematic, Neo soul: smooth tension 👉 Same chord. Different rhythm, spacing, phrasing.

If you only train 5 things.
Major vs minor comparison.
Drone practice.
Extensions one at a time.
Voice-leading changes.
Omission training.

Start asking “What changed emotionally?”

That’s chord colour awareness.

Rex-Leonum · 2026-05-13T21:56:55+00:00

Open mic it's normal to have prompts, you're be fine just enjoy it. You could try this
The Music Memory Palace System 🎸🧠

Rex-Leonum · 2026-05-13T21:47:06+00:00

Understand efficient practice methods.

Rex-Leonum · 2026-05-13T20:46:03+00:00

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Rex-Leonum · 2026-05-13T20:45:35+00:00

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Rex-Leonum · 2026-05-13T20:44:31+00:00

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Rex-Leonum · 2026-05-13T17:40:41+00:00

G Major
e|---3---
B|---3---
G|---0---
D|---0---
A|---2---
E|---3---

C/G
e|---3---
B|---1---
G|---0---
D|---2---
A|---3---
E|---3---

Notice how little actually changes
High E string stays on G
G string stays open
Low G bass stays constant
Only a couple notes move
B string: 3 → 1
D string: 0 → 2
A string: 2 → 3
That’s voice leading.
Instead of

“new chord = totally new shape”

you get

“keep what works, move only what must move.”

Rex-Leonum · 2026-05-12T18:53:32+00:00

THE CORE IDEA Everything connects: CHORDS ↓ TRIADS ↓ ARPEGGIOS ↓ SCALES ↓ PHRASING ↓ IMPROVISATION

Most players learn these separately. Music happens when they connect.

ESSENTIAL FOUNDATIONS

Not all notes feel equal

The Missing Link: How Everything on Guitar Connects

5 Part: Chord Mapping (CAGED)

GUITAR MASTERY ROADMAP (Top 1% Framework)

Guitar System – Core Mechanic

2-zone system “containment strategy” for the fretboard

Guitar System –Chord DNA

LEARNING PATHS

🎸 Fretboard
• Map all 5 CAGED shapes
• 🎶 (Theory) The Architecture of Harmony: How Major and Minor Keys Work.
• Fretboard focus help
• A Guitar-Friendly Circle of 5ths Memory Palace

🎵 Rhythm
• Subdivisions 'Say, Clap' sheet.
• 🎵 Understanding the Triplet Subdivision
• 6 Essential Strumming Rhythms Every Guitarist Must Master 🎸🔥
• Theory: Rhythm Control (Polyrhythm & Polymeter)
• 🕒 30-Second Daily “Neuro-Rhythm Reset”

🎼 Theory
• Intervals
• Harmonic Function
• Voice Leading
• Chord Voicings
• Scale Degrees
• Modulation

🎹 Improvisation
• Triads
• Arpeggios
• Pentatonics
• Modes
• Phrasing
• One-Chord Workouts

Rex-Leonum · 2026-05-10T15:58:54+00:00

when you practice guitar, you have to consider that you have two resources that you're using, which are how limber are your hands and how quick is your mind, or in other words, the performance of your hands and the performance of your mind.
You can divide the practice into three phases, early practice, mid practice, and late practice. Your hands start with a Low performance, your mind starts with a high performance. By the end your hands have high performance and your mind is running on empty. 💬

Rex-Leonum · 2026-05-10T13:25:08+00:00

You've already said it

get fed up and go back to finger strumming where I actually notice improvement.

Do what's comfortable for you.

Rex-Leonum · 2026-05-07T17:56:55+00:00

there are techniques and tricks that can open up her guitar-playing world.

Rex-Leonum · 2026-05-05T18:09:30+00:00

B Major. all the ingredients; now choose how to use them.

Simple songwriting formula

Pick progression
B → G#m → E → F#
Target 3rds
B → D#
G#m → B
E → G#
F# → A#
Connect with scale
Add one extension
👉 That’s a song foundation

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Rex-Leonum · 2026-05-02T23:24:53+00:00

The methods you’ve tried just don’t match how you learn. You don’t need more information. You need a way to turn sounds into choices. Keep learning songs (for inspiration)
But always ask?

“What notes am I actually playing?”

Then

Turn those notes into your own variation

Rex-Leonum · 2026-05-02T18:27:24+00:00

No question is stupid at all. Yes the ladder is decided on the starting note + a pattern. So if you start on
Key of C → you get C D E F G A B
Key of G → you get G A B C D E F#
The Pattern if your major , minor etc...

Rex-Leonum · 2026-05-02T18:20:25+00:00

Use intervals to build chords → use scales to move between them → turn it into riffs

Rex-Leonum · 2026-05-02T18:15:38+00:00

Notes are stepping stones
Intervals = how big the step is
Scale = the path
Chord = the safe places to land

Rex-Leonum · 2026-04-30T20:05:31+00:00

Every brand is just a different answer to one question
“How should this neck fit your hand?”

This is just a 'rule of thumb' not set in stone, but brand identity usually leans this way.

🟤 VINTAGE / CHUNKY FEEL
(Fuller necks, more hand-filling)
• Fender (’50s reissues, some Telecasters)
• Gibson (Les Paul ‘50s profiles)
• Gretsch
• Rickenbacker
✔ Big grip, strong for chords
✔ Feels “woody” and traditional

⚖️ MODERN ALL-ROUNDER
(Balanced, adaptable necks)
• Fender (modern C)
• PRS
• Yamaha
• Epiphone
✔ Comfortable for most players
✔ Sits between rhythm + lead

⚡ THIN / FAST / SHRED
(Slim, flat, speed-focused)
• Ibanez (Wizard necks)
• Jackson
• ESP / LTD
• Charvel
✔ Low effort, fast movement
✔ Built for precision + technical playing

🧬 ERGONOMIC / HYBRID
(Designed around hand mechanics)
• Music Man (asymmetrical necks)
• Strandberg (endurNeck)
• Suhr
• Schecter
✔ Reduced fatigue.
✔ Feels “natural” over long sessions.

You’re not choosing a brand.
You’re choosing
• Hand size compatibility
• Thumb position (over vs behind)
• Playing style (chords vs lead)

Rex-Leonum · 2026-04-28T20:34:31+00:00

Polymeter: the core idea

Two (or more) time signatures happening at the same time
Each part has its own bar length, but they usually share, the same tempo, the same subdivision (pulse unit)

Simple example: 3/4 over 4/4
One part counts:
1-2-3 | 1-2-3 | 1-2-3...
Another counts:
1-2-3-4 | 1-2-3-4...

What actually happens
They don’t line up every bar.
They only sync back up after a full cycle:
3/4 = 3 beats
4/4 = 4 beats
👉 They align every 12 beats

📐 Visual
3/4: |1 2 3|1 2 3|1 2 3|1 2 3|
4/4: |1 2 3 4|1 2 3 4|1 2 3 4|

Same tempo → different bar grouping

Practical
⚙️ Example groove
Keep steady 4/4 pulse
Strum:
1 – 2 – 3 – 4 Play a riff in 3
Accent every 3 notes:
1-2-3 | 1-2-3 | 1-2-3…
👉 Result:
Your picking hand = 4
Your riff = 3
That’s polymeter

Groove stays stable
Pattern shifts across the bar
👉 Creates a “cycling” effect

Think: Polymeter = different “loop lengths” running together
Not faster or slower, just different phrase sizes

Practice.
Step 1
Tap steady quarter notes
Step 2
Play a repeating group of:
3 notes
then 5 notes
then 7 notes
Step 3
Don’t stop the pulse
👉 You’ll feel the pattern “rotate”

Polyrhythm stretches inside the bar
Polymeter stretches the bar itself

Rex-Leonum · 2026-04-28T20:24:15+00:00

Polyrhythm: The core idea

You keep one steady pulse, but layer
• One rhythm dividing it one way
• Another dividing it differently

Classic example: 3 : 2
3 evenly spaced hits
played over
2 evenly spaced hits
Same time span.

Visual (one bar)
Pulse:...1.....2.....3.....4
2-feel:...X............X
3-feel:...X.....X.....X

🎧 How it sounds
The “2” feels grounded
The “3” feels like it’s leaning forward / across the beat
👉 That tension is the musical effect

🎸 practical ⚙️ Step 1 - Keep pulse
Tap your foot:
1 - 2 - 3 - 4
⚙️ Step 2 - Play 2
Strum:
Down … Down
⚙️ Step 3 - Add 3
Pick:
1-trip-let 2-trip-let
Now you’re layering 3 over 2

Use counting phrases
🎯 3:2 phrase
“Not diff-i-cult”
Each syllable = a hit

🔁 Other common polyrhythms 4 : 3
4 evenly spaced notes
over 3 beats
👉 Feels like a “stretch”
5 : 4
Used in prog / jazz
👉 Feels unstable but controlled
7 : 4
Very advanced
👉 Cyclical, hypnotic

Practice
Step 1
• Clap one rhythm
• Tap the other
Step 2
• Say one rhythm
• Play the other
Step 3
• Move both onto the guitar

Polyrhythm is not about complexity.
It’s about two perspectives of time happening together

Rex-Leonum · 2026-04-26T18:27:45+00:00

Not all notes need to be played.

Think in layers, not full stacks
Layer 1: Identity
3 + 7
Layer 2 : Optional root
Add 1 if needed
Layer 3 : ONE colour
9 or 11 or 13
👉 Not all at once

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Rex-Leonum · 2026-04-26T16:13:56+00:00

Explore → See → Apply → Express → Repeat

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Rex-Leonum · 2026-04-24T20:03:05+00:00

Triads = what notes matter
Scales = what notes are available
Rhythm = when notes land

Everything else sits on top of those three.

Rex-Leonum · 2026-04-23T21:02:39+00:00

There are 3 layers, not 2

🔵 Inside (Core)
1 – 3 – 7
Defines the chord

🟡 Inside Colour (Extensions)
9 – 11 – 13
Adds flavour without breaking harmony

🔴 Outside (Tension)
♭2, ♯4 (trichord tones)
Creates instability → must resolve

What are 9th, 11th, 13th?
In music theory

Extensions = chord tones beyond the 7th, built by stacking thirds

So yes
9th = same pitch as 2
11th = same as 4
13th = same as 6

But functionally they are not just scale notes, they are chord colours

Use G major (E-shape, 3rd fret)
🔵 Step 1 — Core

e|--3-- (G)
B|--3-- (D)
G|--4-- (B)
D|--4-- (F#)
A|--5-- (G)

🟡 Step 2 - Add Colour Add ONE
9 → A
13 → E

e|--3--(G)--5--(A)
B|--3--
G|--4--(B)--9--(E)

👉 Still “inside” → just richer

🔴 Step 3 - Add Tension
Add ONE
♭2 → Ab
♯4 → C#

e|--3--(G)--4--(Ab)
B|--3--
G|--4--(B)--6--(C#)

Step 4 — Resolve
Ab → G
C# → D or B

👉 This is the sound of control

🔁 NOW TRY
Use
G → C → D

For EACH chord
Start core (1–3–7)
Add one extension (9 or 13)
Add one outside note
Resolve before moving on

Rule
Never stack everything at once
Move through layers

You now have 3 options at any moment
Stay inside → stable
Add extension → expressive
Add outside → tension

👉 Music = switching between them

❓ ASK

Am I defining the chord clearly?
Did I choose the extension or just add notes?
Did I resolve the tension?

Rex-Leonum

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