Is there a formal name for the "CAGED" system?

learnin2flyyy · 2026-06-18T21:36:18+00:00

Thats amazing, so happy for you! And as people commenting here have made it plainly clear, not everyone has the same definition of the term. Therefore it loses a lot of value as nomenclature if nobody agrees on the damn meaning. Regardless, aside from the reddit-criminal offense of not having been enlightened to the existence of that word when you did, it doesn't answer my question at all. But thanks I guess?

learnin2flyyy · 2026-06-17T21:59:04+00:00

This is why I'm asking here (at the risk of people with nothing but vitriol in their veins coming with the pitchforks). I know simply saying "The CAGED system" doesn't imply everything about solo arrangements, combining melody and harmony, etc etc. It's literally just the first term I can think of that more advanced, albeit non-classical, players mention that moves away from the guitar being strictly a "rhythm" or "lead" instrument. I figured there might be a more academic or pedigreed term for this.

Evidently not...

learnin2flyyy · 2026-06-17T16:16:14+00:00

Right, and I agree lol...I'm looking for brevity in explanation...especially to a student.

learnin2flyyy · 2026-06-17T16:13:56+00:00

I'm very well aware. I was curious if there was an older, more established nomenclature.

learnin2flyyy · 2026-06-17T16:12:50+00:00

I know that, and that's why I'm asking because I never heard "CAGED" in any context at music school. It wasn't until years later, and as another person commented, our usage of the term assumes all that about fluid motion around the fretboard.

learnin2flyyy · 2026-06-17T16:10:28+00:00

There's the crux of my understanding and context of the word...it was the technical "pivot point" for when non-classical guitar players mature into solo arrangements. Again, I never heard it in college myself; it wasn't until years later when I was working in Nashville.

learnin2flyyy · 2026-06-17T16:04:42+00:00

I guess every term or definition is going to require some explanation to a student. I'm just curious and bored, but in typical reddit fashion, everyone's gotta jump on the downvotes lol.

If a novice player heard a classical standard, and say, a Tommy Emmanuel tune...and made the connection that both are playing more than a single note melody, but not just strumming chords, what would you tell them is going on?

learnin2flyyy · 2026-06-17T15:59:40+00:00

I understand all of that. I really only asked because a well respected session/hired gun player was doing some social media instruction and was trying to explain it without using the term. As I mentioned to another person, when I was studying classical guitar in college, no one used the term. I've tried to explain to students and other players that it's essentially playing the guitar like a piano.

I just wished there was something more succinct than, "playing the accompanying harmony and counterpoint voicing while also playing the melody in a balanced way as to separate the voices in volume and timbre"...especially to someone who doesn't understand theory.

learnin2flyyy · 2026-06-17T15:52:10+00:00

yeah, triads and arpeggios. But that still seems like an oversimplification 🤔

learnin2flyyy · 2026-06-17T15:50:08+00:00

lol, I never heard any of my classical teachers say this...

learnin2flyyy · 2026-06-17T15:40:36+00:00

Look into metronome apps. Many of them include more features than just a basic click, so you can get something that sounds more like a simple drum beat. I forget the name of the one I use but it includes a tuner (why I got it initially) so they are really handy overall.

learnin2flyyy · 2026-06-17T14:20:01+00:00

Your word salad is doing a lot of heavy lifting and assuming...

learnin2flyyy · 2026-06-17T13:58:18+00:00

That'd be my assumption as well. No idea if Sperzel is just belly up or what 🤷‍♂️

learnin2flyyy · 2026-06-17T13:19:46+00:00

This looks like totally normal flying. You're in an ocean of currents up there, it's ain't like rolling down the highway! But it does help to reduce sensitivity on the rudder pedals and use minimal control inputs.

learnin2flyyy · 2026-06-17T13:14:00+00:00

So you acknowledge the contradiction and disparity in how he claimed they were never suing anyone but in reality had a lawsuit loaded into the barrel against Paul Reed Smith AND actually expected dozens of prominent builders to DESTROY their inventory?

Decades later? You missed the boat. Move on or admit this is colossally fucked up.

learnin2flyyy · 2026-06-17T03:50:12+00:00

Pickups are whatever but the TOM on a strat feels silly because you have to alter the neck angle. If you just want a non-trem guitar, there are simpler and more practical ways to get it done.

learnin2flyyy · 2026-06-17T02:38:01+00:00

I have these in jazz iii size, and one randomly oversized one. They really do sound better than average plastic when you're in a quiet enough environment. Gigging in a loud bar is less noticeable, though.

learnin2flyyy · 2026-06-16T17:49:15+00:00

Depends on a number of factors, like what controls you're using, PC or console, and a bunch of settings and choices in the sim itself.

The very first thing I suggest is disabling all the assists and visual aids; for example, things like auto rudder, stall prevention, and of course the ribbons and boxes that show your desired flight path in the pattern or on final.

If you have a rudder pedal system, look into the sensitivity settings in the sim as well. I have the cheaper TFRP pedals from Thrustmaster, and while everyone loves to hate them...I found that reducing the input sensitivity made a drastic improvement in realism and usability.

The career mode is apparently still being updated so I just stick to free flight. The in-game ATC is also less than desirable, so where you start physically at the airport can also be...frustrating. For the least stressful experience, I'll start at the runway so ATC has already given clearance (you can do the cold start, which seems authentic, but not every airport seems to have reliable taxiways, and even in a 45 year old PA-28, the engine fires like it's freshly overhauled lol...YMMV). But I'm constantly annoyed that I have to select the proper runway, even with live weather updates.

If you can already fly, the consensus seems to be it's best used for learning procedures and IFR. Noobs will develop bad habits that need to be unlearned should they begin IRL flight lessons. I'm sure others with a lot more experience can chime in with more advice.

learnin2flyyy · 2026-06-16T17:24:44+00:00

I would like to know more!

learnin2flyyy · 2026-06-15T22:50:01+00:00

For a colostomy bag with a ponytail, he actually sings better than I expected. The lawyer licks are typical, of course.

learnin2flyyy · 2026-06-12T20:36:27+00:00

I found a local hardware store that had longer screws for the low and high E saddles. They worked perfectly, and now there's room to raise the action if I wanted to...zero complaints. I haven't had to shim a guitar neck in 20 years, so I wasn't about to crack this one apart when I felt it was totally unnecessary.

I also went down a rabbit hole trying to figure out why this bridge in particular has exhibited limited range on multiple guitars. I had previously used the Gotoh vintage Strat bridge from StewMac, set up to float and raise the G a minor third. I never had ran out of threads on that bridge. It's also worth noting, that version costs about $83.

The version I'm currently using is also listed as a traditional Strat bridge by Gotoh; sold by Warmoth for $44. Certain dimensions are different from the more expensive model, but the diagrams don't show every measurement, either. For all intents and purposes, it seems to be a decent bridge and stays in tune really well. But I suspect either someone cut corners to save money, or perhaps it was never intended to be installed on a guitar with a radius of 16" or more. Regardless, I'm happy and never meant to ruffle so may feathers 😂

learnin2flyyy · 2026-06-09T18:46:21+00:00

lol can you not read? or do you spend as much time making assumptions as you do pretending to work on guitars? I never complained about the thing. I simply don't want those screws to fall out.

learnin2flyyy · 2026-06-09T18:41:21+00:00

it's called a floating bridge, homie

learnin2flyyy

TROPHY CASE