Thanks to Brent, one of our star Red Leaf friends (and a member of one of our adult bands), we’re getting the videos from our anniversary show posted! Here’s our teen group Behind the Red Door performing a little Cream. They’re pretty much awesome! Cheers to Keith, Rachel, Jordan, Mariah, and Mason for doing such a great job!
Red Leaf is growing in every way…new students every week, more teachers, more rooms…and now we’re offering guitar and amp repair along with retail for your musical needs!
Atomic Power Guitar and Amp Repair, owned by Jimmy and Chazz, has moved in next door. They know everything about everything…so if you need something fixed, bring it in!
They’ve also partnered with Red Leaf to open Stop ‘N Rock – the Musician’s Convenience Store. Stop ‘N rock sells cables, tuners, capos, strings, and all that good stuff musicians need. Stop in and say hey — they’re in the same building and right next door to Red Leaf!
No, really. Our teachers are extremely passionate about Muppet Music. Geno especially.
Sawyer
Age 10
Bassist for FBR (Federal Bureau of Rock) and Red Leaf Student
1. Which was the first record you bought with your own money? I don’t know if I have bought a record with my own money yet.
2. Which was the last record you bought with your own money? That still doesn’t really work. Last album somebody bought me…I downloaded Funplex by the B-52’s.
3. What was the first solo you learned from a record — and can you still play it? First song I played was Sweet Little Sixteen and I cannot still play it. On bass, the first thing was Wild Thing. I can kind of still play it.
4. Which recording of your own (or as a sideman) are you most proud of, and why? The only one I’ve done. We never named it. We did it last year here at Red Leaf Rocks with Kurtis.
5. What’s the difference between playing live and playing in a studio? In the studio you get re-trys, but live, that’s just it.
6. What’s the difference between a good gig and a bad gig?
Bad gig- No food. No air conditioning, and you did bad.
Good gig- It would have food and A/C, and you did really good on your performance.
7. What’s the difference between a good guitar and a bad guitar? Bad guitar doesn’t have a very good sound and it might have bad wiring. It would be weathered down. My first guitar was an acoustic guitar and the neck was broken. The two others have been good.
8. You play electric and acoustic. Do you approach the two differently? I probably will play acoustic bass this fall and this summer, too.
9. Do you sound more like yourself on acoustic or electric?
(Laughs.) Electric. (laughs more)
10. Do you sound like yourself on other people’s guitars? Not as much ’cause I’m used to mine and the placement of the pickups. That’s really mostly it. You don’t have to write that, but oh well.
11. Which living artist (music, or other arts) would you like to collaborate with? Any of the Beatles.
12. What dead artist would you like to have collaborated with? Louis Armstrong
13. What’s your latest project about? B-52’s and ahhh….Stevie Wonder. It’s fun to be in the band because there’s a new member. It’s fun because it’s different sounding. Teamwork…it’s…working together to make music. Yeah.
Our 13 Questions feature continues with Red Leaf co-founder and guitar/bass teacher Geno Stroia. Geno heads up the The Gene Pool and is also gigging with Creedence Clearwater Survival…it’s all CCR all the time! Find Geno and the Gene Pool at Jo’s Coffee dowtown on Thursdays in April — check their gig calendar for more info.
1. Which was the first record you bought with your own money? I think it AC/DC – Back in Black. I bought a John Lee Hooker and Muddy Waters cassette that changed my life. I wore them out – I still have them, even though I don’t think they play!
2. Which was the last record you bought with your own money? Levon Helm – Dirt Farmer
3. What was the first solo you learned from a record — and can you still play it? Not sure. First song/riff I remember playing – Dueling Banjos or Chuck Berry.
4. Which recording of your own (or as a sideman) are you most proud of, and why? The Gene Pool – 3rd and Main
5. What’s the difference between playing live and playing in a studio? There are less people in the studio…although I’ve played a show or two that were close! Actually, they are 2 very different feelings for me. The energy comes from a different place – no stage or people to play off of.
6. What’s the difference between a good gig and a bad gig? Many factors, but mainly, did I/we play well and did the “business” side go smoothly.
7. What’s the difference between a good guitar and a bad guitar? Awe – they all have the same notes – if they stay in tune, you can get your own sound to come out.
8. You play electric and acoustic. Do you approach the two differently? I guess, yea. Different ideas come to me depending on what instrument I am playing.
9. Do you sound more like yourself on acoustic or electric? Good question. I’m still trying to figure out how I sound. If I’m playing my songs, I sound like me. I don’t think I’m good at sounding like anyone else.
10. Do you sound like yourself on other people’s guitars? yep.
11. Which living artist (music, or other arts) would you like to collaborate with? JJ Cale, Keith Richards, Tom Petty, Jimmie Vaughan, Doyle Bramhall I and II, Charlie Sexton, CC Adcock.
12. What dead artist would you like to have collaborated with? Long list – and I don’t really feel like I could “collaborate” with them. “yea, Jimi, if I were you, I’d use a major 7 there instead of the 9?!?”
13. What’s your latest project about? CCS (Creedence Clearwater Survival) a CCR tribute band. Also co-writing/producing my students for an upcoming compilation CD.
We here at Red Leaf are big fans of Adam Levy’s 13 Questions series on his website, where he interviews some of his favorite guitarists about what they do. We thought we’d see what our teachers responded to Adam’s insightful questions. (And make sure to check out Adam’s site, his music, his Myspace, and the whole 13 Questions section).
First up is Kevin Carroll, one of Red Leaf’s accomplished guitar and bass teachers. Kevin’s latest record is called Tourmaline (it’s great, we all have it…you should, too!) You can catch up with Kevin on his Tour page, or see what’s happening over on his Youtube channel. Take it away, Kev:
1. Which was the first record you bought with your own money? I Shot the Sheriff / Eric Clapton and Rich Girl / Hall and Oates – 1st 45’s (back in the day)
Elton John’s Greatest Hits / 1st full length album or what the old timers call an LP
2. Which was the last record you bought with your own money? Mambo Sinuendo / Manuel Galban and Ry Cooder
3. What was the first solo you learned from a record — and can you still play it? Sultans of Swing and Doubtful at Best Today
4. Which recording of your own (or as a sideman) are you most proud of, and why? Pride is one of the seven deadly sins so I try to avoid it…..I feel that each recording has it’s own personality and defines one particular sonic moment, and beyond that it integrates the states of being of everyone involved and then some. That said, my favorite experiences involve hearing a song and liking it and then noticing the guitar and feeling like it’s a great part with a great tone and somehow sounds familiar and not realizing until later that it was a recording I had played on.
5. What’s the difference between playing live and playing in a studio? The studio is such a highly controlled situation in which the most miniscule nuances can have a huge effect. It’s where songs, sounds, vibes and arrangements are defined.
Live is more about recreating the music and the adapting it to each performance. I enjoy both, but the studio pays better and there are external validations….ie. Fans, groupies etc. It’s kind of like the studio is guided more by an internal compass and live is a bit more externally directed.
6. What’s the difference between a good gig and a bad gig? Good gig = got there safely and on time, equipment worked, listened to the music while playing, got paid, got home safely…..learned something to make my next gig more successful.
Bad gig = didn’t get there safely or on time, equipment didn’t work, didn’t listen to the music while playing, didn’t get paid, didn’t get home safely……didn’t learn anything to make my next gig more successful.
7. What’s the difference between a good guitar and a bad guitar? A good guitar vs. A bad guitar…..well, I’ve heard lesser players make supposedly good guitars sound bad and masterful players make supposedly bad guitars sound good………….the beatles said all you need is love….I think if the player brings the love the guitar will follow.
8. You play electric and acoustic. Do you approach the two differently? Acoustic vs. Electric…..Night vs. Day…..it’s great to play both as they teach you how to get certain sounds out of them which you grow accustomed to hearing and have to focus more on your technique to adapt an electric sound to an acoustic guitar or vice versa. I’ve found that playing acoustic has improved my electric playing quite a bit because it’s more physically demanding.
9. Do you sound more like yourself on acoustic or electric? I always sound like myself at the particular moment I’m playing either acoustic or electric guitar……my electric playing is probably more recognizable because of it’s tendency to be given more space for expression.
10. Do you sound like yourself on other people’s guitars? Sometimes I don’t have a true connection with a guitar so I’ll put it down immediately. I really want an intimate relationship with a guitar…I’ve sold guitars when I no longer feel a connection to them. Once in a while I will pick up someone else’s guitar and really enjoy playing it…..I’ve also had the experience of letting someone use my guitar and feeling like it was somehow maligned and compromised upon its return. Weird mojo.
11. Which living artist (music, or other arts) would you like to collaborate with? Jim Jarmusch on a soundtrack / Jeff Tweedy on a co-write / Daniel Lanois as a producer / Mike Campbell as a guitarist / Chuck Rainey as a bassist/ Chrissie Hynde as a vocalist / Brian Blade as a drummer
12. What dead artist would you like to have collaborated with? George Harrison
13. What’s your latest project about? My latest project is about truth and beauty in the here and now.
Kevin’s website: http://www.kevincarroll.net
Kevin’s Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/kevincarroll
Buy Tourmaline: http://www.kevincarroll.net/buy.cfm
…or as Borat would say, “”Musical Learnings of CAGED for Make Benefit Glorious Students of Red Leafs”
This post was contributed by Jon H., a guitar student at Red Leaf (who is also half-responsible for our Feet of the Week feature). Thanks, Jon!
I’d like to share some revelations while learning the C-A-G-E-D system for guitar. My nature is to make sense of things, but understanding chord theory and the guitar fretboard were never intuitive to me. Fortunately, that started to change while learning this system.
The C-A-G-E-D system is based on five movable chord patterns. The name comes from the first position chord forms that most of us are very familiar with: C, A, G, E and D.
First Position Chords
(Click the image for a larger view)
However, it’s more helpful to view the moveable forms of each of these chords. Hopefully you can see that the moveable chord forms are identical to the first position forms, except that it’s necessary to fret the strings that are open in the first position.
Moveable Chord Forms
(Click the image for a larger view)
Barre Chords
If you’re familiar with barre chords, note that the moveable A and E-forms are the barre chord forms. Some people refer to these as the 5th string and 66h string barre chord forms. Remember that when you slide the E-form up one fret, you now have an F chord. We refer to that as “F in the E-form”. When you slide it up 3 frets, you have a G chord in the E-form. Move the A-form up two frets and you have a B chord in the A-form. So hopefully you are starting to see how this system helps you find different chords in each of the five forms.
The beauty of these barre forms is that you can easily get full sounding chords, anywhere on the fretboard. I say easily because they’re not terribly difficult to learn if you invest a bit of time. Yes, I remember thinking it was something I could never do. The A-form, which seems more difficult at first was actually easier to learn. But don’t expect to be able to play the 1st string as indicated for this form. It’s nearly impossible so focus on getting a clean sound from the inner four strings, and you’ll eventually learn to mute the first string with your first or second finger.
The Other Moveable Forms
If you look at the moveable G chord form, notice how the B, D and G strings (2nd, 3rd and 4th strings) are open in the first position chord. When you move this chord up the neck, those strings need to be fretted. If you’re like me, you’re thinking this method is crazy because that chord is almost impossible to fret without a few extra fingers – and you would be right. However, I soon realized that there’s a method to the C-A-G-E-D madness because there are several advantages to knowing these chord forms.
Partial Chords
While learning the rhythm to Pink Floyd’s “Time”, I learned that it’s not always necessary to play five or six note chords – especially when playing with others. Partial chords are beneficial, and sometimes prefered. There are times when you need to cut through the other instruments, so using the treble strings of a particular chord will work best. This is where you might choose to play only the upper 3 or 4 strings of an E-form or D-form. There are other times when the treble strings are too harsh, or you part needs to blend in, so the midrange or bass strings might work best.
Multiple Forms of the Same Chord
When multiple people in an ensemble play the same chord form, the sound can be muddy. The C-A-G-E-D system makes it easy to find a different voicing (or form) for each member, whether they’re playing lead or rhythm. This creates a sound with more interest and texture.
Chord Variations
Another advantage is the ability to figure out other chords (such as minor, seventh, etc…) from the major chord forms. To do this, you need to invest a small amout of time to learn the makeup of each of the five chord forms.
As you may know, a major chord consists of a 1, 3 and 5 – that is the first, third and fifth notes in the major scale. These numbers are referred to as scale degrees or chord degrees. For a C-major scale, the first note is a C, the third is an E and the fifth is a G. Therefore, a C-major chord consists of the notes C, E and G. For chords that contain more than 3 notes, there are additional 1’s, 3’s or 5’s that may be an octave above or below. So it’s important to learn, and memorize, where the 1’s, 3’s and 5’s are for each chord form.
The Minor Chord
Ever wonder what the difference is between a major and minor chord? To make a chord minor, take the “3” and make it flat by moving it down a half step, which is one fret on the guitar neck. This is called a flatted third scale degree. So to make a C-minor chord, remember that the major chord is made up of C, E and G, where E is the “3” (or third scale degree). Therefore, you need to flat the E and make it an Eb. If you memorize the patterns for each of the five chord forms, then all you need to do is move each “3” down one fret. This is easier with some chord forms (such as the A, E and D-forms), but remember that you can use partial chords.
The Major 7 Chord (maj7)
For a while, I’ve kown how to play a Dmaj7 chord but never thought about where it came from. I like to play it in the D-form by fretting the first 3 strings at the second fret and also playing the open 4th string (the D string). You’ll notice this is only one note different from a D major chord played in the first position. All maj7 chords include a “7” (the seventh note in the major scale) which in this case would be a C#. By knowing the makeup of a D-form chord, you would know that the note played on the second string is a “1” (a D in this case). Therefore, changing that note to a “7” (by lowering it one fret) changes the D major chord into a Dmaj7.
Easier Transitions
But there are also times when you can avoid moving several frets to play your next chord. For the verse in “Time” I needed to play an F#minor chord followed by an A chord. For the F#m, we chose the A-form which exists at the 9th fret.
The F#m consists of F#, A and C#, and an A major consist of A, C# and E. Notice that of the 3 notes that make up each chord, two of them are the same! This means that the chords should be very similar. The only fingering change that’s necessary is to lift your fourth finger (pinky) when playing the A chord. We notate the A chord as A/C# which is read as “A over C#” or “A with C# in the bass”. This is because it’s a partial C-form where the lowest note is C#.
You may be thinking this is just dumb luck, but it’s not. Sometimes the musical gods reward us for our hard work. There’s a reason for this realationship and the fact that these chords work together in a song. The key signature of F# minor is the relative minor of the key of A, so their scales share the same notes (but in a different order) and therefore the chords have two notes in common. But that’s a topic for another article. For now, just know that these relationships exist.
Still not sold on C-A-G-E-D? Check this out…
Here’s my favorite part and the coolest thing about the C-A-G-E-D system. All of the chord forms connect! This didn’t click with me when first exposed to it. I needed to see it, so I went home and drew out all the forms of the C chord on the fretboard – and then played them to make sure I could locate each one. It was then that I realized that this “connectivity” exists up and down the fretboard no matter which key you are in, or which chord form you start with.
Since I already knew the forms and now realized that the connectivity was logical, I now had many more options for myself. At that moment, I began to realize how this seemingly complex system is actually rather simple, powerful, and best of all, useful.
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