Check out the Guitar Chords Blog: http://ecovers2u.com/guitar-chords/2007/12/

This post is about CAGED, which is a very good paradigm for understanding standard tuning.

Its been a long while since I've posted or played out. I have my recording setup now, and am continuing to work on making a demo.

Last night practiced all in DADGAD on the Froggy (new strings needed!):

• Toy for two lutes
• Invention 4
• The Day after the Feast
• Voyage to Ireland/The Orphan Jig
• Prelude, Cello Suite 1
• Great is Thy Faithfulness

Monday, practiced in standard tuning, flat picking fiddle tunes: the slipper hornpipe and the top of the hill (a nice jig in A dorian). I went to Guitar Center on Monday and picked up some new picks: Dunlap Big Stubby 3mm. They are more comfortable to hold and sound nearly as good as the 1mm (blue) sharp Tortex picks. Guitar Center is always a very unpleasant experience. This time I looked at an Epiphone mandolin. While trying to tune it (limited success), I picked a few strings on surrounding acoustic guitars: each one tuned differently! Service people unhelpful. I had to buy picks on faith because they only come in little bags (no 'loose' picks). And I tried to use a trick I'd learned from a less unhelpful store clerk on a prior visit:

Q: "What is your name in the system?"
A: "Joe Customer"
Q: "Um, Customer... ok... you don't want to be in the system?"
A: "I was told if I did not want to give my real name I could say 'Joe Customer'"
Q: "Right..."

And this is when I am paying in cash, for a few picks! On previous visits, a plain response such as "I don't want to be in your data base, thank you very much" have been unacceptable! They refuse to sell you anything unless you:

A. Divulge personal information that is irrelevant to the sale (I am trying to give you money for goodness sake! Just take it!)
or
B. Lie about your identity.

Maybe some day they will get a clue.