PRESENCE - Volume 14
Inspiration For Guitarists
Welcome to my newsletter, Presence! My aim is simple: to share insights and techniques that have helped me grow as a musician, offering something valuable for players at every stage of their journey.
The 3 Guitar Skills Every Player Should Master
If you’ve been playing guitar for a while, you know there’s an overwhelming amount of stuff you could learn. Scales, modes, arpeggios, gear, theory, improvisation… it never ends.
But here’s the truth: you don’t need to learn everything.
Most guitarists (especially those picking it up later in life) make the biggest progress when they focus on just three essential skills—the ones that unlock the fretboard, make learning songs easier, and give you freedom when you play.
1. Chords in Keys
Ever wonder why some songs just work together? It’s because they follow a key.
When you know which chords belong to each key, you can:
✅ Quickly figure out songs by ear
✅ Understand why chord progressions sound good
✅ Write better songs
✅ Easily jam with other musicians
Instead of memorizing random chord shapes, spend time learning chord families—they’ll give you way more freedom on the fretboard.
2. The Pentatonic Scale
Want to solo all over the neck without getting lost? The pentatonic scale is your best friend.
But here’s the thing—most guitarists learn five box shapes and get stuck thinking inside those boxes. I teach a different approach:
🎸 Two landmark shapes that are easy to remember
🎸 Diagonal extensions that let you move fluidly up and down the neck
Once you learn to connect these, the whole fretboard opens up for improvisation.
3. The CAGED System
The CAGED system is the secret to unlocking the fretboard. Instead of memorizing random chord shapes and scales, CAGED gives you a roadmap—it shows how chords, scales, and arpeggios all fit together.
When you understand CAGED, you can:
🔹 Easily move chords up the neck
🔹 Find multiple ways to play the same thing
🔹 Visualize scales without memorizing a million patterns
It’s a total game-changer.
The Bottom Line
If you focus on these three skills—Chords in Keys, the Pentatonic Scale, and the CAGED System—you’ll make faster progress with less frustration.
Talk soon,
Dustin
P.S. What’s the one skill that made the biggest difference in your playing? Reply and let me know—I’d love to hear!