How do I beat the Exchange Variations (in the french and caro-kann)?

Recently as black I'm trying to develop an opening repoitre, but the positions im finding are consistently very boring. Every time I play the Caro-Kann, my opponents play the exchange. Every time I play the French, my opponents play the exchange. The resulting positions are so incredibly dry and boring that I just feel like throwing my pc out the window. There's no analysis, no thinking, just a mindless bore of moving your pieces out until someone blunders. That's literally it. It's how 90% of my caro/french games tho

If any of you guys have a way of making the exchange more interesting from a black pov, or any other e4 response openings you would suggest, I would highly appreciate it.

I'm studying the Caro-Kann right now as an opening to win. Of course White will have some dry lines but that's just how it goes and it can't be avoided even in the Sicilian. Could you tell me what do you play against the Exchange Caro so I can tell you if you're doing the right thing or not? Additionally you can look up Caruana playing the Exchange French against non-GMs to see how he gets winning chances

In the Caro-Kann, against the Exchange, I like the kingside fianchetto. It can be played against both main forms of the exchange (Exchange with early Bd3, and Exchange with early c4).

Here's an example of the opening in action:

As you can see, when using a kingside fianchetto, black's light-square bishop can go to f5. If white captures, then it gives black the semi-open g-file, which can be used for attacking white's kingside.

It can lead to some fun, imbalanced positions.

(The 9th World Champion, Tigran Petrosian, had a liking for this kind of stuff - combining the Caro-Kann with a kingside fianchetto.)

I don’t think there’s a way to “beat” it per say, you just gotta play the position. Whenever I face a caro/french, I play the exchange because the positions are, quite honestly, very simple and easy to understand, although I probably should learn a line that’s not the exchange ;-;

Objectively, the best way to play against the French exchange is to copy what White does, i.e. 1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.exd5 exd5 4.Nf3 Nf6 5.Bd3 Bd6 6.0-0 0-0

I have seen also people playing an early ...c5 to spice things up, which also seems playable although you will have to be comfortable with playing with an IQP.

As for the Caro exchange...there's already an imbalance in the position, so I don't really think one needs to work too hard to get a playable game. The fianchetto was recommended above, which is a fine way of playing although not particularly necessary IMO. Personally I prefer 4...Nc6 5.c3 Qc7, discouraging White from placing his DSB on f4.

I don't find the exchange Caro particularly boring. White's unambitious play gives black easy equality, yet the position has an asymmetrical pawn structure with a couple different potential pawn breaks. That gives you all kinds of opportunities to outplay your opponent.  Black's plan of playing g6 and Bf5 is thematic. If white goes for Bxf5 gxf5, then black gets an iron grip on the e4 square, and a half-open g-file pointed at white's king. I'd take the black side of that position any day.

Someone else will have to help you with the French though, I don't play it with either color.

The exchange Caro features an unsymmetrical pawn structure, so there should be  ways to drum up some action for both sides. If you're just aimlessly shuffling your pieces around, perhaps you don't understand what some of the ideas are in the position. This is not a slam at you, there are plenty of positions where I don't understand the ideas

The French Exchange is a little tougher, but there are plenty of ways for Black to break the symmetry. In fact, there is a small course on Chessable on how to get unbalance positions for Black in the Exchange French. 

Hey there! I don’t know about the exchange caro, but for the French, I like Nc6 instead of Nf3 and going for a queenside castle.

If they do they exchange against caro kann black's already ahead, they just traded a center pawn for a side pawn, just enjoy it and keep playing, there's no need to do anything special. I don't get many exchanges in my bracket though sadly, it tends to be all advance variation.

Here is how Nepo handled the French Exchange (reached through transposition of moves via the Petrov):
https://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=2042224 

#11
The exchange Caro-Kann is not as easy for black
https://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1044326 

Mat Bobula has a very interesting plan of attack for Black against the French Exchange.  In short: castle queenside.  It's not necessarily a way to beat the Exchange, but it's sure less likely to end as a draw than other methods.

If you think there is nothing for Black in the Exchange French, then you aren't playing the right opening!

I don’t play e4 as white anyway so I don’t see the french or the caro-kan. Even if I did I’d play the advance / 3. Nc3 variation instead of the exchange

Petrosian went through some unfortunate contortions after 7...Na5. :\

These days, everyone and their uncle plays 7...Qd7 (or 7...Qc8).

As black I like to castle queenside against the exchange. Here is a game I played in an important game some years ago.

As white inspiration can be found in the games of the romantics. Here is one with Morphy playing white. Kind of seems like an improved version of the advanced variation.

and here is one from Falkbeer I like.