Want to learn the CAGED System on guitar? Start Here! - CAGED System for beginners - Guitar Lesson

Introduction

The CAGED System is a powerful method for understanding guitar chords and their relationships across the neck. This tutorial provides a step-by-step guide for beginners to grasp the CAGED System, enabling you to play chords and navigate the fretboard more effectively. By the end, you'll have a foundational understanding of this essential guitar technique.

Step 1: Understanding the CAGED System

The CAGED System is based on five basic chord shapes: C, A, G, E, and D. Each shape can be moved up and down the neck to create different chords.

• Learn the Shapes: Familiarize yourself with the open chord shapes:

  • C Major
  • A Major
  • G Major
  • E Major
  • D Major

• Visualize the Neck: Understand that each shape corresponds to a different position on the fretboard. For example:

  • The C shape can be moved up to play a D chord.
  • The A shape can be moved to create a B chord.

Step 2: Practice Moving the Shapes

To effectively use the CAGED System, practice moving each chord shape up the neck.

• Start with C: Play the C major shape and move it up two frets to play a D major chord.
• Follow the Pattern: Repeat this for the A, G, E, and D shapes, moving them up the neck and identifying the resulting chords.

Step 3: Connecting the Shapes

Once you're comfortable with the individual shapes, start connecting them to form a cohesive pattern.

• C to A: Transition from the C shape to the A shape.

• A to G: Move to the G shape.

• G to E: Shift to the E shape.

• E to D: Finally, transition to the D shape.

• Practice Transitions: Spend time practicing the transitions between these shapes to develop fluency.

Step 4: Applying the CAGED System to Scales

Integrate scales into your practice using the CAGED shapes.

• Major Scale: Play the major scale starting from each shape's root note. For example, if you start from the C shape, the root note is on the 3rd fret of the A string.
• Connect the Scales: Utilize the shapes to visualize how the major scale connects across the neck.

Step 5: Experiment with Chord Progressions

Use the CAGED System to play common chord progressions.

• Example Progression: Try playing a I-IV-V progression in the key of C (C, F, G).
• Explore Variations: Experiment with different progressions using the A, G, E, and D shapes to expand your repertoire.

Conclusion

The CAGED System is a valuable framework for guitarists, helping you understand chord shapes and their positions on the fretboard. By practicing the shapes, connecting them, and applying them to scales and progressions, you'll build a solid foundation for your guitar playing.

As a next step, consider exploring more advanced techniques within the CAGED System or joining a course to deepen your understanding and skills. Happy playing!