C-A-G-E-D System

[SantaCruzOMGuy]

I recently got back into using CAGED to learn my fretboard.

My initial practice years ago involved using it just to learn the pentatonic shapes and be able to play in one pentatonic scale across an entire key. That was a very limiting use of the framework.

What I have done over the last three months is take a C,A,G,E, or D chord (referring to the chord shape, not actual pitch), either at the nut or on down the guitar neck, and learn the diatonic chords in that position using the other CAGED shapes. It has greatly helped me see quickly I IV V, relative minor/major, and other chord substitutions.

Then take that further, and learn the major and minor scales in each CAGED position, thinking of the root as home base going up and back down. Then add in the major/minor pentatonics.

30 minutes a day for three months, and you'll be amazed how much your ear improves and ability to know where you are when you jump to a note and improvise from there.

I am no expert.

[JonPR]

Originally Posted by mlbman

Thanks for that diagram!!..........now a serious question here........why would I want to play the G down on the neck and not the Standard Open Chord G??.......in other words, what are some uses of this Caged System?.......when would I use it?........to embellish a song?.......if it calls for a G chord for example in the song why would I want to go down to the G in the CAGED system and not just play the regular G?.........I hope I am making sense.

Good point.
Tell you what, why not just take off all the frets above fret 3? They're only they're for decoration after all, who needs 'em?


To be fair, 2/3 of the entire range of the guitar is down there between frets 0-3.
And as JonHBone says, many players spend all their time down there. If you're just strumming folk or country songs, that may be all you need. You can stay at level 1 your whole life if that floats your boat. (I'm serious!)

Take a look at your favourite players and see how often they go up the neck. Maybe they don't?

[Pualee]

Originally Posted by JonPR

If you're just strumming folk or country songs, that may be all you need. You can stay at level 1 your whole life if that floats your boat. (I'm serious!)

Take a look at your favourite players and see how often they go up the neck. Maybe they don't?

I view 1st position playing (and capoed playing) as a different animal than utilizing the whole neck.

When I use the whole neck, it is all about intervals and relative positioning of my hand when going from one key to the next. I can learn modes, movable chords, and scale patterns easily and apply them to every song. I can transcribe effortlessly too.

In first position playing - which I have seen done very well in bluegrass and country settings - you really have to know each scale/mode/chord very well, and it is harder to transpose a lick from one key to another.

Personally, I find first position playing much more difficult, and that is part of what I am working on now It has a certain charm to it - and I think it sounds a little better in a solo (single performer) context as it utilizes the open strings more.