The CAGED System Explained

The Five Shapes

CAGED takes its name from five open chord shapes every guitarist learns early on:

• C shape — based on the open C major chord. Anchor root on string 5.
• A shape — based on the open A major chord. Anchor root on string 5.
• G shape — based on the open G major chord. Anchor root on string 6.
• E shape — based on the open E major chord. Anchor root on string 6. This is the common barre chord shape.
• D shape — based on the open D major chord. Anchor root on string 4.

These five shapes tile the entire fretboard without gaps. As one shape ends, the next begins. The order is always C-A-G-E-D, repeating as you move up the neck.

How CAGED Works

Take any note as your root — say, C. Starting from the open position:

1. The C shape sits at the nut (open position).
2. Move up the neck — the A shape starts around fret 3.
3. Continue — the G shape appears around fret 5.
4. Then the E shape at fret 8 (this is the barre chord you know).
5. Finally the D shape at fret 10.
6. After D, the cycle repeats: C shape appears again at fret 12.

This works for every key. Change the root note, and all five shapes shift together.

CAGED and Triads

Each CAGED shape contains a triad — a three-note voicing on adjacent strings. These triads are the skeleton of each shape:

• They're compact: only 3 strings instead of 5 or 6
• They're moveable: slide any triad shape to play any chord
• They connect the shapes: triads show how one CAGED shape flows into the next

Learning triads within the CAGED system is one of the fastest ways to unlock the fretboard.

Why CAGED Matters

Without CAGED, guitarists tend to get stuck in one or two positions. With CAGED:

• You can play the same chord in five different positions
• You can see scale patterns relative to chord shapes
• You can move smoothly between positions during solos
• You understand why certain notes sound good over certain chords