Understanding the CAGED Guitar System...

Have you ever heard of the CAGED guitar system?   It's a strange name and perhaps some of you reading this will have a crazy image of being locked in a cage to make sure that you will  practice your guitar! Well, you can relax because that's not what it's about at all!

The letters: CAGED represent five "open" Major Chords shapes that can be played in and around first position on your guitar...

  

These chord shapes can be moved around and used in different positions on the guitar fretboard by simply altering the fingering. It becomes necessary to adjust your fingering in order to play the new chord tones that will be added as you move up the neck.

CAGED Cracked for Guitar (Guitar Sherpa Presents). For guitar. Music Sales America. Instructional. DVD. Guitar Sherpa #TF10032. Published by Guitar Sherpa (HL.14004971) ...more info

For example, C Major is the first guitar chord in the CAGED System.  The notes that make up this chord are C E G. The legend below identifies the string number on the left and the chord tone letter on the right...

1 = E  (open)
2 = C  (1st finger/2nd fret)
3 = G  (open)
4 = E  (2nd finger/2nd fret)
5 = C  (3rd finger/3rd fret)

 





By moving this CAGED shape up one half-step we can play a C# chord, but we will have to adjust our fingers in order to have all the correct notes. That's because the notes that make up an C# chord are C# E# F#.  Now our fingering is...

1 = E#  (1st finger/1st fret)
2 = C#  (2nd finger/2nd fret)
3 = G#  (1st finger/1st fret)
4 = E#  (3rd finger/3rd fret)
5 = C#  (4th finger/4th fret)

*note: E# = F








In order to play this chord you will have to use a partial barre on the first 3 strings at the first fret.  The other fingers maintain the C "CAGED"  chord shape.

You can use the link below to learn more...

Free Video:

Chord Shape Magic: The CAGED System

Till next time...

Keep practicing!
K.Unruh

 

  Whitney Houston - God Bless You. Rest in Peace.

"Jesus said to her: 'I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes 

in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in 

me will never die. Do you believe this?' 

"Yes, Lord, she told him, I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, 

who was to come into the world."   ~ Gospel of John 11:27-26