Understanding the CAGED System

What is CAGED?

CAGED stands for the 5 open chord shapes: C, A, G, E, D. Every major chord on the guitar can be played using one of these 5 shapes, no matter where you are on the neck.

How It Works

Each shape connects to the next. The E shape at the 5th fret becomes an A chord. Slide the A shape up and it becomes the next voicing. They form a continuous chain across the fretboard.

Why It Matters

Understanding CAGED means you stop thinking in isolated chord shapes and start seeing the whole neck as one connected system. Your solos, arpeggios, and chord voicings all start to make sense together.

Practice Tip

Pick one chord — say G major — and find all 5 CAGED shapes for it across the neck. Use the G Major Chord diagram to visualize the tones.