Introduction to the CAGED system for Lead Guitar

Welcome to this module on the CAGED system!

The CAGED system is one of the best methods to learn the fretboard. It enables us to use familiar chord shapes to know the note names, scale positions and intervals all over the neck.

We'll learn how to move between CAGED shapes in every key, starting with the C chord, but then moving this knowledge to all 12 keys and even the minor CAGED shapes.

To give maximum impact to the content in this module, we'll look at all of this through the lens of players such as Jimi Hendrix, John Mayer and John Frusciante of RHCP.

Overview Of All CAGED shapes

See all 5 CAGED shapes below, using the C major chord as our first example. The shapes are based on the open chord shapes C, A, G, E and D, which we can move on the neck in this order to, in this case, give us the C chord and C triad notes all over the neck.

• Blue= C shape
• Green = A shape
• Yellow = G shape
• Orange = E shape
• Red = D shape

Watch the other videos in this module for more detail of how each shape is practically used in the context of the awesome players mentioned above so you can add these skills into your own playing!