What is the CAGED system?
CAGED is named after the five open major chords: C, A, G, E, D. Any major chord can be played with any one of those five shapes, as long as the shape sits at the right fret. The open C shape is C major. Move the A shape up to fret 3 and it is also C major. So is the G shape at fret 5, the E shape at fret 8 and the D shape at fret 10. Five shapes, one chord, the whole neck.
The five shapes in the key of C
| Shape | C | A | G | E | D |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Position | open | fret 3 | fret 5 | fret 8 | fret 10 |
Why those frets? Each position is the open chord moved up by the distance from its own letter to the target. The A shape is an A chord, and A to C is three semitones, so it sits at fret 3. G to C is five, so fret 5. E to C is eight, so fret 8. D to C is ten, so fret 10. You can check the A-shape and E-shape ones against the Fretkit screenshot above.
The same cycle in the key of G
The shape order never changes, only where it starts. In G major the G shape is open and the sequence runs G → E → D → C → A:
| Shape | G | E | D | C | A |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Position | open | fret 3 | fret 5 | fret 7 | fret 10 |
For a key whose letter is one of C, A, G, E or D, start from that open shape and walk the cycle upward. For any other key, move the nearest shape up by the right number of frets and the rest of the order follows.
How to learn it without drowning
- Start with the E and A shapes. These are the standard barre chords. In C major that is the E shape at fret 8 and the A shape at fret 3.
- Link neighbours. Play the A shape at fret 3, then the G shape at fret 5, then the E shape at fret 8, saying the shape names as you go.
- Find the root in each shape. Know which note is the chord's root inside every shape and you can always check yourself against the fretboard.
- Add the scale. Once the chords are comfortable, play a matching major or pentatonic pattern around each shape so solos stay close to the chords underneath.
- Switch keys. Repeat in G, then D, then A. The cycle never changes, so every new key is the same drill with new fret numbers.
Where CAGED helps, and where it does not
- Helps: playing the same chord in a different place to match a melody or avoid a big jump, finding a higher voicing, and seeing how scales and chords share the same territory.
- Does not replace: knowing note names. CAGED shows where shapes live, but you still want to know what is under your fingers. The pattern method for memorizing the fretboard is the natural partner.
- Limit: it starts from major chords. Minor and seventh chords follow the same idea with adjusted fingerings, so get major solid first.
See the shapes on the neck in Fretkit
The hard part of CAGED is picturing where all five shapes sit at once. Fretkit's chord library shows each chord as a set of voicings (open and barre shapes) and also spreads the same chord across the entire neck, with root, third and fifth marked. Pick C, scroll through the voicings, and compare them with the table above. Choose another key and the app follows.
See one chord all over the neck
Fretkit's chord library shows open and barre voicings and the full-neck view for each chord. Free to start, native for iPhone, iPad and Mac, no account.
Get Fretkit on the App StoreFrequently asked questions
What does CAGED stand for on guitar?
The five open major chord shapes C, A, G, E and D. Each can be moved up the neck as a barre chord, and together they cover every position of a major chord.
What order do the CAGED shapes go in up the neck?
C, A, G, E, D, then back to C. For C major that puts the shapes at open, fret 3, fret 5, fret 8 and fret 10.
Do I need to learn all five CAGED shapes?
Not at once. Most players begin with the E and A shapes, the common barre chords, then add C, G and D to fill the gaps.