CAGED system

The CAGED system is a method for learning how the fretboard connects. It names the five open chord shapes C, A, G, E and D. Each shape can be moved up the neck, and each one can be played in several positions, depending on which string carries its root. The five shapes overlap, so every position on the neck belongs to one of them. A player who knows which shape a chord sits in can find that chord in a different place on the neck. The method works for any chord quality, not only major chords, and it is a practical way to move a chord shape up and down without learning every position from scratch.

Related terms

• FretboardThe playing surface of a fretted instrument, where each fret raises the open string by one semitone.
• Barre chordA guitar chord in which one finger presses several strings at one fret, so the whole shape can move up the neck.
• Open tuningA guitar tuning in which the open strings sound a chord, so strumming without fretting produces a full chord.

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