First and foremost, in order to understand CAGED you must first map out and understand the fretboard and how the notes repeat in a distinct pattern, and then learn how chords are structured. Being able to pick out individual root notes up and down the neck is essential in learning moveable chord shapes and applying them to this system.
There are five distinct chord shapes in CAGED and each has a distinct corresponding pentatonic pattern. C(3) A(4) G(5) E(1) D(2) in that order at any point on the guitar neck. The G shape pattern is probably the most recognizable and commonly referred to as the minor pentatonic pattern although it can also be used in a major key. (Interconnecting relative major/minor keys) Any pentatonic scale can become a major scale simply by adding two notes in the pattern.
All five patterns repeat and interconnect in the above noted order. For example; play an E shape chord, then use an E (1) shape pentatonic pattern to fill and it can also interconnect directly with D (2) above in pitch and G (5) below for additional flavor and possibilities.
Learn the chord shapes. Learn their corresponding major/minor patterns. Learn the chord tones and arpeggios in each pattern and youāve pretty much got CAGED.
You have these two sentences backwards.
There are five distinct chord shapes in CAGED and each has a distinct corresponding Major Scale Pattern. The minor scale and both the Major and minor pentatonic scale and all modes are derived from the Major scale.
Thank you for the clarification. The intent of my my post was to indicate how I learned the CAGED system as it applies to my style of playing (blues and soulful rock n roll) and relates to moveable chord shapes and improvisation. I apologize if you interpreted it as a feeble attempt on my part to explain the music theory behind CAGED. Of course, as you point out, the major and minor pentatonic scales are a derivative of the major scale, of which there are seven distinct patterns, just as there are seven distinct whole notes in one octave of the major scale. For me, itās far easier to remember the five distinct pentatonic patterns that correspond to five moveable chord shapes and which can easily be converted to a major pattern by simply adding two notes in any one octave. In addition, I would have to say that the vast majority of those who play music similar in nature to my interests will tell you that pentatonic scales are their go to for playing over CAGED chord shapes when playing chord tones, arpeggios, licks and fills. It comes down to a matter of opinion and preference in your playing style. Thanks for the input.
Iām a long way from learning CAGED, but found this video a lot easier to grasp than static diagrams when talking about chord shapes.
My advice: āStart at the very beginning, thatās a very good place to startā when it comes to understanding āCAGEDā. Truer words have never been spoken, and is exactly what drew me to JustinGuitar. For a really old guy basically starting from scratch, I had to learn how notes on the guitar related to the individual strings and then how they repeat themselves in a distinct pattern up and down the fretboard. The ability to pick out individual notes up and down the fretboard is an essential step in the process of identifying root notes and how chords are built. Learn the basic open chord shapes and their iterations before moving on to the more complex stuff. āCAGEDā requires an understanding of scales and moveable chord shapes that repeat in specific patterns and relate in relative major and minor terms. Scales are a must in this system and become essential in improvising over chords in each shape. I understand that this is a JustinGuitar forum, but donāt become a one trick pony. I invested in an in depth online course that dealt solely with āCagedā given by a noteworthy instructor. It really paid off and improved my playing immensely. I think Justin would agree that we should not be afraid to explore any avenue that gets us where we want to go.
I came to this discussion from another thread. I am not into this lesson yet, but I think that I can provide a different way to answer to the first post of the discussion by Paul @guitar82. I hope it can be helpful to someone.
Edit: where appropriate, as Shane @sclay sensibly suggested, the chord diagrams shown below are now the minor versions to make easier to spot in the minor pattern, not only the root or tonic notes of the chord, but also the minor thirds of the chord. Cmin (Amin shape) and Gmin (Emin shape) are usually played as barred chords so there is no direct comparison; therefore, I kept the major version.
A CAGED E Shape has the root or tonic notes of the scale (the ones that give name to the scale) in the same relative position of the E major or minor open chords (6th and 1st strings, and 4th string two frets up the neck):
A CAGED D Shape has the root or tonic notes of the scale in the same relative position of the D major or minor open chords (4th string and 2nd string three frets up the neck):
A CAGED C Shape has the root or tonic notes of the scale in the same relative position of the C major open chord (2nd string and 5th string two frets up the neck):
A CAGED A Shape has the root or tonic notes of the scale in the same relative position of the A major or minor open chords (5th string and third string two frets up the neck):
A CAGED G Shape has the root or tonic notes of the scale in the same relative position of the G major open chord (3rd string, and sixth and first strings three frets up the neck):
As far as I know this applies to any scale; all scales has a root or tonic that is the first note. As Chris @jacksprat and Tom @Tbushell show in their posts, the patterns facilitate to play notes of a scale in different parts of the neck. For example in my Level 9 practice I am practicing the A minor pentatonic scale using Pattern 1 on the 5th fret. If I want to play the same scale one step closer to the nut I need a pattern that has the root or tonic in the 6th and 1st string so I would need Pattern 5 on the second fret. If I want to play the same scale one step closer to the bridge I need a pattern that has the root or tonic in the fourth string so I would I need Pattern 2 on the 7th fret. CAGED system and the patterns are mnemonic devices. How the patterns match the scales is musical theory. How the same scale sounds different if played in different parts of the neck is music.
Hey Andres,
Yep, these octave shapes are the skeleton framework for navigating the neck, so its a good idea have them internalised.
Just a note on your diagrams. I know youāre talking root notes here, and athough the root notes are the same, the E Major shape CAGED chord (picturedl is related directly to the E Major shaped scale/ major pentatonic.
The E minor shape CAGED chord is related directly the E minor shaped scale/minor pentatonic ( pictured).
Just wanted to add this caveat, so some dont look at the 2 diagrams and wonder why the other intervals, ie. the 3rd, donāt match up.
Cheers, Shane
Hi Shane, youāre right. Comparing the Minor Pentatonic Scale Pattern 1 to the E minor open chord could be more illustrative because not only the roots but the minor thirds would be in the same spot in both diagrams. Iāll do some editing later today.
Edit: to compare more easily with a minor pentatonic pattern I changed where appropriate the chord diagrams to be the minor version.
Hi Andres @dobleA, thanks for your thoughts. It has helped improve my understanding on this topic. Cheers!
@RJBOZ
Hi Roger. As someone who struggles a bit with all this, Iām impressed by your knowledge. What do you do with all this knowledge? Do you improvise over backing tracks?
Hi Gordon,
If your at the intermediate level, thereās probably nothing that I can add. Youāre further along in the leaning curve than I am. I play with backing tracks. I use a looper pedal. I also use a practice app called Moises that I found on YouTube.
I donāt know what happens when one restarts a really old thread, but weāll find out. Learning the 5 patterns of the minor pentatonic and how they connect up and down the neck is a chore. I found this A minor backing track gives a great way to see the connections by PLAYING THEM. Itās a slow blues with a fret board on the screen showing all the roots and notes in each pattern. Useful cheat sheet. Practice, practice, practiceā¦ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vq8cApzOdy8
A good practice would be to find the target note as the chord changes happen. See if you can land you phrases on the root notes of the chord as they change. This will eventually lead you to follow the changes by changing scales as well.
I like the track. Itās has a nice tempo to experiment with. Thanks for sharing.
Hey Michael,
Yes, its a long game ingraining all this.
Iāve been at it for a few years now, and the ballpark often seems like itās getting bigger 
.
But well worth it reckon. Great little BT too - I already have seemingly billions, but thereās always another good one around. And yep, great little exercise to start linking them up, and as Rick says; finding the roots of the 145s as the chords change is the extension.
In addition, I have found another great exercise is to limit yourself to 2 strings at a time, say the D and G strings. Then play over your backing track. Iāve found this exercise really gets you playing laterally, and out the " box shape, move up a few frets, then another box shape" type playing. Laser focused drills like this I find are a great complement to the bigger picture.
All the best.
Cheers, Shane
I think this (and barre chords) start to drive home how important it is to know the note locations and where the root note is on scale patterns
Thanks Shane. I recall an early Justin lesson on playing up the neck on one string, and have dabbled enough to know itās often more musical to focus on a couple of adjacent strings rather than ump around. That said, I am learning call and response (musical term for that?) between the lower and upper ranges of a scale. Iām in month 15 and starting the intermediate levels. So much to absorbā¦
Learning the A minor pentatonic scale but a bit confusedā¦Even after watching Justinās video.
So when doing the scaleā¦
After playing A(6th string) on 5th Fret, do you lift the finger off the 5th fret or keep it on when doing 8th fret and so going up the strings?
On the way down, Justin seems to lift the fingers off the fret so each note it played individually like E minor pentatonic.
I donāt want to practice it wrong.
When learning any scale the goal is to learn where the individual notes are, what they sound like and move smoothly between them. Lifting your index finger off the 5th fret immediately after placing the next finger down will give you the time needed to move to the next note on the 5th string smoothly. You only need to lift the finger enough to move it, donāt get into the flying fingers habit.
When starting out it doesnāt matter so much, the aim is to learn the scale slowly and correctly so leaving the first finger down if thatās easier for you is ok. Longer term however when you can play it consistently correctly youāll perhaps want to speed it up so by lifting the first finger earlier you can move it to third note quicker. When you start playing musically with it rather than just running up and down the scale both options are viable. It depends what you want to play next, if for example you wanted to play the first note then the second and then the first again you might chose to leave the first finger down, if your 3rd note was on a different string you might want to lift the first note finger ready for the third note.
Hope that makes sense, but as a starting point either way works, just make sure you play the scale correctly initially.
Just to add 1 thing: you should not have to lift your index finger in order to reach the notes on the 8th fret. You should be able reach those notes by stretching out the pinky while keeping the index finger in place on fret 5.