My Understanding of CAGED System

rachelcoles · March 30, 2026, 4:28pm

Hi All,

Please bare with me as I want to try and explain the CAGED system out aloud to make sure I understand it correctly. Been studying it for the last week as I felt I was lacking the correct understanding of it.
It might a long message…

To give context, I’m learning to do improv over Dm (I-IV-V DGA)
Using : EDCAG - the proper way…
E Shape - D Shape - C Shape - A Shape - G Shape

So if I decide to only play over the ‘E Shape’ (Em shape) of D (Position 1 of Minor Pent,
1-b3-4-5-b7)
Gm will be over the ‘A Shape’ (Position 4 of Minor Pent)
Am will be over the ‘C Shape’ (Position 3 of Minor Pent)
If I move Dm up or one to the ‘D Shape’
Gm will then move to ‘G Shape’ and
Am will then move to ‘A Shape’
…and so on…

If I wanted to to add the Major Pent (1-2-3-5-6) into the mix in the above improv, you use the same shapes for the D, G and A, BUT
as the chords used for ‘E shape’ for Major Pent are different you have to use Position 1 of Major Pent which is actually the same as *‘Position 2’ of the Minor Pent (‘D Shape’) and so on…
e.g. G Major Pent - ‘A Shape’ (Position 4) is the same as ‘Position 5’ (G Shape of Minor Pent)
A Major Pent - ‘C Shape’ (Position 3) is the same as ‘Position 4’ (A Shape of Minor Pent)

All ‘E Shapes’ have starting Root on bottom ‘E’
All ‘A Shapes’ starting Root on bottom ‘A’
and so on…
Except ‘C Shape’ has starting Root on ‘B’

I know how to connect the ‘Roots’ to create the shapes (CAGED) from the nut going up the neck and back again.
I know you can create Triads for chords within each ‘Shape’ as well.

I know I’ve only touched the surface but hopefully I am correct in my understanding of the CAGED system so far…

Richard_close2u · March 30, 2026, 5:07pm

Are they all minor chords?
Lower case Roman numerals?
i → iv → v?

If yes, then you do not want to play major pentatonic over that progression. It will not work.

If they are major chords you can play either minor or major pentatonic.

I will answer with an assumption of major chords.

D chord & scales

G chord and scales

A chord & scales

All that done - if you recall from BLIM study, you don’t really want to change scale for every chord change. It is more fluent to play from a scale and add chord tones and other notes as extras.

rachelcoles · March 30, 2026, 5:46pm

Hi Richard,

Sorry, yes, it’s Major chords but using Major and Minor Pentatonic over that progression.

In context, of the my example, wouldn’t the C Shape of the A be better as it covers the same frets?
Also from a understanding of how the CAGED system works in regards to I-IV-V, knowing what shapes are used for the IV and V, is it not helpful so you know where the extra tone chords (notes on fretboard) are, and if desired, play licks/phrases from those scales if they suit in the context the improv? Or am I over thinking things…

Richard_close2u · March 30, 2026, 6:06pm

Actually, yes, it overlays the cluster of frets really well.
My bad.

Knowing the CAGED shapes in and around is good.
A more useful visualisation, perhaps, are the triads within the CAGED shapes. The tighter focus in fewer notes can give easier transition points targets.

rachelcoles · March 30, 2026, 6:34pm

I’ll endeavour to learn the triads within shapes I’m busy doing improv over so not to overwhelm myself at this stage

stitch · March 30, 2026, 6:39pm

@Richard_close2u
Your D (E shape) chord is wrong unless you mean Dm then it’s labled wrong

math07 · March 30, 2026, 6:59pm

Also to add to this interesting discussion about CAGED I may be wrong @Richard_close2u

In the blues context (BLIM), could it be useful to ???

Take a cool lick in Unit 4 - Pattern 4 (A shape of CAGED) that targets some chord tones of the I chord
Then, in another position, if you know that your IV chord is in the A shape, use that lick over the IV chord.

For instance, the lick #2 you-are-fine wine ba-by in pattern 4 was played on the A chord (I chord) in pattern 4. But, we could play it on the D chord (IV chord) in pattern 1.

It targets a few chord tones of b7, the 5th , b3 curl and root. I guess a variation could also be to slide from the b3 to the 3rd to really target the 3rd chord tone.

sclay · March 31, 2026, 8:11am

Hey Rachel,

Some great direction has been given already, so won’t repeat.

Some ideas if you’re intersted, which will both simplify things, and is a very solid, smart way to accelerate your learning and development.

Use the two ‘main’ CAGED pentatonic shapes for all Major and Minor improv.

ie

G/ Em Shape ( same shape …one for major…one for minor)

C/Am Shape (same shape…again one for major…one for minor)

These become your ‘landmarks’ on the fretboard, for any key.
(Put the other 3 shapes, E/Dm, D/Cm, and A/Gm shapes aside for a while. It’s too overwhelming).

Then use pentatonic extensions/ triads/ smaller CAGED chords etc to ‘join up’ and navigate between these landmarks. You’ve then got the whole fretboard covered in any key.

Concentrating on essentially the two main shapes will also accelerate learning the CAGED chords/ triads etc that live both within these shapes, and their extended full 7 note Major and Minor scales.

This gives structured, logical, musical development, year after year, as you continually build knowledge competence upon itself over time.
You can gradually introduce the other shapes in here and there over time, as the framework solidifies in your mind.

Cheers, Shane

Richard_close2u · March 31, 2026, 8:18am

Here is the version I should have posted.

Thanks Rick. I started out making a Dm chord - reacting to Rachel’s post. But then decided to think of them all as major chords. I forgot to update my chord diagram. It is meant to be a D major barre chord, not minor.

Matt125 · April 3, 2026, 2:24am

I’m still not sure what you’re trying to do.
You have a I IV V progression in D major. DGA. What are you trying to achieve?

Is it the D major scale over the Lot.
The D minor scale over the lot.
D major over the D major chord then G major over the G major chord then A major over the major chord.
the D minor scale over the lot.
The D minor scale over the D chord then Gm over the G chord then Am over the A chord.

Or is it all of those?

If you have a good grasp of CAGED then all of those things can be done in one position. All those options require a different approach.

Matt125 · April 3, 2026, 6:14am

So if you have the progressions D G A in The key of D and you want to improvise in one position then do this.

Select the most appropriate CAGED shape which would be this.

Mostly because the tonic note is on the 6th string giving you easy access to two full octaves. In this shape you have all the chords, the D major scale and the arpeggios in the one position.
.
.
.
Now you have your D major Scale

.
.
.
Your I IV and V chords which you can arpeggiate or strum.
Your 1 chord

.

Your IV chord

.
.
.
Your V chord

Your major pentatonic

.
.

and your major arpeggios
D

’
’
'G

’
’

A

Are you already familiar with this and wanting to play D minor in the same position? What else are you trying to do?

Matt125 · April 3, 2026, 12:05pm

You can do the same thing with any shape.
Here it is again in D major using the D on the 5th string.
Here are the roots of the 1, 4 5 chords

.
.
.
The CAGED pattern

.
.
The D major Scale it builds

The 1 chord

.
.
.
The 4 chord

.
.
.
The 5 chord

.
.
.
The major pentatonic

.
.
.
The arpeggio for the 1 chord

.
.
.

The arpeggio for the 4

chord
.
.
.
The arpeggio for the 5 chord

I can do this for each CAGED shape.

AJSki2fly · April 3, 2026, 2:22pm

Matt, your posts above definitely make sense to me, lots of choices there.

rachelcoles · April 3, 2026, 3:08pm

Hi Matt,

Thank you for the detailed response. I still have questions which I’ll post once I’ve done my diagrams (Guitar Scientist, great tool )

rachelcoles · April 3, 2026, 4:03pm

Good Luck, Everyone

It’s a long message…and I hope everyone understands what I’m asking

My question is around the CAGED System and doing improvision and I need to just clarify something, so I don’t do it wrong…I’m trying to make sure I understand it completely before doing anything (Theory)
My improv is mainly based around solo’s so very little strummimg will be involved, but maybe some triads.

Example 1:
The backing track is in a Major Key (e.g. D)
I know I can play over the backing track using both Major and Minor Pentatonic together or just just one or the other. I can also use the Major Scale of D and play using the notes from just the D Major Scale. I can also add tone notes from the Major and Minor Pentatonic if I want to.
With the progression been (D-G-A), on the G and A, I just need to target notes from the D Major Scale that are relevant to the ‘G’ (all the notes except C#) and with ‘A’, all the notes except G.
But I can add the C# and G because of the Major and Minor Pentatonic, if I feel it is the right chord tone if using Maj/Min Pentatonic.

Example 2:
The backing track is in Minor (Dm)
I can only improv using the Dm Pentatonic Scale + Blues Scale, and then the same rules apply as above in regards to the G and A (use the relative chords from the Dm).

So in summary:

If the backing track is in a Major Chord - Can use Major Scale, Major and Minor Pentatonic Scale
If backing track is in a Minor Chord - Can only use Minor Pentatonic and Blues Scale.

The object is not to add the relevant scale shapes from the either the (iv-v or IV-V) to the progression as this will make it to complicated and all the notes/tones are basically with the Key Scale already.

The reason for asking is that I want to understand the theory and CAGED system better before tackling improv again.

I do know about arpeggio’s and triads

Please see attached diagrams of how I think it works…

First diagram is in the Key of ‘D Major’ only from the D string using the ‘E Shape’ and the corresponding notes that overlap from the ‘G’ and ‘A’ Major Scale.
The reason for this diagram, this is where I want to practise my improv, only on the ‘E Shape’ of D and once I’ve mastered it, then add the ‘C Shape’ to the left and ‘D Shape’ to the right…and then so on until I can connect all the shapes together in one improv.

D Major Scale: D-E-F#-G-A-B-C#
G Major Scale: G-A-B-C-D-E-F#
A Major Scale: A-B-C#-D-E-F#-G#

C#: Only in D and A Major Scale (so can only use this note over the D or A change)
G: Only in D and G Major Scale (so can only use this note over the D or G change)

Second diagram shows the same but using only the Major/Minor Pentatonic Scale of D and the overlapping G and D notes.
Only the F# from the D Major Pentatonic Scale is not overlapped.

D Major Pentatonic Scale: D-E-F#-A-B
D Minor Pentatonic Scale: D-E-F-G-A-C

G Major Pentatonic: G-A-B-D-E
G Minor Pentatonic: G-Bb-C-D-F

A Major Pentatonic: A-B-C#-E-F
A Minor Pentatonic: A-C-D-E-G

I know this is a long message but I as stated I want to fully understand the theory before tackling my improv.
I did improv using A Minor in my learning log, but I felt my understanding of the CAGED system was not there, hence the questions.

If I’m completely wrong in my understanding of the above, please let me know.
All I ask it to spell it out as simply as possible.

sclay · April 3, 2026, 8:37pm

Hello Rachelle,

I strongly suggest you think ‘pentatonics’ as your ‘default’ for your improv. You can then, eventually if you wish, utilise the 2 additional notes, now and then, from the full 7 note Major/Minor scales.

You will progress much faster, your understanding will develop faster, and your improv/ soloing will get better much quicker. Over time you’ll absorb more understanding. It’s in the doing that it happens.

Your diagrams are simply too complex for the moment. It is just slowing you down in the bog. Knowing all 5 shapes, or overlapping 7 note scale shapes, will not help you gain clarity.
'Neither will ‘connecting all the shapes together in one improv’. Watch/ listen to some of the great solos. Most are playing in just 2 areas of the fretboard…that’s it.

As I said before, 2 landmark shapes will help build this solid foundation much better than 5 will. I would suggest you try concentrating on them. This will, by its nature, progress your knowledge of the triads within, and how the intervals relate to each other.

You said you want to concentrate on just the E shape. Well, how about looking at it as the G Major/Em shape instead? Play them, and see how much easier these fall under the fingers.

( The E shape, in my view, is not an overly helpful or melodically expressive one compared to say the G and C shapes ).

For clarity, the E minor shape is the ‘simple’ minor pentatonic shape that everyone learns first.
The G Major shape is the SAME shape, from the. Major perspective. Make use of this wonderful relative relationship. It will teach you a lot. Seriously.

So, to repeat, for Major, the G shape is the same shape as the ‘simple’ E minor pentatonic shape.

Similarly, the C shape is the same shape as the Am shape.
So just two shapes for all your Major and Minor improv. Notice how one is in the E string, and the other one the A string.

Much simpler, but much more melodic, and just as feature rich as using 5 patterns; in fact more feature rich, as your phrasing will naturally improve, as a result of removing the clutter.

Build some competency in this for a few months, and I guarantee your progress, and your actual practical knowledge, will explode.

Cheers, Shane

telemann1 · April 3, 2026, 9:15pm

Thanks for this @Matt125 - it’s the best explanation I have seen yet about how this all fits together.

rachelcoles · April 4, 2026, 2:52pm

Hi Shane,

Firstly, my name is Rachel not Rachelle…

I 've taken onboard what you have said and suggested around just using the Maj/Min Pentatonic scales only.
I will concentrate only using Major Pentatonic patterns but I will start with the ‘E shape’ of Major Pent. mixing in Minor notes (plus adding in the Minor notes basically is the same as the G Shape - just inverted), slightly different tone.
(I just choose the E shape as the Root is on bottom E string to keep things simple).

Once I have mastered the E Shape pattern, I’ll move down to the G Shape or up to D Shape and so on.

To me it’s irrelevant where I start as eventually I’d like to learn all the patterns. It may seem like clutter and I appreciate the C/G shapes cover most of the ‘commonly’ used fretboard on the guitar, but why limit yourself when some of the great Blues guitarists played on the upper positions (12-17) e.g. Gary Moore, Joe Bonamassa, Eric Clapton, Albert King etc.

Anyway, thank you for the tips/tricks and suggestions. I’ll be tackling it slowly and make sure I get it right on the selected scale shape before moving on the next shape.

sclay · April 5, 2026, 4:14am

It’s not about limiting oneself Rachel.
Quite the opposite. These shapes extend across the whole fretboard, right up to fret 22+
Remember that each shape will repeat itself once across the fretboard.
It’s really about building a solid foundation, built on sound musical principles. Introducing too much too early is simply too complex, and will hinder progress. That’s the helpful tip I was hoping to pass on.
We all, however, find out of own path in the end.
All the best.

Cheers, Shane

telemann1 · April 5, 2026, 5:45am

Hey @Matt125 - the diagrams you posted were a real eye-opener for me… thanks! It had never occurred to me that the IV and V CAGED shapes were also contained in there as well, but of course it makes sense since the notes are all diatonic.

I’ve been trying to tie this all together in my head for a while now. Does this look right to you?