CAGED SYSTEM
The CAGED system is a method to play the open C, A, G, E and D chord shapes anywhere on the neck. This might seem like a complicated concept - but the standard Barre chord shapes off the E and A strings are the "E" and "A" from CAGED, so let's take a look at those first
Let's break open the E chord - made from the notes E G# and B.
"E" SHAPE
OPEN E
e-0 E ROOT
B-0 B FIFTH
G-1 G# THIRD
D-2 E ROOT
A-2 B FIFTH
E-0 E ROOT
Now let's take a look at the same shape, but with G as the root. The notes that make the triad are G B and D.
You might recognise this as a Barre Chord shape on the E string
G
e-3 G ROOT
B-3 D FIFTH
G-4 B THIRD
D-5 G ROOT
A-5 D FIFTH
E-3 G ROOT
We can see that the relative order of the notes is the same as the open E. The shape is the same - we've just fingered it in a way to make it playable anywhere on the guitar
There's one more important thing to explore with each 'CAGED' shape.
That is a 'simplified' version of each chord which doesn't use all 6 strings.
In other words, we can derive many super useful shapes and chord inversions from these CAGED shapes. Let's take a look at what these look like, sticking with the example of G played using the "E" shape
G
e--
B-3 D FIFTH
G-4 B THIRD
D-5 G ROOT
A--
E--
We're just taking the middle part of the chord and leaving the rest out. The notes G, B and D are all present, so we can still be sure we're playing a G chord.
This is a great shape - a staple root position triad position starting n the D string
"A" SHAPE
Now let's start with the A shape open chord
(TRIAD: A, C#, E)
OPEN A
e-0 E FIFTH
B-2 C# THIRD
G-2 A ROOT
D-2 E FIFTH
A-0 A ROOT
E--
Now let's move it so that the root is on the note C
(TRIAD: C, E, G)
C
e-3 G FIFTH
B-5 E THIRD
G-5 C ROOT
D-5 G FIFTH
A-3 C ROOT
E--
If we simplify this we get an extremely useful shape -
a standard triad off the G string
C
e-3 G FIFTH
B-5 E THIRD
G-5 C ROOT
D--
A--
E--
The same thing has happened as when we moved E to G. The relative order of the chord triad notes are the same. Again, we've just moved the whole "A" barre chord shape to the note C and played it from there
* * * * * * *
We can do this with any open chord shape. Below is each open chord shape followed by its full CAGED counterpart and a 'simplified' version
CAGED - "C" SHAPE
OPEN C
(TRIAD: C, E, G)
OPEN C
e-0 E THIRD
B-1 C ROOT
G-0 G FIFTH
D-2 E THIRD
A-3 C ROOT
E--
"C" shape moved to D
(TRIAD: D, F#, A)
D
e-2 F# THIRD
B-3 D ROOT
G-2 A FIFTH
D-4 F# THIRD
A-5 D ROOT
E--
Simplified version
D - 1st inversion
D
e--
B-3 D ROOT
G-2 A FIFTH
D-4 F# THIRD
A--
E--
CAGED - "A" SHAPE
OPEN A
(TRIAD: A, C#, E)
OPEN A
e-0 E FIFTH
B-2 C# THIRD
G-2 A ROOT
D-2 E FIFTH
A-0 A ROOT
E--
"A" shape moved to C
(TRIAD: C, E, G)
C
e-3 G FIFTH
B-5 E THIRD
G-5 C ROOT
D-5 G FIFTH
A-3 C ROOT
E--
Simplified version
C - root position
C
e-3 G FIFTH
B-5 E THIRD
G-5 C ROOT
D--
A--
E--
CAGED - "G" SHAPE
OPEN G
(TRIAD: G, B, D)
OPEN G
e-3 G ROOT
B-0 B THIRD
G-0 G ROOT
D-0 D FIFTH
A-2 B THIRD
E-3 G ROOT
"G" shape moved to A
(TRIAD: A, C#, E)
A
e-5 A ROOT
B-2 C# THIRD
G-2 A ROOT
D-2 E FIFTH
A-4 C# THIRD
E-5 A ROOT
Simplified version
A - 2nd inversion
A
e--
B-2 C# THIRD
G-2 A ROOT
D-2 E FIFTH
A--
E--
CAGED - "E" SHAPE
OPEN E
(TRIAD: E, G#, B)
OPEN E
e-0 E ROOT
B-0 B FIFTH
G-1 G# THIRD
D-2 E ROOT
A-2 B FIFTH
E-0 E ROOT
"E" shape moved to G
(TRIAD: G, B, D)
G
e-3 G ROOT
B-3 D FIFTH
G-4 B THIRD
D-5 G ROOT
A-5 D FIFTH
E-3 G ROOT
Simplified version
G - root position
G
e--
B-3 D FIFTH
G-4 B THIRD
D-5 G ROOT
A--
E--
CAGED - "D" SHAPE
OPEN D
(TRIAD: D, F#, A)
OPEN D
e-2 F# THIRD
B-3 D ROOT
G-2 A FIFTH
D-0 D ROOT
A--
E--
"D" shape moved to F
(TRIAD: F, A, C)
F
e-5 A THIRD
B-6 F ROOT
G-5 C FIFTH
D-3 F ROOT
A--
E--
Simplified version
F - 2nd inversion
F
e-5 A THIRD
B-6 F ROOT
G-5 C FIFTH
D--
A--
E--