www.mrlpgb.webs.

com The CAGED System Part 1 In this lesson I am going to teach you the CAGED system and how to apply it to scales across the fretboard. I'll start by showing you the Major scale, then the Natural Minor scale and their related Pentatonic scales. A basic understanding of intervals would be beneficial and I have a Theory Primer Lesson lesson for those who would like it, as well as lessons on chord construction and the major scale. Oh and 5 handy scale shapes which I am going to show you here. If you're now baffled as to how only 5 shapes can be used to play different scales then read on.... Just 5 Shapes To Unlock The Fretboard A long time ago a system was devised to organize the fretboard based on 5 chord shapes; the chords C, A, G, E and D. Not surprisingly this became know as the CAGED System. Knowing these 5 shapes ( and some interval theory ), it is possible to find many different scales all over the fretboard. To start with I am going to look at the Major Scale. The Major Scasle, in any key, has the following intervals; the First ( or Root Note ), Major Second, Major Third, Perfect Fourth, Perfect Fifth, Major Sixth and Major Seventh. To make it easier to write, these intervals are usually numbered 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7. It can also be written as a Step Pattern which would be Whole, Whole, Half, Whole, Whole, Whole, Half ( or W, W, H, W, W, W, H ). Also bear in mind that, as the Major Scale is being used in this case, the CAGED chords will be C Major, A Major, G Major, E Major and D Major. So shall we start learning some shapes? The 5 CAGED Positions Of The Major Scale Take a look at Example 1. The first 5 bars show the open position the chords C, A, G, E and D Major. The second 5 bars show the equivalent Barre shapes for the five CAGED shapes in the key of C. Now, if you study these 10 bars closely you will notice a few things; with the open chords they order is C, A, G, E, D. In the second 5 bars the order is slightly different; A, G, E, D, C. That is fine though as in the second 5 bars I have stuck to a particular key ( C ). The CAGED shapes will continue in the order C, A, G, E, D across the entire fretboard, which admittedly only covers about 20 or so frets. nonetheless the order would still be C, A, G, E, D not matter how many frets were used ( a lot more frets would be very unweildy though ). I should point out at this time that these are shapes; the order of the shapes will vary depending on what key you are in. In Example 2 I will show you the five CAGED shapes of the C Major scale. Before and after each shape I will include the relevant chord; try to visualise the chord within the scale shape. Notice also that I start and end each scale shape on the note C. This is what makes it the Major Scale in the key of C. It is very important to observe that.