CAGED system scales provide an excellent way to learn the fretboard. They help you memorize chord shapes and roots for any key as well as pre-hear chord changes such as moving root note up a fourth.
Begins by studying each open chord shape and its root note, then discover how they connect to other chord forms.
Identifying the root
Cage system scales can help identify the root of a chord and map out its fretboard, as well as visualize chord progressions. Once you know its root note, it can be moved around on the fretboard to form new shapes – for instance if you start off playing C major chords with A string roots then any C major chord with any root can be created without altering key or shape by moving up and down several frets on fretboard.
No matter if you play blues, country, or jazz music – a solid chord progression is key to your style. By identifying the root of each caged system scale you can easily make quick changes while maintaining your signature sound. These scales can also help players who wish to use multiple chords per bar create minor chords or arpeggios with greater ease.
A CAGED scale consists of five open-position chord shapes: C, A, G and E. These connect to form a complete fretboard diagram as illustrated by Figure 8. Once you understand how these chord shapes interact with one another, they can be applied in any key.
The CAGED system will introduce five chord shapes and their root notes. Furthermore, you will learn how to connect these chord shapes to other fretboard shapes to learn the chords and scales for any given key before moving up or down the fretboard for different kinds of chords.
Once you have mastered CAGED chord shapes, it is time to learn their root notes. Each of the chord shapes corresponds to a specific major scale with its own root note located either on or two frets below (C and A shapes have one on or near their same fret; D shapes two frets higher); these root notes will enable you to identify chords and scales for any key.
Identifying the note
The CAGED system is an invaluable way to memorize chord shapes and positions on the fretboard. By identifying root notes of each scale and practicing these notes on the fretboard using various techniques – flashcards, pattern repetition and mnemonics for instance – you can learn chord shapes quickly. But keep in mind that these techniques aren’t your only options for learning the fretboard: other approaches exist such as analyzing patterns or learning by ear.
Once you’ve learned the five fundamental chord shapes in CAGED, you can begin building up your fretboard vocabulary with complete chord shapes. This is especially helpful for creating movable chords – chords which allow you to adjust their shape by moving it up or down on the fretboard – which allow for effortless chord variations. Furthermore, you may even move these chord shapes between keys for creating new chord types.
For instance, when playing an A shape major chord you can quickly and easily convert it to a minor chord by changing its third note – simply lower it half a step and you have yourself a minor chord! Altering its fifth note also can create an augmented chord.
CAGED also makes chord transitioning simple; each chord shape transitions seamlessly from one to the next, making it easy to find different types of chords on your fretboard – for instance you could start off playing box blues in E minor and transition into that fours-and-threes harmonic minor lick of Yngwie’s.
One of the key elements to keep in mind when learning a caged system scale is how its chord tones and scale tones are linked together. To illustrate this point, look at the diagram below – notice how each chord shape has its respective scale shape highlighted in green, while red indicates chord tones from C major pentatonic scale while any non-chord tones remain unnoticed; this will enable you to learn chord shapes more rapidly and effectively.
Identifying the interval
CAGED stands for “Concentrated Air Gradation Enhanced Development System.” When discussing it with guitarists, however, most will regard it as an obscure musical term. What it really entails is having five scale, chord, and arpeggio territories on your fretboard that connect like puzzle pieces so as to simplify mapping and learning chords/triads more quickly.
Note that CAGED scales feature their own interval structure that differs from that of other major scales, so practicing them regularly with a metronome will help maintain an even pace and hit every note cleanly. Also try different articulations techniques to add variety and enhance playing style and expressiveness.
CAGED scales also use a three-note pattern on some strings and two on others to aid fretboard navigation, though this method may make some chord shapes look odd when fingered for specific intervals.
An effective way to understand this problem is by studying major scale intervals. For instance, C major scale’s intervals consist of a perfect fourth and minor third. Sharp and flat intervals should also be practiced frequently when playing other keys.
As soon as you know how to use CAGED chords and triads, they will become easily transferrable across scales and chords. Furthermore, you can combine upper extensions with them to form 7th chords that give greater improvisational flexibility.
CAGED can also help you master other scales, like diatonic and melodic pentatonic scales – essential tools for any guitarist looking to master the fretboard. Although these may appear daunting at first, practice will result in improved understanding and more musical freedom!
Identifying the shape
CAGED scale system offers guitarists five chord and scale “territories” on the fretboard that connect like puzzle pieces. Additionally, this method shows guitarists how to identify root notes for these shapes across their entire fretboard – though initially this process may appear confusing or daunting – it will soon become second nature and allow you to map out your entire fretboard quickly!
Utilizing the CAGED system as an effective method for learning and memorizing scales is a proven method for increasing fingerboard knowledge. Focus on learning the shapes and intervals of each pattern rather than memorizing individual notes – visualize each as a symmetrical shape with certain number of notes then practice in various positions on fretboard until you master all shapes and intervals before creating fingering patterns that match its scales.
Problematic with this approach is that it often necessitates switching back to chord shapes when playing scales, slowing down your guitar speed and depleting mental energy – this can be particularly frustrating if you are trying to increase speed for soloing and improvisation purposes.
One major drawback of CAGED scale system is that it only teaches major scale patterns; therefore, minor scales which create harmonic tension in songs cannot be learned using this system. Thankfully, other scale systems exist which teach you to use all parts of fretboard simultaneously with just one fingering technique.
Most educators who teach CAGED system scales demonstrate all major scale patterns together with a major chord shape diagram, and very seldom show diminished, augmented, or altered chord voicings; moreover it’s even rarer to witness minor scale patterns with minor chord shapes.
Problematic because guitarists spend so much of their time considering chord shapes instead of honing their guitar speed, it is best to learn and practice major scale patterns first, before proceeding with minor ones.