If you’ve heard of the CAGED, it’s a system to visualize guitar fretboard by using common chords. The minor CAGED system can be used like the major system, but instead of using major chords you use minor chords.
Learning the CAGED system is a great way to master the guitar fretboard and how the notes and patterns are connected. Learning about minor dominantly will give you more insight into your instrument.
CAGED Minor Chords
CAGED minor chords are the same as CAGED major chords but with the use of minor chords:
- Cm chord
- Am chord
- Gm chord
- Em chord
- Dm chord
Major chords and these minor chords are actually moveable and can be found in other places on the neck. Let’s take a look at each chord to form other chords.
Cm Form
Let’s move the chord up two places so that the lowest root note is on the 5th fret. We can move this shape to position on the neck to create a minor chord. That’s why the CAGED system is so powerful.
Am Form
Basically, like the C minor chord form you learned before, the Am form can be played anywhere on the neck to create other minor chords. Let’s move this shape up so the lowest root note falls on the 3rd fret. So now, we’re playing a Cm chord. One way to make other minor chords, is by playing this simple barre chord shape up and down the neck.
Gm Form
The Gm chord form can be made a bit easier to play by removing the notes on the 5th and 6th strings. Once you move it out of its open position, playing it can become difficult because of its shape.
Em Form
If we move the Em chord up three frets we get a Gm chord. The Gm shape is one of the most common, used again and again throughout the neck.
Dm Form
Here’s the DM chord form. Although the fingering in this position can feel a little bit awkward, we can still move it up the neck to create other minor chords. If we bring the lowest root note up two frets so it is on the 2nd fret of the 4th string, we get an Em chord.
You can modify this chord if it’s too awkward for you to play using only 2-3 strings on the guitar. You could also use these alternate fingerings. Both shapes are commonly used and offer interesting alternatives.
Minor CAGED Shapes Connected Across the Fretboard
The CAGED shapes for the minor chord are all up and down the neck, so you can easily explore it in every location on the fretboard.
CAGED minor chord shapes are very similar to major chords, as you can tell from this sentence:
- Cm connects to Am
- Am connects to Gm
- Gm connects to Em
- Em connects to Dm
- Dm connects to Cm
To illustrate this point, let’s follow the Dm chord up the fretboard starting from Cm.
Cm Shape
The Dm chord is shown in the Cm shape on the 5th string. The strings connect to an Am chord because of the root note on this string.
Am Form
These chords are called Dm, and Am. The Am chord form is connected to the Cm form above through the root note on the 5th string, and to Gm form below through their root and 5th on string 3th.
Gm Form
Here’s a great G major chord form. Chances are you might not be able to play in the full shape and this has been modified to use 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th string notes instead.
The chord of the Gm form connects to the Am form above, and Em below. It shares the root note on the 6th string with both chords.
Em Form
Dm can basically be seen as a variation of Em barre chords. It’s basically just the Em chord shape extended to encompass Gm in the bass, and Dm in the treble.
Dm Form
You can preview this chords natural form in the first line. The second and third lines provide connection between the first chord, which is Dm and the corresponding root note on the forth line, which is Em. Below, the DM chord shape branches back to the CM shape through the root note on string 2 and 4 on string 3. These chord shapes keep repeating up the neck.
Root Note Patterns of the CAGED Minor Chords, Scales & Arpeggios
One of the easiest ways to navigate the minor CAGED chord forms would be by knowing the root note patterns for each shape. This will help you identify each shape and move between positions on the guitar fretboard.
The minor CAGED system doesn’t just apply to chord forms. Chords are built from scales so there is naturally a connection there between scales and chords. The form of minor chords is matched with corresponding arpeggios and scales. This provides a ton of possibilities to explore when creating tracks or soloing over chord progressions.
Guide to the CAGED System on Guitar
In this guide, I’ll be teaching you about the fast way of navigating the guitar fretboard. This is called the CAGED system. The CAGED system is another way of navigating the guitar neck and can be paired with other methods of playing around the fretboard. It’s used by both rhythm and lead guitarists.
We’ll be using two videos to break down the CAGED system, one which focuses on basics and the other more so on how this method can provide rhythm guitar sounds. The other video is for guitarists and goes into how we can use the pentatonic scale with the CAGED system to help get a better understanding of fretboard patterns. Playing guitar solos becomes easier this way.
Understanding the CAGED System
Wouldn’t it be nice if there was a guitar system that lets you easily see which finger goes on which fret? The CAGED system is great for guitar players because it makes the fretboard more recognizable. You’ll be able to see chord shapes and scale patterns all across the neck of your guitar.
Open Chords
It all starts with something you’re likely used to: open chords. In this case, we’re using open major chords. As clear as day, we’re using C major, A major, G major, E major and D majors. If you’re not a guitar player already, we suggest checking our Beginner Guitar Basics series to learn the essentials!
Here are the diagrams of the five basic open chord shapes that make up the CAGED system.
Bar Chords
The next step is simple – if you need some help with your bar chords, we recommend you check out our Rhythm Guitar Starter Series: a really helpful resource for beginners!
Remember this system is not so much an easy way to play that specific chords with one finger like you’d want to do in a song. I would just keep it in mind when looking at focusing on finding different shapes for the individual chords. It’s all about trying the different things first, then you’ll find something that works for you. AI writers also help you develop a better understanding of the connection between chords and scales in a particular key.
Chords are much easier to play and only use one finger. For example, the E major and A major chords require you to stretch your first finger across the button. These two are the most common, but there are many other options, too.
You may not know this, but all of the other open chords can be played as bar chords too. They’re not perfect but they’ll help you understand the rest of the fretboard. You just need to know the root note of each chord shape and you can raise the shape up the neck to play new chords. For example, if you start with a C major shape and move it two frets higher and barre across the open strings, it will become a D major chord. Raising a Gmaj shape two frets gives you an Amaj chord. Raising a Dmaj shape two frets gives you an Emaj chord.
The important thing is that when you release the shape you’re holding onto, your non-fingering hand should either put a capo on the neck, or put your fingers across the strings to mute them. We’ll be using this technique throughout this guide.
CAGED Connection
Now that you’re aware of the names of chord shapes, and already know how to play moving bar chords, we can delve deeper into the workings of them. The acronym “CAGED” stands for a certain order for these chords. Learning this is easy; there’s an online video course if you’re interested.
Using the CAGED System to Play Guitar Solos
This video describes the CAGED system which connects various chord shapes. The first half of the video goes through how you can connect one shape to another from just a chord with a basic C note. Scott Paul Johnson works his way through various shapes, showing us how easy it is to create new chords from these basics. That A-shape connects up to a C-major chord using the G shape. I guess that’s all I can tell you…
Next, we can make a G major chord. The C chord is the same as the G major. After that, we can make an E major chord (a G major with your pinky on top) and tie it to a D major with your index finger on the 2nd fret on the “B” string). And finally, we end up with a C shape.
These shapes are all in C major. Moving it up one frets makes it D major. Whenever you’re playing in any key, these shapes will all be connected! We’ll discuss more later in the guide, but meanwhile check out the link below. Once you understand the idea of these shapes and how they work within the CAGED system, you’ll have five different shapes for any chord.
Thanks for reading! It’s time to move on to the lead guitar section of this guide. It will make the most sense if you haven’t been playing rhythm guitar for a while, so make sure to stop here if that’s the case. If you have been playing rhythm guitar and are interested in delving into lead guitar, check out our.
CAGED Pentatonic Shapes
Apparently, all you need to play lead guitar is an open-CAGED roadmap. The post breaks it down into chords, which when jammed with a corresponding pentatonic scale shape, will sound like melodic solos.
The red notes are the chord tones in the C major chord. These five shapes were constructed from two pentatonics. They should help you visualize each shape and work with them on your fret board.
The C Shape
This pentatonic pattern is a perfect fit over a C major chord.
The A Shape
Our next shape will be an A. It will fit over a C major chord.
The G Shape
Following the A shape we’ve got the G shape. It’s our standard minor pentatonic shape (maybe you’re familiar with it from other guitar lessons).
The E Shape
If you just play a E chord, this pentatonic shape will fit right over top. Every guitar player needs to know this one becuase it’s a super versatile shapes for when you’re switching between rhythm and lead guitar.
The D Shape
The final shape is sitting on top of our D-shape C major chord.
Using the CAGED System in Other Keys
The CAGED system, just like other guitar elements, can be moved around freely. The names will change but the shapes remain the same no matter where you are.
Shifting these shapes up four frets would place you at C on the musical alphabet. Four half steps from C is E. This means that if you shifted everything up four frets, you’d be playing the E Major key and scale.
It’s important to remember that the pentatonic scale you’re playing only corresponds to the key of each individual chord in a song.
If you’re playing in the key of E major for example, you might be playing chords from that key but the E major pentatonic scale is the only pentatonic scale that matches your song.
CAGED Minor Chords
You might be wondering why we’ve only touched on major chords so far. Thankfully, this is because they’re the most simple chords to play when it comes to CAGED… All you need to do is make the minor variants of the chords (e.g. E minor chord instead of an E major one). This is also easy and should be no problem!
Best Fretboard Navigation System
To finish off, there are 2 other main methods of navigating the fretboard. The CAGED System isn’t the only one out there. Here are the 3-note-per-string and intervallic methods to find their way around.
The 3-note-per-string technique relies on small 3-notes patterns from the major scale to cover the fretboard. It’s kind of a favorite among shredders and rock guitar players because it can be quite easy to use in terms of fast runs and licks.
The interval method is more advanced and requires you to ditch shapes and go by ear. So in the end, it’s just up to your ear how well you can recall notes. This method is great for enhancing the 3-note-per-string or CAGED system. We don’t recommend going this route alone unless you have spent a lot of time ear training.
Conclusion
I guess it all depends on your priorities, but the best method seems to be a balanced combination of both methods. No matter what musical style you might want to focus on, this system will offer great opportunities for experiment and imaginative play.
If you’re looking for a way to chart minor chords and scales, the CAGED system is perfect. This will help you understand how chords are connected and allow you to move from one key to another more easily on the guitar neck.
With the CAGED system of chords and scales, the guitar neck becomes a grid of related shapes and patterns that clearly reveal your playing. This is great for both beginner and advanced guitar players, since it reduces confusion in holding each chord shape.
FAQ for Minor CAGED System Lesson Pack
What is the CAGED System?
The CAGED system is a popular guitar-playing method that helps you learn to play the guitar in an easy and structured way. It was developed by guitarist and music teacher, Dan Miller.
The CAGED system is a guitar technique that is used to play chords and scales all over the neck of the guitar.
CAGED stands for “C”, “A”, “G”, “E” and “D”. The C chord is the root chord and it can be played in any key. The A, G and E chords are moved in relation to the C chord. The D chord is a variation of the A chord.
What are the benefits of the CAGED System?
The CAGED System is a guitar-playing technique that helps guitarists to identify the five most common chord types and their inversions. It also helps them to switch between chords easily.
The benefits of this system are that it makes playing the guitar easier, and it allows players to learn more songs because they can play any chord with any inversion.
Is it possible to play music using the CAGED System?
Yes, it is possible to play music using the CAGED System. The CAGED System is a guitar technique that is used to play chords and scales. The five positions in the system are based on the open position of the major chords.
What is the Minor CAGED System Lesson Pack?
The Minor CAGED System is a guitar system that teaches you the 5 positions of the guitar. This lesson pack will teach you the 5 positions of the Minor CAGED System on your guitar. You will learn how to play chords and scales in each position.
How does the Minor CAGED System Lesson Pack work?
The Minor CAGED System Lesson Pack will give you an introduction to the CAGED system and will teach you how to use it. It is designed for those who are just starting out on their guitar journey.
The eight lessons in this pack will help you understand chord structures and fingerings, as well as how to play them in different positions on the fretboard. You’ll learn all of the open chords, barre chords, power chords, and more!
You can also use this pack to figure out which chords fit with a given song or melody that you are trying to learn.
How much does the Minor CAGED System Lesson Pack cost?
The Minor CAGED System Lesson Pack costs $25.00.
Is there a monthly subscription fee for the Minor CAGED System Lesson Pack?
No, there is not a monthly subscription fee for the Minor CAGED System Lesson Pack.
The Minor CAGED System Lesson Pack is available in a one-time purchase.
What is a chord progression and why is it used?
A chord progression is a series of chords played in either a repetitive or varying pattern.
A chord progression is often used to create a mood or feeling and can be found in many different genres of music. For example, the song “Yesterday” by the Beatles uses a I-vi-ii-V (G major) chord progression.
How do create chord progressions?
The most important thing to keep in mind when creating chord progressions is that they need to be dynamic. This means that there should be some sort of movement or change in the chords.
There are many different chord progression types and each one has a different sound and feel, which is what makes them different from one another. One of the most popular types of chord progressions is the I-IV-V progression, which we hear in many songs like “Twist and Shout” by The Beatles.
What is a common progression used in pop music?
A common progression in pop music is the I-IV-V progression. The I chord is the tonic chord and the IV and V chords are both major chords.
The IV and V chords can be substituted with minor chords or diminished chords to create a more complex sound.