Play Any Chord on the Guitar Using the CAGED System!
Guitar chords are not quite the same as chords on other instruments. In traditional music theory, using a stave and a piano, chords are easy to understand and play. However, on the guitar, things get more complicated when we try to move around the fretboard.
Piano players use inversions to navigate the keyboard, but when we translate this concept to the guitar, we quickly find ourselves stuck. Instead, guitarists use chord shapes and intervals, which are derived from the five open-position chords: C, A, G, E, and D—hence the CAGED system.
These shapes can also be played as minor chords, such as Cm, Am, Gm, Em, and Dm.
By learning to play these as barre chord shapes and understanding how the intervals are laid out around each chord, you’ll be able to build any chord on the guitar.
Below, you’ll find links to each of the five major and minor CAGED chords. These links will show you how to transform, for example, an open-position G chord into a moveable G shape. From there, we’ll extend these moveable shapes into various chord types like dom7, maj7, sus4, and more.
But why stop at chords? We’ll also explore how to turn these chord shapes into arpeggios and even modes.
Along with the five CAGED guitar chords, we’ll also cover the F, Fm, B, and Bm chords to complete the picture.
If you’re ready to learn everything you need to know about building guitar chords, follow the links below.
Major CAGED Chords
The C chord
One of the first chords many guitarists learn is the easy-to-fret open-position C chord.
This chord marks the beginning of the CAGED system. While the open-position C chord is simple to play, you’ll unlock its full potential when you make it a moveable shape and start identifying all the intervals within it.
The A chord
The A chord can be one of the first hurdles for beginners—how do you play all those notes across five strings?
The key lies in understanding how to play fractions of a chord rather than trying to play the full shape. This approach will allow you to move the A chord across the fretboard.
The G chord
The G chord is often the most misunderstood of all the CAGED chords. While it seems straightforward in its open position, it becomes more complex once you try to turn it into a moveable shape.
With several options in its open form, it’s actually challenging to play it in its full glory when transposed across the fretboard.
The E chord
The E chord is arguably the easiest to understand and fret among the major CAGED chords.
When turned into a moveable chord shape, it provides the perfect foundation for understanding major chords on the guitar. This makes it one of the most essential chords to master.
The D chord
The D chord is the smallest of all the open-position chords and is easy to understand and play. However, when you try to turn it into a moveable shape, it becomes difficult to fret.
But don’t worry—once you start extending it to include maj7, dom7, 6, sus2, and other variations, it becomes much easier to manage.
The F chord
Without a doubt, the F chord is often considered the nemesis of beginner guitarists. The strength and dexterity required to play this mighty chord can be challenging.
While it may take time to build up the muscle memory, don’t be discouraged—it’s a vital chord to learn and will pay off in the long run.
The B chord
Although the B chord isn’t part of the CAGED open-position chords, it plays an important role.
In the video lesson, we cover the B chord using all CAGED shapes. Once you understand this, you’ll be able to build any major chord on the guitar.
Minor CAGED Chords
The Cm chord
The open-position Cm chord is rarely seen in songs and often avoided by both guitar teachers and players. It’s a chord you’ll find in very few tunes.
Due to its complexity, it’s almost impossible to play as a full shape. The Cm chord will act as a pivotal moment for understanding the guitar fretboard and its structure.
The Am chord
The Am chord is easy to fret, both as an open-position and barre chord. It’s a great starting point for learning the minor CAGED chords.
As you move the Am chord up the neck, the key is to identify all the intervals surrounding it.
The Gm chord
The Gm chord is somewhat of an oddity, as few people are familiar with its open-position form.
Very few tunes use this chord, and while it’s surprisingly easy to fret in its open position, problems arise when it’s turned into a moveable shape.
The Em chord
The Em chord is the easiest minor chord to understand and fret. When you convert it into a barre chord shape, it provides a solid foundation for understanding how to navigate the fretboard with chords and scales.
By seeing it as an Em shape, rather than just as “position 1,” you unlock the full potential of the guitar neck.
The Dm chord
The Dm chord is the smallest of the minor CAGED chords and is very easy to fret and understand in its open position.
Even as a barre chord shape, it’s clear how to build any chord, arpeggio, or mode using the Dm shape. This makes it a versatile and essential chord in the CAGED system.
The Fm chord
With the Fm chord, we complete the set of minor CAGED chords. It serves as a test to ensure you can see all shapes starting from the F position and move through the five CAGED shapes.
Mastering this chord will solidify your understanding of the CAGED system.
The Bm chord
The Bm chord is the final chord in this series of minor CAGED chords. It can’t be played as an open-position chord, which makes it distinct.
When we explore the full range of possible chords, we see that the lowest possible Bm chord is an Am shape. However, if extended to a min7, it becomes the Cm shape.