Caged Guitar Method Tutorial

Hi! Jim here from learnfingerstyleguitar.com. Today we are going to taking a look at a caged guitar method.

The caged guitar method is a method of using five common chord shapes as a multiplier to play a lot of different chords. It is important to understand the difference between the chord and a chord shape. Chords are specific notes from a scale. Today we will be using a major scale with this caged method. So we are going to use -- take a look at the major scale and major chords. The money notes in a major chord is going to be the first note in the scale or the root. The third note in the scale and the fifth note in the scale.

So we want to take three, four, five, six, seven, eight, will be using one, three, five. As you know, you can get the exact same pitches at different places on the neck and this again reinforces the idea of that there is a difference between chords and chord shapes. For example, I can play this C chord here. But I could also play it up here exactly the same shapes and if I wanted to play an octave higher, I could play it here or here.

So four chord shapes to play the same chord even though it is in two different octaves. If you want and do not know the chord shapes we are going to be using, C, A, G, E, and D, you can find diagrams of them on the caged guitar method page at learnfingerstyleguitar.com. We are going to use them for this illustration, today we are going to use them in order that there in spelled in the word 'caged'. That is where this got its name, okay.

So we play at first position C, on a first position A, first position G, first position E, and first position D, okay. Now, here is how we will try together. And you may have noticed that the root of all these are the one is on lowest pitched note in the chord, and that's important. We are going to start with that C shape here but I want to play a C chord using my E shape also. So I have got my A chord here and on my root is on the lowest pitched note, in this case fifth string. So I am going to find a C on that fifth string which would be the third fret. I am going to move -- what do you think, little up, so it kind of centers around the third fret. I will end playing the third fret of the fifth string and then the fifth fret of the fourth, third and second string, okay.

The next chord for half shape we are going to use is a G. Again we know that G in the root is on the sixth string. It is the lowest pitched note. So when I come up to sixth string until we find the C which would be at the eighth fret. Then you can bar across the fifth fret that is kind of a hard reach for me. A lot of times, I don't play the first string and I really finger with my fourth finger on the sixth string, third finger on the fifth string and then bar across being on the fourth, third and second. And that is an important thing about playing these chords. You have to be able to play them with your second, third and fourth fingers and use it off, because you will have to use your first finger for block, okay.

So that is how you would do using a G shape. Now next we have an E shape. So I going to take my E shape here, I am going to find the roots on the sixth string, I am going to find the C note on the sixth string, and there is my C using the E shape. Now my D shape has a root on the fourth string. So I am going to go on to find a C on my fourth string. If I go to the tenth fret, that's a C and then I make my D form, and I have got my C chord. So I end up with a C, C, C, C, and C. Five ways to play with one chord.

Now, you can -- also if you wanted to play D flat, you can start with your C form, move it up one fret, then you could use your A form and you follow the same process. You find where your root is and that tells you where to begin fingering the chord. You don't have to start with a C shape, in fact as far as this exercise goes you could start with an A shape. So we are going to start with an A shape here in our first position.

Next we would be looking for a G shaped chord to play an A with, where we come up and find an A note. Then we want an E shaped chord to play an A with, there is an E shape chord. We want a D shaped chord to play an A note. And then I am going to play and tag the C on the end, we know that shape, but not as well used it. So I would come up here to the ninth fret, and there is my eighth form. There is my A with a C form rather.

So that is really all there is to it. You have to know what the five chord forms are C, A, G, E, and D. You have to how to know to fret them with your second, third and fourth fingers using your first finger for bar. You have to know where the root of the chord is. And to help with that, I have made a caged chord locator chart and it's also on the cage guitar method page at learnfingerstyleguitar.com. I hope this is helpful for you and I will see you next time.


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