A lot has been written about the CAGED Guitar System. Some people love the CAGED system, and others do not. Some contend that a CAGED approach actually prevents people from making progress on the guitar. While I would not necessarily say that CAGED is harmful, there are some aspects of it that are troublesome. Let me state first that I am not opposed to the CAGED system, and I don’t necessarily recommend against learning it. However, there are concerns that myself and others have about this approach that are worth discussing.
BRIEF! Description of the CAGED System
The CAGED System has been written about extensively, so I’ll assume you have at least a general understanding of the approach. The CAGED system is a system for visualizing the guitar fretboard that is based on 5 open position major guitar chords: C, A, G, E, D.
CAGED Concerns
Here are some concerns I have about learning the fretboard based on the CAGED System:
Naming Conventions
One of the things that has always bugged me about CAGED is that it is based on naming chords in the open (first) position on the fretboard. This is fine in first position, but as soon as you move up the fretboard, you are then faced with names of chords that are not that chord.
For example, in first position, “C Shape” is a C Major chord. However, in the CAGED system, moving this chord up a whole step (2 frets) means it is called “D Major, C Shape”. Here’s the thing: The D Major Chord is not a C Major Chord. It doesn’t even have the same notes (C Major = C, E, G and D Major = D F# A). Labeling this a “C Shape” is an unnecessary distraction from the fact that it’s a D chord. And consider this: The only reason that a “C Shape” is named as such is because that shape sounds as a C Major chord in standard tuning. If we were to tune the guitar down a whole step, it would then be a B-Flat chord!
It’s All About The Box
I recently read an article about CAGED where the author said it helped players “break out of your box”, and I had to laugh. Many guitarists struggle with box-based fingerings, but CAGED is all about the box. This same article goes on to explain how you then shift notes to the next CAGED shape (box). The problem I have with this is twofold: First ,it encourages you to view the fretboard primarily as a series of static shapes that can be moved up and down. Second, it deemphasizes the need to learn the underlying music theory.
It’s Not Optimal For Arpeggios
Arpeggios are a foundational concept and device in many styles of music. The CAGED system purports to teach arpeggios, but CAGED encourages you to think about scales and chords as a collection of shapes on the fretboard. The problem with this is that the open chord shapes that CAGED is based on are not optimal for arpeggios. Many CAGED arpeggio patterns are awkward for even major arpeggios, not to mention minor arpeggios, minor 7 Flat 5, etc… If you want to truly play fast sweeping arpeggios of any type you’ll need to learn and understand them outside of the CAGED system.
Unnecessary Abstraction (Too much thinking)
CAGED is intended to be used with the 5 major chord shapes, but breaks down quickly when you go beyond that, creating unnecessary abstraction. The naming conventions are the most obvious, but there are others.
Things get interesting when you have even a simple minor chord. The major chord interval formula is 1 3 5. In C Major, that is the notes C E G. The C minor chord is created when we flatten the 3rd, i.e, C E-Flat G. In CAGED, we already now have a dilemma: Instead of intuitively thinking of a C Minor chord and its intervallic formula, you will still be thinking of a C Major Chord shape but “adjusted” to C Minor (this is the abstraction). This is an unnecessary level of “thinking” that muddies things as you “translate” between these chord shapes. Alternatively, If you know C Major and C Minor shapes and how they are constructed, you can see how they are both distinct and related.
Is CAGED even a System?
I could say that I learned CAGED before I knew about CAGED. The key difference is that I learned it from a music theory background, not a shape-based approach. I understood that an E Major Shape moved up 1 fret is an F Major chord, and moved up another fret is an F# /G Flat Major Chord. That’s not a “system”—it’s how the guitar works. Put another way: If you are driving a car, is putting it in gear, using the steering wheel, and using the brakes a system as well? Or is that just how you operate the car?
In the article I referenced above, there is an example where they encourage you to practice short chord progressions using shapes from the “system”. This is problematic because it implies that CAGED does something other than help guitarists action musical concepts. CAGED didn’t “create” the chord progressions in the example; those are based on the rules of functional harmony!
Conclusion
As mentioned previously, I don’t feel that the CAGED System is without merit, but I would think twice before committing to it as your way to learn the fretboard. The CAGED System’s best use may be to get a beginner thinking beyond the “cowboy chords” in the first position, understanding how chords may be moved up the neck in various shapes and positions.
The CAGED System is relatively easy to teach, which is no doubt part of its popularity. Beware: By basing everything on 5 essentially arbitrary chord shapes, it encourages you to see the fretboard based on these shapes, which can be a limiting approach as one progresses. This may lead you to playing what people refer to as “CAGED system guitar”, where your soloing sounds like you’re thinking more of CAGED shapes than of music. Similarly, thinking in terms of fretboard shapes instead of musical concepts hinders your ability to communicate with other musicians, particularly non-guitarists. And finally, if you seek to develop real fluidity and speed in arpeggios, you’ll need to look outside the CAGED System.
As always, enjoy your guitar journey, and Happy Playing!