Major Scales In The CAGED System

Because our left hand can't cover the entire guitar neck in one position, it useful to divide the guitar neck into several different areas to make playing easier and much more effective. This system of dividing the guitar neck is called the CAGED system. To learn and read more about the CAGED system read our lesson on The Five Main Areas/The CAGED System.

There are five major scale fingerings in the CAGED system, each fingering covering its own section of the guitar neck and when used together covers the entire guitar neck. Examples when the CAGED system is being used in other lessons have been in the Key of D so we will continue to use the Key of D here. Remember that these are not just D Major scale fingerings. They are all moveable shapes that can be applied to any key, just apply the root notes (the dots with the red outlines) to the note of whatever key you want to play in. Here are the five major scale fingerings.

Instructions This scale uses only 4 frets, so use the one finger per fret rule. This scale shape is in the 'C' position of the CAGED system.

Instructions This scale uses 5 frets but the majority of the notes are within a 4 fret range (4th to 7th frets). So use the one finger per fret rule for that range. For the 2 notes that are out of that range, stay in the same fretting position but stretch your 1st finger down one fret to play those notes. This scale shape is in the 'A' position of the CAGED system.

Instructions This scale uses 5 frets but the majority of the notes are within a 4 fret range (7th to 10th frets). So use the one finger per fret rule for that range. For the note that is out of that range, stay in the same fretting position but stretch your 4th finger up one fret to play those notes. This scale shape is in the 'G' position of the CAGED system.

Instructions This scale uses only 4 frets, so use the one finger per fret rule. This scale shape is in the 'E' position of the CAGED system.

Instructions This scale uses 5 frets but the majority of the notes are within a 4 fret range (12th to 15th frets). So use the one finger per fret rule for that range. For the two notes that are out of that range, stay in the same fretting position but stretch your 4th finger up one fret to play those notes. This scale shape is in the 'D' position of the CAGED system.

Remember that most of the notes in these scale diagrams are within a four fret range. This is in line with the one finger per fret rule. For 3 off the above diagrams there are notes that are past the four fret range but there is only 1 or 2 per scale shape. Thus, you can use the one finger per fret rule for the majority of the notes that lie within the 4 fret range. For the odd note that is outside of that range, just stretch either your 1st or 4th finger to cover those notes.

Part II - Practicing These Shapes