CAGED System: 5 Patterns of C-Major Scale (With Note Names)

Charts to help you learn the CAGED system and its 5 patterns for guitar.

Visual appearance

Fretboard diagrams are arranged diagonally to show you where patterns line up. Each of the 5 shapes will produce a full C-Major scale when you play it. The letters inside the circles and squares represent note names of the C-Major scale. Squares represent scale root notes.

One of diagrams has blank circles and squares—they represent notes from adjacent CAGED patterns.

Practical application

Root tones have a stronger visual emphasis to provide soloing landmarks and a better overview of the shape's primary "anchor points" to help you memorize and internalize all 5 patterns.

You can use variation with blank circles and squares to get yourself prepared for switching between the CAGED patterns. For example, you can occasionally "borrow" notes from the neighbouring CAGED pattern for a brief moment and then get back to the pattern you started with. This is basically a tool to break free from being stuck within one CAGED "box" shape.

These adjacent blank placeholders are given less emphasis on purpose—they should not distract you from the main pattern, but should you wish to temporarily visit (or peek into) a neighbouring pattern, then you can do that.

If, however, your specific aim is to practice alternation between all CAGED patterns then I recommend you also check out connected CAGED patterns of the Major scale with note names.