CAGED System: 5 Patterns of the Major Scale (Flat Style)

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

Each of the 5 shapes will produce a full Major scale when you play it. 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. One of the diagrams additionally highlights all root triad's chord tones to help you target them when soloing. All diagrams are isolated from one another to let you focus on just a single pattern at a time.

This reference features flat style notes (empty circles). Even though it's intended for more seasoned guitar players, it's here as a variation that you simply might prefer over the other options.

Tip: since these diagrams have blank circles in place of specific note names or intervals, you can view this chart as a recipe for any major scale. The patterns will be identical for all major keys. For example, to get CAGED patterns for the G-Major scale you just need to align the E-shape's (pattern 1) root tone with the 3rd fret of the lowest 6th string. CAGED patterns are always ordered as the CAGED-word is spelled. So for our G-Major example the next shape towards the guitar's bridge would be D-shape, and the previous shape towards the guitar's nut would be the G-shape.