CAGED Patterns for the A-Minor Scale (With Note Names)

Charts to help you learn the CAGED system for the Minor scale for guitar. Each of the 5 shapes will produce a full A-Minor scale when you play it from root note till any other root note.

Visual appearance

Fretboard diagrams are arranged diagonally to show you where the CAGED patterns line up. They are also aligned with the notes of the A-Minor scale in particular. The letters inside the circles and squares represent note names of the A-Minor scale. Squares represent scale root notes (tonic).

One of the diagrams features 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 on the fly. 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 you are focusing on, but should you wish to temporarily visit (or peek into) a neighbouring pattern, then you can do that. You can also think of them as a guide of where you are and where you can go.