Memorizing Major Guitar Chords – CAGED Guitar System

Memorizing Major Guitar Chords using the CAGED Guitar System

Learning to play all seven of the major chords in open position is a big challenge when you’re first starting out. Of course after a few weeks of practising and learning new songs it begins to become second nature. Now how about learning all those same chords in their different variations around the guitar neck? Not as easy since there are several variations, locations and shapes you have to remember.

Today I want to introduce you to a system that will help you learn the different shapes and positions of all seven major chords on the guitar neck. That system is called the CAGED guitar system.

The CAGED system gets it’s name from the five different chord shapes of the C, A, G, E and D chords. Using these five different chord shapes as barre chords at different frets around the neck will reveal different locations you can play all seven major chords.

Example: If you create a barre chord on fret 7 and use an A chord shape you’re actually playing an E major chord.

Unfortunately there’s no easy way to remember what is where but knowing that one of those five shapes at some point on the neck repeats each major chord is the easiest starting point to learn from especially if you’re teaching yourself.

Below is a short video that explains the CAGED system and gives a full example of using it to locate four different variations of the E major chord besides the one in open position. Watch the video and then grab your own guitar and give the example a try. Then try finding a few other major chords around the guitar neck experimenting with the CAGED system I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised just how easy it is to use and find all those chords on the neck.

Interested in learning more neat techniques like the CAGED guitar chord system? Why not try a learn guitar dvd? Self study video programs can provide you the same quality instruction as private lessons for a fraction of the cost. Plus you get to learn at your own pace.