What is the CAGED system?
CAGED is a way to map the whole fretboard using five open chord shapes you already know: C, A, G, E, and D. Each shape is movable, so the same five forms can play any major or minor chord up and down the neck. They always connect in the order C, A, G, E, D, which is where the name comes from.
Why learn the CAGED shapes?
Once you see how the five shapes link together, you can play any chord in five places, find chord tones for soloing anywhere on the neck, and stop feeling stuck in the open position. It turns the fretboard from a maze into a map.
What is a triad and what are inversions?
A triad is the most basic chord, built from a root, a third, and a fifth. An inversion just changes which of those three notes is on the bottom. Root position has the root in the bass, first inversion has the third in the bass, and second inversion has the fifth in the bass. Playing triads on three strings is one of the fastest ways to add movement and clarity to your rhythm and lead playing.
How do CAGED shapes and triads connect?
Every CAGED shape is built from the same three triad tones, just spread across six strings. When you learn the triad shapes on smaller string groups, you start to see the skeleton inside each CAGED form, which makes both easier to remember.
