How to Connect the Five CAGED Forms on the Guitar

On the guitar, you connect the five CAGED forms all with the same chord to cover the whole fretboard. For example, play a C chord with every CAGED form. Start with each form in its open position, and then move up the neck by using different forms while staying on the same chord.

As you move from position to position, keeping with the same chord, the forms always go in the order of C-A-G-E-D, C-A-G-E-D, and so on.

How to start with a C chord

Start with an open C chord and then follow with C chords in different forms in all positions on the neck. To simplify things, here barre chords are used in place of full arpeggio patterns. You can expand on the arpeggios from these starting points.

Credit: Illustration courtesy of Desi Serna

Take a look at how to do this at Connecting CAGED Forms, Starting on C.

Notice that the second form of C is the A form, the second letter in CAGED. The third form of C is the G form, the third letter in CAGED, and so on. Also notice that each new position uses a portion of the previous form, as shown by the dotted lines in the figure. In this way, all the positions are connected.

You can keep connecting the CAGED forms in order like this until you either run out of fretboard or can’t reach any higher. Focus on visualizing how each form connects to the next, as indicated by the dotted lines between individual diagrams. Practice connecting forms both forward and backward.

How to start with an A chord

Here, you start with an open A chord and connect to all its forms on the fretboard. Because you’re starting on the second letter in CAGED, A, the next form is the G form, followed by the E form, and so on.

Credit: Illustration courtesy of Desi Serna

How to start with a G chord

Here, you start with a G chord and connect to all its forms.

Credit: Illustration courtesy of Desi Serna

How to start with an E chord

Here, you start with an E chord and connect to all its forms.

Credit: Illustration courtesy of Desi Serna

How to start with a D chord

Here, you start with a D chord and connect to all its forms. But don’t stop here! For example, start on an F, Fs, B, Bf, Ef, and so on. Whichever form you start on, the other forms of the same chord always follow the letters in CAGED. Not to mention, the forms always connect in the same manner with the dotted lines between diagrams.

Credit: Illustration courtesy of Desi Serna