Why no B and F shapes on CAGED?

[Rene P]

Can someone tell me why there is no “B” and “F” shape that would be added to the CAGED system?
Thanks!

[Kendall F]

Because when you make a B starting at the 2nd fret, you are actually using the A shape, and an F chord at the 1st fret is using the E shape. Make sense?

[Cal Cheatham]

Kendall F summed it up great.

Trying to make my guitars sound as good as they look.

[Rene P]

Yes, I get it now, thanks Kendall!

[sunjamr]

Actually, the full name is the CABGEFD system, but it can be shortened to CAGED, or still further to the AED system, since there are really only 3 different chord shapes. If we rearrange the spelling to call it the EDA system, you can use that to help remember where the root note is in each shape: E root on 1st string, D root on 2nd string, A root on 3rd string. E D A = 1 2 3.

Sunjamr Steve

[Cobalt]

sunjamr wrote:

Actually, the full name is the CABGEFD system, but it can be shortened to CAGED, or still further to the AED system, since there are really only 3 different chord shapes. If we rearrange the spelling to call it the EDA system, you can use that to help remember where the root note is in each shape: E root on 1st string, D root on 2nd string, A root on 3rd string. E D A = 1 2 3.

I know a guy who is really great at getting around the fretboard and it’s all based on the A D E shapes.

[Jean-Michel G]

The root of any chord can be on the E, A or D string, that is correct. But I think it is a mistake to limit yourself to that single perspective.

What matters most is the layout of all the occurrences of a note across the fingerboard – what I call the “pattern of octaves”.
In the attached PNG the first diagram shows the layout of all the C notes, while the second diagram shows all the Ab notes.
As you can see, the pattern simply shifts up or down.

Now, if you consider that note as the root of a chord (major or minor) and fill in the 3rd’s and 5th’s in the vicinity of each root, you get the famous open position C, A, G, E and D chord shapes.

If you want to master the fingerboard, the pattern of octaves is one of the easiest way to do so. Once you know that, you can easily find everything else (chord shapes, scales, intervals, arpeggios, …).

Hope this helps.

[Michael L]

I’ll second the idea of learning the pattern of octaves. Once I got that down everything else began coming together for me. Chords, intervals, scales all are positioned around these root notes.

[JohnStrat]

This worked for me too.
JohnStrat

[sunjamr]

I meant the E D and A chord shapes, not the E D and A strings. Most of the time I play those shapes on the first 4 strings, and sometimes on the middle 4 strings. More than that strains my tiny brain.

Sunjamr Steve

[Jean-Michel G]

One: I don’t believe your brain is tiny, and two: I’ve always been told that size doesn’t matter!

[Mark Leeds UK]

I’m brand new here, already loving the depth and supportive friendliness of the discussion, really helpful. Thank you

[Author]

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