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Ok, so this can be hard to “see” before you have “all” the knowledge. So the question is, do you know all 5 shapes of the C major/A minor scale up and down the neck? If not, then you just have to accept what you are told and tell your mind to shut up when it wants to ask a question. Sorry, but that’s part of the problem with the way music is taught. I’ve been making videos on YouTube attempting to fill in the blanks as I go along, but it’s not easy.

So, let’s start with the “C” shape scale. Why is it a “C” shape? The key of C uses only natural notes, so the open position scale would be as follows:

Key: 1st number is the string: O is Open, other numbers are frets.
1: O, 1, 3
2: O, 1, 3
3: O, 2
4: O, 2, 3
5: O, 2, 3
6: O, 1, 3

Now the open C chord is 5: 3; 4: 2; 3: O; 2: 1; 1: O

Move that shape down 2 frets and you have a D major chord. Using those notes as your anchor points, play the same scale and you will magically have the D major scale with an F# and a C#.

1: 2, 3, 5
2: 2, 3, 5
3: 2, 4
4: 2, 4, 5
5: 2, 4, 5
6: 2, 3, 5

Now the closed D chord is 5: 5; 4: 4; 3: 2; 2: 3; 1: 2

However, if you map out the G chord you have 6: 3; 5: 2; 4: O; 3: O; 2: O; 1: 3 (Yes, you can make 2: 3, but I play the 3 finger G chord. It doesn’t matter, either shape will work.)

Now, if you move that shape down 2 frets and use those notes as your anchor points, you will not end up with the G major scale, having just and F#, but you will end up with the D major chord having 2 sharps, F# and C#. And the chord will be the A major chord, the 5 chord of the key of D, just like G is the 5 chord of the key of C.

Now, move up to the 8th fret of the 6th string and make an open G major chord shape (again, it doesn’t matter which version of the open G you use).

6: 8; 5: 7; 4: 5; 3: 5; 2: 5; 1: 8 What are these notes? What chord do you have?

C, E, G, C, E, C This is a C major chord. Now, what shape follows this chord? Look at the key of G following the open G chord. This is going to have a note that is one fret behind Open, so we might move down to the 12th fret so we can “see” this more clearly.

The G chord is: 6: 15; 5: 14; 4: 12; 3: 12; 2: 12; 1: 15

The scale of the key of G is:
1: 12, 14, 15
2: 12, 13, 15
3: 11, 12, 14
4: 12, 14
5: 12, 14, 15
6: 12, 14, 15

The scale of the key of C follows this pattern but is 7 frets toward the headstock. (This is a perfect 5th. G is the 5th of C, which means if you go UP from C you will go up 7 half steps, or 7 frets. Or, you say that C it the perfect 4th of G, which means if you go UP from G to C you have 5 half steps, or 5 frets. So to go DOWN, you must use the compliment, the perfect 5th which is 7 frets.) So, the scale is:
1: 5, 7, 8
2: 5, 6, 8
3: 4, 5, 7
4: 5, 7
5: 5, 7, 8
6: 5, 7, 8

You won’t be able to understand just by reading this and “thinking” about it. Now, I have drawn up charts showing this. If I shared a chart with you, then you could “see” this. However, you wouldn’t “understand” it like you will if you pick up your guitar and actually fret these scales and chords. The other thing you can do is make your own charts. Then you will “see” it.

Well, I guess I can’t help myself. Here is the diagram showing the C major chord in the CAGED chord shapes within the associated scale pattern. One file is a pdf and the other is jpg. I have never seen any other attempts to show these as they all over lap. But if you look at this chart carefully, you will be able to “see” the CAGED chords and the scale patterns.

I hope this helps.

MG 😀

CAGED-Chord-Scales.pdf 139 KB PDF - Click to view

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CAGED-Chord-Scales.jpg 174 KB Image File - Click to view

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