Map the fretboard: octaves and CAGED
The guitar neck is like a big city. Octave shapes are shortcuts, like secret tunnels that take you from one street to the same place on another street. CAGED is a map that shows five neighbourhoods where the same chord lives.
- Octave shapes (same note name, one octave higher):
| Root on | Octave on | Example |
|---|---|---|
| String 6, fret N | String 4, fret N+2 | A at 6/5 → A at 4/7 |
| String 5, fret N | String 3, fret N+2 | C at 5/3 → C at 3/5 |
| String 4, fret N | String 2, fret N+3 | E at 4/2 → E at 2/5 |
| String 3, fret N | String 1, fret N+3 | A at 3/2 → A at 1/5 |
- String 6 and string 1 are both E, so the same fret on both is the same note name, two octaves apart.
- CAGED system: the five open chord shapes C, A, G, E, D can be moved up the neck and they connect in that order. Here is C major in all five shapes:
| Shape | Frets (6 to 1) | Where the root C is |
|---|---|---|
| C shape (open) | x-3-2-0-1-0 | string 5 fret 3, string 2 fret 1 |
| A shape | x-3-5-5-5-3 | string 5 fret 3, string 3 fret 5 |
| G shape | 8-7-5-5-5-8 | string 6 fret 8, string 3 fret 5, string 1 fret 8 |
| E shape | 8-10-10-9-8-8 | string 6 fret 8, string 4 fret 10, string 1 fret 8 |
| D shape | x-x-10-12-13-12 | string 4 fret 10, string 2 fret 13 |
- After the D shape, the C shape starts again 12 frets higher (from fret 12).
- Full G-shape and D-shape chords are hard to grab; players often use just a few strings of them. The point of CAGED is to see where chord tones sit in every area of the neck.
- Play A on string 6 fret 5, then find the same note on string 4 fret 7. That is one octave up.
- Use the table to play the other octave shapes (string 5 to 3 is +2 frets, string 4 to 2 is +3, string 3 to 1 is +3).
- Play C major in the open C shape: x-3-2-0-1-0.
- Then play C major in the A shape (x-3-5-5-5-3), the G shape, the E shape (8-10-10-9-8-8) and the D shape, in that order up the neck.
- Say out loud where the root C is in each shape.
- Check: you can find C in all five shapes, and you know that after D the C shape starts again 12 frets higher.
Videos by other creators on YouTube, for reference. They are not made by or affiliated with The Future Market.
Read the video script
[Screen: finger on A at string 6 fret 5, then string 4 fret 7] "Octave shapes are your shortcut. Two strings over, two frets up: same note, higher."
[Text on screen: C A G E D] "Now the CAGED system. Five open chord shapes: C, A, G, E, D."
[Screen: C major played in each shape moving up the neck] "Here's one chord, C major, in all five shapes, climbing the neck."
[Screen: roots highlighted in each shape] "Watch the root notes. They're your anchors."
[Host] "Learn this map once, and you'll never feel lost on the neck again."
Metronome at 60 BPM.
- 5 minutes: pick a random note name. Find it on string 6, then use octave shapes to find it on strings 4, 2 and 1. One location per click.
- 10 minutes: play C major in all five CAGED shapes, low to high and back. Say the shape name as you play it.
- 5 minutes: repeat with G major: E shape at fret 3, D shape around fret 5, C shape around fret 7, A shape at fret 10, G shape around fret 12. Work out the exact frets yourself by sliding each shape until its root is a G.
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I'm learning "Guitar 3: Advanced (solos, improvising, theory on the fretboard)" on The Future Market. Lesson 1: "Map the fretboard: octaves and CAGED". What the lesson teaches: - Octave shapes (same note name, one octave higher): - Root on - Octave on - Example - String 6, fret N - String 4, fret N+2 - A at 6/5 → A at 4/7 - String 5, fret N - String 3, fret N+2 - C at 5/3 → C at 3/5 - String 4, fret N - String 2, fret N+3 - E at 4/2 → E at 2/5 - String 3, fret N - String 1, fret N+3 - A at 3/2 → A at 1/5 - String 6 and string 1 are both E, so the same fret on both is the same note name, two octaves apart. The exercise I'm working on: Metronome at 60 BPM. - 5 minutes: pick a random note name. Find it on string 6, then use octave shapes to find it on strings 4, 2 and 1. One location per click. - 10 minutes: play C major in all five CAGED shapes, low to high and back. Say the shape name as you play it. - 5 minutes: repeat with G major: E shape at fret 3, D shape around fret 5, C shape around fret 7, A shape at fret 10, G shape around fret 12. Work out the exact frets yourself by sliding each shape until its root is a G. --- I'm stuck. Please: 1. Explain the main idea in plain, simple words with one everyday example. 2. Walk me through the exercise one small step at a time. Ask me what I've done so far before giving the next step. 3. Don't just give me the final answer. Help me do it myself, and check my work when I share it.
I'm a parent helping my child (about 8 years old) with a lesson called "Map the fretboard: octaves and CAGED" from the course "Guitar 3: Advanced (solos, improvising, theory on the fretboard)". Here's what the lesson says: The guitar neck is like a big city. Octave shapes are shortcuts, like secret tunnels that take you from one street to the same place on another street. CAGED is a map that shows five neighbourhoods where the same chord lives. The activity: Metronome at 60 BPM. - 5 minutes: pick a random note name. Find it on string 6, then use octave shapes to find it on strings 4, 2 and 1. One location per click. - 10 minutes: play C major in all five CAGED shapes, low to high and back. Say the shape name as you play it. - 5 minutes: repeat with G major: E shape at fret 3, D shape around fret 5, C shape around fret 7, A shape at fret 10, G shape around fret 12. Work out the exact frets yourself by sliding each shape until its root is a G. --- Please explain this so an 8-year-old understands: short sentences, a fun everyday example, and no hard words. Then give me 3 simple questions I can ask my child to check they understood, and a way to do the activity together, one tiny step at a time.
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Quiz
Root on string 6 at fret 5. Where is the same note one octave higher on string 4?
Fret 7.
What do the letters CAGED stand for?
The five open chord shapes C, A, G, E and D, which connect up the neck in that order.
What notes are in the A blues scale?
A, C, D, Eb, E, G.
A whole-step bend should match the pitch of the note how many frets higher?
2 frets.
What is the formula of a dominant 7 chord?
1 3 5 b7.
Over A7 in a blues, which note is the 3rd you can target?
C#.
What is the formula of the Dorian mode?
1 2 b3 4 5 6 b7.
Which mode fits an A to G to D vamp?
A Mixolydian.
What is call and response in a solo?
Playing a short phrase and then answering it with a different phrase.
According to the Baylor music health guide, about how long should you repeat a difficult passage at a time?
About 5 minutes.
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Certificate
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