In our first article we examined the CAGED system where a chord could be produced by adding a barre behind the open chord. This system of chords is interconnected throughout the whole of the fretboard of the guitar. Most guitar players only utilize the E and A position in their entirety, using only partial chords when playing the C, G, and D positions.

After learning to play the E position, I also discovered in my second lesson that you could leave off your middle or second finger and you were in a minor chord. In other words when you are playing G major in the E position, just take your second finger off the third string on the fourth fret and voila you have G minor. The minor chord in the E position can be moved along the neck to the desired key.

When playing the minor chord in the E position, you can also drop your pinky finger down to the second string and you have a sixth. Let's use the G chord for an example. Let's say that you're playing the G minor chord in the E position, you can then drop your pinky finger to the second string on the fifth fret and you will have Gm6 or G minor 6. If the pinky is placed on the sixth fret you will then have Gm7 or G minor 7. The same goes for the major. By dropping the pinky finger to the fifth fret you will then have a G6 and if the sixth then a G7.

The same goes for the minor in the A position. Here one just slides the barre behind an A minor to the third fret to achieve the C minor chord. If you look at the open A7 chord, a barre can be slid behind it to the third fret to achieve a C7. The Am7 will become a Cm7 in the A position. I have also found the Cmaj7 can be made in the A position with the second finger on the third string and fourth fret, the third finger on the fourth string and the fifth fret, the pinky on the second string and fifth fret. This may be a little hard to follow which is why most guitar lessons are now taught on video. But by experimenting with this method you will soon find many more chords, which can be made from the CAGED system.

The CAGED system should give each student a better understanding of the overall fretboard as well as the ability to connect the notes on the fretboard. A word of caution is warranted here in that the student should not stop learning with just the chords he discovers within the CAGED system, but should also continue to discover other fingerings that can expand his understanding of this instrument that he loves so much.

Would you like to learn more about the CAGED guitar system? We have videos as well as articles for the beginning guitarist. Please visit our new blog at Guitar-Video-Lessons-For-Beginners.com.

Leo Donahue has been playing guitar for over thirty years and is the owner and editor of the new blog Guitar Video Lessons For Beginners.