CAGED System - D Major - D Shape Octave - Chords, Arpeggio, and Scales

CAGED System for Guitar

In this series of videos I will be showing you some of the Scales and Arpeggios that work with the chords of the CAGED system.

The CAGED system is a method for using 5 different chord shapes that are moveable up and down the guitar neck, allowing you to play in any key, anywhere on the guitar neck.

The five chord shapes used are C, A, G, E, D hence the name CAGED. Each of these 5 ‘open’ chord shapes (playable with open strings) can be made moveable by replacing the open string with a fretted note, which results in a shape that can be played anywhere on the guitar.

The aim of these videos is to give the player access to the notes that surround the chord shapes to create melodies, embellish chords, add more colour to songs, compositions and improvisations.


Note - some of the scale and arpeggio patterns can be slightly different in the open (zero fret) position, but played as the standard CAGED pattern in the Octave position.


Legend has it that the Late Great Jazz Guitar Virtuoso Joe Pass, came up with the idea during a spell in Jail, annoyed about being caged, which resulted in a flash of inspiration……. whether that’s true or not, I don’t know, but it’s a great story.


How to play

It is recommended to start and finish on the root note of each pattern, so your ears can be trained to the sound and tonality of the pattern, and also allows you to hear the effect of each different note played in relation to the Root note.

After playing the Chords and patterns, I would recommend exploring the patterns and noodling around, experimenting with them and see what your ears like. Remember that these patterns are meant to create music… not just play scale patterns as fast as possible.
read the boxes at the top from bottom (low string E string) to the top (High E string) and the numbers along the bottom re the fret numbers. The red dots are the Root notes and the black the other notes of the chord/arpeggio/scale.

I would also recommend playing the related chord at the beginning and end of each pattern.


I have included .......

Major Chord - 3 note open position and moveable Triad.

Major 7th Arpeggio - I’ve added the 7th note of the Major scale to add more colour for your playing, instead of the standard 3 note Arpeggio for the Major chord.

Major Pentatonic - 5 Note Scale the is a great tool for learning the guitar neck and for improvisation.

Major Scale -The parent Scale where all the chords and arpeggios are built from. Essential for understanding the Theory of Music


All examples played slowly and double time.

I use a beat instead of a metronome which, in my opinion adds a more musical feel, in this case I’ve use BFD3 which I feel has the best groove of all the drum programs I’ve used.


Play Nice.