Minor CAGED Chords: Completing the CAGED System, Part 1
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Minor CAGED Chords: Completing the CAGED System
CAGED is a powerful way to navigate the fretboard. But if you only apply it to major chords, scales, and arpeggios, you’re missing part of the picture.
The same CAGED framework can also be applied to minor chords, arpeggios, and scales. Learning the minor side of the system fills in the gaps left by only knowing major CAGED and gives you a more complete map of the fretboard.
Just like major CAGED, the minor CAGED system begins with the chord shapes. From there, you can add the arpeggios and scales.
In this lesson, we’ll work through the five minor CAGED chord shapes. You’ll learn how each shape is formed and practice exercises that will help you:
- Get the shapes under your fingers
- Connect them across the fretboard
- Anchor them to their root notes
In parts two, three, and four of this series, we’ll build the minor arpeggios and scales from these same chord shapes.
Note: This lesson assumes you are already familiar with the major CAGED chord shapes. If CAGED is new to you, start with the major CAGED lesson first.
Major and Minor CAGED Use the Same Root Notes
If you already know major CAGED, the most important thing to understand is that the root-note patterns are exactly the same for the minor shapes.
For example:
- The roots in the C major shape are the same as the roots in the C minor shape.
- The roots in the A major shape are the same as the roots in the A minor shape.
- The roots in the G major shape are the same as the roots in the G minor shape.
The only thing that changes is the third of the chord.
A major chord contains:
Root – Major 3rd – Perfect 5th
A minor chord contains:
Root – Minor 3rd – Perfect 5th
To turn a major CAGED shape into a minor shape, lower the major third by one fret.
We’ll use that process to build each of the five minor CAGED chord forms.
Building the Minor Chord Shapes
Start with the open C major chord shape.
The major third is located on the fourth string. Lower that note by one fret to create the minor third.
The note on the first string is also a major third, so remove it from the chord.
This gives you the C minor form.
The A Minor Shape
Start with the A major chord shape.
The major third is located on the second string. Lower it by one fret to create the minor third.
This gives you the A minor form.
The G Minor Shape
Start with the G major chord shape.
The major third is located on the fifth string. Lower it by one fret to create the minor third.
This gives you the G minor form.
The E Minor Shape
Start with the E major chord shape.
The major third is located on the third string. Lower it by one fret and barre straight across the strings.
This gives you the E minor form.
The D Minor Shape
Start with the D major chord shape.
The major third is located on the first string. Lower it by one fret to create the minor third.
This gives you the D minor form.
From here, the sequence returns to the C minor shape at the octave.
The complete minor CAGED sequence is:
C minor → A minor → G minor → E minor → D minor → C minor
Exercise 1: Connect the Root Notes to the Chords
Now that you know the minor chord shapes, the next step is to connect them to their root notes.
Anchoring the shapes to the roots creates fretboard landmarks that allow you to recognize the minor CAGED forms anywhere on the neck.
Start with the C minor form. In each position:
- Play the root notes.
- Play the complete chord.
- Move to the next minor CAGED shape.
Moving Up the Fretboard
C Minor Form
The C minor form contains roots on the:
- Fifth string
- Second string
Play both root notes, followed by the complete chord.
A Minor Form
The A minor form contains roots on the:
- Fifth string
- Third string
The fifth-string root connects the A minor form to the previous C minor form.
G Minor Form
The G minor form contains roots on the:
- Sixth string
- Third string
- First string
The third-string root connects the G minor form to the previous A minor form.
The first-string root is not played as part of the chord in this position, but it will become useful when we add the arpeggio.
E Minor Form
The E minor form contains roots on the:
- Sixth string
- Fourth string
- First string
The sixth-string root connects the E minor form to the previous G minor form.
D Minor Form
The D minor form contains roots on the:
- Fourth string
- Second string
The fourth-string root connects the D minor form to the previous E minor form.
C Minor Form at the Octave
The next C minor form contains roots on the:
- Fifth string
- Second string
The second-string root connects the C minor form to the previous D minor form.
Moving Back Down the Fretboard
Once you reach the C minor shape at the octave, reverse the exercise and work back down to the starting position.
Move through the shapes in this order:
C minor → D minor → E minor → G minor → A minor → C minor
Continue playing the root notes followed by each chord.
C Minor Form
Roots:
- Fifth string
- Second string
D Minor Form
Roots:
- Fourth string
- Second string
E Minor Form
Roots:
- Sixth string
- Fourth string
- First string
G Minor Form
Roots:
- Sixth string
- Third string
A Minor Form
Roots:
- Fifth string
- Third string
C Minor Form
Roots:
- Fifth string
- Second string
This lesson uses the C minor shape as the starting point, but you should repeat the exercise using each minor CAGED form as your starting position.
Exercise 2: Visualize the Chords Around the Roots
For the next exercise, we’re going to work through the same minor CAGED sequence, but play only the root notes.
As you move from position to position, visualize the complete chord shape surrounding those roots, but don’t play the chord. The goal is to learn how to recognize the full shape from the root notes alone.
Start with the C minor form and work up the fretboard:
C minor → A minor → G minor → E minor → D minor → C minor
In each position:
- Play the root notes.
- Pause long enough to visualize the complete chord.
- Move to the next shape.
You don’t need to play each root a specific number of times, just long enough to clearly see the chord shape around it.
Once you reach the octave, work back down:
C minor → D minor → E minor → G minor → A minor → C minor
Again, repeat this exercise using each minor CAGED shape as the starting point.
Building the Minor CAGED Foundation
At this stage, the goal is to get the minor chord shapes under your fingers and anchor them to their root notes.
You should work toward being able to:
- Recognize each minor CAGED chord shape
- Move through the shapes in either direction
- Identify the root notes within each form
- Visualize a complete chord from the root notes alone
- Start the sequence from any minor CAGED position
These chord shapes provide the framework for everything that follows.
In part two, we’ll build the minor CAGED arpeggios directly from these same chord forms.
Lesson Pack: YT-002-P2 - Minor CAGED Chords: Completing the CAGED System, Part 1
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