Minor shapes of the CAGED system

In this lesson we're taking a look at the minor CAGED shapes. Again, we don't play many of the full minor shapes in chords, but we do use them to know shapes, notes and intervals for solos and licks. When playing minor chords using CAGED, the players we're studying often play just three strings, which can free the fingers to play licks in between chords.

We'll begin by looking at how to play a C minor triad all over the neck, but this can of course be moved up and down the neck to play any minor chord.

Lesson aims

1. Learn to play the C minor chord with the five minor CAGED shapes
2. Experiment with adding to the chords with other notes from the C minor scale
3. Try using these shapes in other keys

C minor chord using the minor CAGED shapes

Here we see the minor CAGED shapes on the fretboard. As with the major chord shapes, there's a lot of overlap between the shapes

Blue = C minor shape, Green = A minor shape, Pink = G minor shape, Orange = E minor shape, Red = D minor shape

Exercise 7 - The minor CAGED shapes

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Recommended listening - 'Little Wing' by Jimi Hendrix

Little Wing - interactive tab link

Recommended listening - 'Hey Ho' by RHCP (John Frusciante)

Hey Ho - interactive tab link