Patterns
The Fundamental Five Shapes
These five shapes may not look like much, but they are the foundation for understanding the fretboard. Each of the red dots represents the same note. In position one, the note on the second string is the same as fifth string, two frets over. The whole fretboard view illustrates how these positions overlap and repeat.
Position 1
2nd to 5th string
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
Position 2
5th to 3rd string
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
Position 3
3rd to 1st/6th strings
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
Position 4
1st/6th to 4th string
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
Position 5
4th back to 2nd string
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
The Five Shapes Joined:
- open
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
- 7
- 8
- 9
- 10
- 11
- 12
- 13
Chord Patterns -- CAGED System
The five caged pattern shapes correspond with the fret patterns above.
C-Shaped
Position 1
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
A-Shaped
Position 2
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
G-Shaped
Position 3
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
E-Shaped
Position 4
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
D-Shaped
Position 5
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4