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CAGED shapes in B major

The seven chords of the key, each in its movable shapes. They are listed from the bottom of the neck to the top. Tap any diagram to see it bigger, or to rotate it.

B

I Home

B

A shape

NUT E A D G B e × 1 3 3 3
NUT E A D G B e × 1 3 3 3

The red NUT marks the start of the neck, by the tuning pegs; frets count away from it. The thickest string is the low E (the letters show each string). × = don't play it, ○ = play it open. Numbers are fingers: 1 index, 2 middle, 3 ring, 4 little.

B

G shape

4fr E A D G B e 3 2 1 4
4fr E A D G B e 3 2 1 4

The red NUT marks the start of the neck, by the tuning pegs; frets count away from it. The thickest string is the low E (the letters show each string). × = don't play it, ○ = play it open. Numbers are fingers: 1 index, 2 middle, 3 ring, 4 little.

B

E shape

7fr E A D G B e 1 3 4 2
7fr E A D G B e 1 3 4 2

The red NUT marks the start of the neck, by the tuning pegs; frets count away from it. The thickest string is the low E (the letters show each string). × = don't play it, ○ = play it open. Numbers are fingers: 1 index, 2 middle, 3 ring, 4 little.

B

D shape

9fr E A D G B e × × 1 2 4 3
9fr E A D G B e × × 1 2 4 3

The red NUT marks the start of the neck, by the tuning pegs; frets count away from it. The thickest string is the low E (the letters show each string). × = don't play it, ○ = play it open. Numbers are fingers: 1 index, 2 middle, 3 ring, 4 little.

B

C shape

11fr E A D G B e × 4 3 1 2
11fr E A D G B e × 4 3 1 2

The red NUT marks the start of the neck, by the tuning pegs; frets count away from it. The thickest string is the low E (the letters show each string). × = don't play it, ○ = play it open. Numbers are fingers: 1 index, 2 middle, 3 ring, 4 little.

C#m

ii Setup

C#m

A shape

4fr E A D G B e × 1 3 4 2
4fr E A D G B e × 1 3 4 2

The red NUT marks the start of the neck, by the tuning pegs; frets count away from it. The thickest string is the low E (the letters show each string). × = don't play it, ○ = play it open. Numbers are fingers: 1 index, 2 middle, 3 ring, 4 little.

C#m

E shape

9fr E A D G B e 1 3 4
9fr E A D G B e 1 3 4

The red NUT marks the start of the neck, by the tuning pegs; frets count away from it. The thickest string is the low E (the letters show each string). × = don't play it, ○ = play it open. Numbers are fingers: 1 index, 2 middle, 3 ring, 4 little.

C#m

D shape

11fr E A D G B e × × 1 3 4 2
11fr E A D G B e × × 1 3 4 2

The red NUT marks the start of the neck, by the tuning pegs; frets count away from it. The thickest string is the low E (the letters show each string). × = don't play it, ○ = play it open. Numbers are fingers: 1 index, 2 middle, 3 ring, 4 little.

D#m

iii Soft

D#m

D shape

NUT E A D G B e × × 1 3 4 2
NUT E A D G B e × × 1 3 4 2

The red NUT marks the start of the neck, by the tuning pegs; frets count away from it. The thickest string is the low E (the letters show each string). × = don't play it, ○ = play it open. Numbers are fingers: 1 index, 2 middle, 3 ring, 4 little.

D#m

A shape

6fr E A D G B e × 1 3 4 2
6fr E A D G B e × 1 3 4 2

The red NUT marks the start of the neck, by the tuning pegs; frets count away from it. The thickest string is the low E (the letters show each string). × = don't play it, ○ = play it open. Numbers are fingers: 1 index, 2 middle, 3 ring, 4 little.

D#m

E shape

11fr E A D G B e 1 3 4
11fr E A D G B e 1 3 4

The red NUT marks the start of the neck, by the tuning pegs; frets count away from it. The thickest string is the low E (the letters show each string). × = don't play it, ○ = play it open. Numbers are fingers: 1 index, 2 middle, 3 ring, 4 little.

E

IV Lift

E

E shape

NUT E A D G B e 2 3 1
NUT E A D G B e 2 3 1

The red NUT marks the start of the neck, by the tuning pegs; frets count away from it. The thickest string is the low E (the letters show each string). × = don't play it, ○ = play it open. Numbers are fingers: 1 index, 2 middle, 3 ring, 4 little.

E

D shape

2fr E A D G B e × × 1 2 4 3
2fr E A D G B e × × 1 2 4 3

The red NUT marks the start of the neck, by the tuning pegs; frets count away from it. The thickest string is the low E (the letters show each string). × = don't play it, ○ = play it open. Numbers are fingers: 1 index, 2 middle, 3 ring, 4 little.

E

C shape

4fr E A D G B e × 4 3 1 2
4fr E A D G B e × 4 3 1 2

The red NUT marks the start of the neck, by the tuning pegs; frets count away from it. The thickest string is the low E (the letters show each string). × = don't play it, ○ = play it open. Numbers are fingers: 1 index, 2 middle, 3 ring, 4 little.

E

A shape

7fr E A D G B e × 1 3 3 3
7fr E A D G B e × 1 3 3 3

The red NUT marks the start of the neck, by the tuning pegs; frets count away from it. The thickest string is the low E (the letters show each string). × = don't play it, ○ = play it open. Numbers are fingers: 1 index, 2 middle, 3 ring, 4 little.

E

G shape

9fr E A D G B e 3 2 1 4
9fr E A D G B e 3 2 1 4

The red NUT marks the start of the neck, by the tuning pegs; frets count away from it. The thickest string is the low E (the letters show each string). × = don't play it, ○ = play it open. Numbers are fingers: 1 index, 2 middle, 3 ring, 4 little.

F#

V Tension

F#

E shape

NUT E A D G B e 1 3 4 2
NUT E A D G B e 1 3 4 2

The red NUT marks the start of the neck, by the tuning pegs; frets count away from it. The thickest string is the low E (the letters show each string). × = don't play it, ○ = play it open. Numbers are fingers: 1 index, 2 middle, 3 ring, 4 little.

F#

D shape

4fr E A D G B e × × 1 2 4 3
4fr E A D G B e × × 1 2 4 3

The red NUT marks the start of the neck, by the tuning pegs; frets count away from it. The thickest string is the low E (the letters show each string). × = don't play it, ○ = play it open. Numbers are fingers: 1 index, 2 middle, 3 ring, 4 little.

F#

C shape

6fr E A D G B e × 4 3 1 2
6fr E A D G B e × 4 3 1 2

The red NUT marks the start of the neck, by the tuning pegs; frets count away from it. The thickest string is the low E (the letters show each string). × = don't play it, ○ = play it open. Numbers are fingers: 1 index, 2 middle, 3 ring, 4 little.

F#

A shape

9fr E A D G B e × 1 3 3 3
9fr E A D G B e × 1 3 3 3

The red NUT marks the start of the neck, by the tuning pegs; frets count away from it. The thickest string is the low E (the letters show each string). × = don't play it, ○ = play it open. Numbers are fingers: 1 index, 2 middle, 3 ring, 4 little.

F#

G shape

11fr E A D G B e 3 2 1 4
11fr E A D G B e 3 2 1 4

The red NUT marks the start of the neck, by the tuning pegs; frets count away from it. The thickest string is the low E (the letters show each string). × = don't play it, ○ = play it open. Numbers are fingers: 1 index, 2 middle, 3 ring, 4 little.

G#m

vi Relative minor

G#m

E shape

4fr E A D G B e 1 3 4
4fr E A D G B e 1 3 4

The red NUT marks the start of the neck, by the tuning pegs; frets count away from it. The thickest string is the low E (the letters show each string). × = don't play it, ○ = play it open. Numbers are fingers: 1 index, 2 middle, 3 ring, 4 little.

G#m

D shape

6fr E A D G B e × × 1 3 4 2
6fr E A D G B e × × 1 3 4 2

The red NUT marks the start of the neck, by the tuning pegs; frets count away from it. The thickest string is the low E (the letters show each string). × = don't play it, ○ = play it open. Numbers are fingers: 1 index, 2 middle, 3 ring, 4 little.

G#m

A shape

11fr E A D G B e × 1 3 4 2
11fr E A D G B e × 1 3 4 2

The red NUT marks the start of the neck, by the tuning pegs; frets count away from it. The thickest string is the low E (the letters show each string). × = don't play it, ○ = play it open. Numbers are fingers: 1 index, 2 middle, 3 ring, 4 little.

A#dim

vii° Tense

A#dim

Diminished

NUT E A D G B e × 1 2 4 3 ×
NUT E A D G B e × 1 2 4 3 ×

The red NUT marks the start of the neck, by the tuning pegs; frets count away from it. The thickest string is the low E (the letters show each string). × = don't play it, ○ = play it open. Numbers are fingers: 1 index, 2 middle, 3 ring, 4 little.

Major chords have five shapes. Minor chords have three (the A, E and D forms), because the C and G minor shapes are awkward to play. The diminished chord has one shape.

How to play each shape

C shape
Root note on the A string. Lay your index finger across the top three strings at the fret, then make the rest of the C shape with your other fingers.
A shape
Root note on the A string. Your index finger barres five strings at the fret (leave the low E alone) and your ring finger covers three strings two frets higher.
G shape
Root note on the low E string. A big stretch. Your index finger barres the D, G and B strings, and the other fingers reach the low E, A and high e strings.
E shape
Root note on the low E string. Your index finger barres all six strings at the fret and the rest of your hand makes the open E shape.
D shape
Root note on the D string. Only the four highest strings are played, so mute the two low ones. Your index finger sits on the root and the others form a small triangle.

Other keys

C G D A E B F# Db Ab Eb Bb F

What is CAGED? · Chords and progressions in B major