CAGED Learning Pathway
Your step-by-step pathway to fretboard freedom.
Intermediate guitarists
Know the basics but feel like your playing has hit a plateau? This course will open up your fretboard.
3 months
Molly will guide you through 6 grades of step-by-step instruction with daily practice plans and assessments.
Fretboard freedom
By the end of this pathway, you'll be able to confidently solo across your entire fretboard in any key or style.
Take the next step
Once you've mastered CAGED, keep progressing with advanced Master Classes and guided pathways.
What you'll learn
The CAGED system is the best method for demystifying your guitar and mapping out your fretboard.
- Confidently improvise in any key or genre
- Break out of scale-shaped boxes
- Fluently solo across your entire fretboard
Curriculum
Stay focused with this step-by-step learning program designed by our expert team of music educators.
Your guided learning pathway
In this 3-month Learning Pathway, Dr. Molly Miller will guide you toward fretboard freedom.
C and A shapes
In Grade 1, we'll guide you through the fundamentals of the CAGED system and get you making music right away within two CAGED shapes.
Grade 1 consists of seven gradually-paced days. The lessons are suitable for beginners and anyone new to the CAGED system.
G, E, and D shapes
In Grade 2, you'll complete your CAGED foundation by learning how to visualize and solo within the remaining three shapes of the CAGED cycle.
Throughout seven days of lessons, you'll work on soloing while connecting your fretboard and locking in a visual map that'll serve you for the rest of your guitar-playing days.
Changing Keys
The magic of the CAGED system is that, once you learn it, you can shift it around your neck to solo in any key.
This grade is all about making sure you can make full use of your fretboard and fluidly connect CAGED shapes with the pentatonic scale.
Grade 4. Major Scale
Once you’ve got all the shapes of the CAGED system down, we'll introduce you to the final piece of the puzzle that’ll unlock worlds of soloing: the major scale.
Grade 5. Making Music With CAGED
All the CAGED knowledge in the world won't do you any good if you can't make your lines sing. This grade is all about breathing life into your riffs via expressive techniques and creative strategies for soloing.
Grade 6. Intro to Major Triads
Three little notes and a whole lot of power. Major triads are the next step in your CAGED journey. They'll make you a more compelling soloist and will refine your rhythm playing in a big way.
Grade 1. C and A Shapes
Start mapping out your fretboard by learning the fundamentals of the CAGED system.
Day 1. Get to know CAGED
Your goal today is to understand what the CAGED system is all about and test out some of its shapes.
Day 2. C Shape
Once you’re familiar with the CAGED system as a whole, you’ll start building your foundation, brick by brick.
In Day 2, we’re shining a spotlight on the C shape with a four-step process to get from chord shapes to the pentatonic scale.
Day 3. A shape
Here, we set our sights on the A shape (you probably already know this one). We’ll use the same four-step process as in Day 2: Strum the shape, find the root notes, learn the chord tones, and practice the major pentatonic scale.
Day 4. Connecting C and A – Chord tones
Developing an innate sense of chord tones within your CAGED shapes is crucial. Chord tones are anchors for visualization. They’ll make it easy to fill in the gaps to create the pentatonic and major scales. These tones are prime for targeting when soloing. Today, you’ll work on connecting chord tones across your C and A shapes.
Day 5. Connecting C and A – Pentatonic
Now that we have a clear map of chord tones in our C and A shapes, we’ll focus on finding musical ways to connect them in the key of D. Today is all about visualizing shapes, meditating on connection points, and doing what feels natural.
Day 6. Connecting C and A in a new key
The true magic of CAGED is that works in any key. This lesson is a fun one because you’ll see how you can shift your newfound CAGED knowledge around your fretboard. Today, we’re moving to the key of F major.
Day 7. Grade 1 workout
Recap what you learned and put your skills to the test with a guided workout.
Performance pieces
Choose a song to learn that takes what you worked on in Grade 1 and puts it in a musical context. Here, you'll get to jam with a live-recorded band of pro-LA musicians as your backing track.
Personalized feedback
Submit a video of yourself playing a performance piece from this grade for custom video feedback on your playing from our team of pro guitarists.
Final quiz
Make sure you're ready to move on to Grade 2.
Grade 2. G, E, and D Shapes
Complete your foundation by visualizing and soloing within three remaining CAGED shapes.
Day 1. G shape
Today, we’ll head into uncharted CAGED territory by exploring the G shape – so much soloing happens here. This is an important one to know.
Day 2. E shape
Here, we continue into the unknown by exploring the E shape. Two full octaves are available in this shape. Locate them first, add in your chord tones, and build out the pentatonic. It’s all there for you.
Day 3. Connecting G and E shapes
It’s time to unite and utilize the G and E shapes. This particular union of shapes is an important one. Honing in on connecting them will deepen your fretboard visualization and help add movement to your melodies.
Day 4. D shape
Today, you’ll analyze the final shape in the CAGED system: the D shape. The D shape is a vital part of the tissue connecting the E and C shapes together. The D shape's 4th-string root and shifting requirements make it unique compared to other ones.
Day 5. Connecting E and D shapes
Let’s keep this CAGED train rolling. Today, you’ll focus on seamlessly connecting the E and D shapes. There’s a lot of versatility in the way these two shapes connect. Both the upper and lower strings have regions for you to focus on, move around in, and build licks from.
Day 6. Connecting all shapes
Now that you have each individual CAGED shape under your fingers, we’ll work on connecting the entire CAGED cycle. As you work through today’s exercises, we'll remind you to mind your roots. They’re not flashy, but they’re crucial anchor points for visualization.
Day 7. Grade 2 workout
Recap what you learned and put your skills to the test with a guided workout.
Performance pieces
Choose a song to learn that takes what you worked on in Grade 2 and puts it in a musical context. Here, you'll get to jam with a live-recorded band of pro-LA musicians as your backing track.
Personalized feedback
Submit a video of yourself playing a performance piece from this grade for custom video feedback on your playing from our team of pro guitarists.
Final quiz
Make sure you're ready to move on to Grade 3.
Grade 3. Changing Keys
This grade is all about getting fluent and confident with the CAGED system in different keys. Molly will also teach you licks that highlight the “sweet spots” of each shape.
Day 1. C and A shapes ( 🔑 of F)
Today, we’ll take the C and A shape on an adventure to the key of F. We'll ask you to focus on where the root note F is on the fretboard here – it's your anchor point to visualize the shapes in this new key.
Day 2. A and G shapes ( 🔑 of F)
Here, you’ll get comfy in the A and G shapes in the key of F. The G shape is the first shape many people learn. For some, it’s also the last (not you though, fretboard explorer!) The G shape in combination with the A shape is double-stop heaven. Jimi Hendrix, John Mayer, and many others defined their sounds within these moneymaker positions.
Day 3. G and E shapes ( 🔑 of A)
In Day 3, we move to the key of A. Think of changing to a new key as moving to a new town. First, you need to know how to get to your new home (roots.) Then, learn where your essential destinations are (chord tones.) Once you get those down, you can explore the pentatonic streets in your new hood so you can connect your map with ease.
Day 4. The E, D, and C zone ( 🔑 of A)
New day, new CAGED zone. Here, you'll continue working on solidifying your CAGED knowledge, internalizing the order of the system by working up and down the neck, and expanding your ability to access sounds across your entire fretboard.
Day 5. I to IV ( 🔑 of G)
Eventually, one of the things you’ll be able to do thanks to the CAGED system is improvising a solo over any chord progression. In Day 4, we’ll take the first step toward that goal. You’ll learn how to choose the shapes that fit the sound you’re going for best and how to switch from one pentatonic scale to another.
Day 6. Dock of the Bay – I III7 IV II
Today, you'll tackle an iconic chord progression that has four major chords. As you'll soon find out – they don't all fit in a neat little box for blanket soloing.
Day 7. Grade 3 workout
Recap what you learned and put your skills to the test with a guided workout.
Performance pieces
Choose a song to learn that takes what you worked on in Grade 3 and puts it in a musical context. Here, you'll get to jam with a live-recorded band of pro-LA musicians as your backing track.
Personalized feedback
Submit a video of yourself playing a performance piece from this grade for custom video feedback on your playing from our team of pro guitarists.
Final quiz
Make sure you're ready to move on to Grade 4.
Grades 4-6
Apply CAGED to the major scale, learn how to make your lines sing, and dive into the world of major triads.
Grade 4. Major Scale
In this grade, you’ll learn the major scale like the back of your hand to unlock a new world of soloing
Day 1. C shape – D major scale
This lesson will help you find the major scale with the C shape as your guide. Of all the great scales that you’ll learn on your guitar journey, none are more important than the major scale.
Every proficient guitarist becomes fluent with this crucial scale in their journey. It forms the basis for all of the chords, arpeggios, intervals, and soloing material that you’ll hear in most songs.
Day 2. A shape – D major scale
Today, you’ll extend your knowledge of the major scale by taking it a step further with the A shape.
Day 3. G shape – D major scale
Practice the major scale within the G CAGED shape, then apply it in an improvisational context.
Day 4. E shape – D major scale
Practice the major scale within the E CAGED shape, then apply it in an improvisational context.
Day 5. D shape – D major scale
Practice the major scale within the D CAGED shape, then apply it in an improvisational context.
Day 6. Connecting shapes
Now that you’ve learned each of the major scale patterns individually, we’ll work on connecting them. It’s a crucial skill for guitarists to be able to connect each of the major scale shapes. This is a massive step toward fretboard freedom.
Day 7. Grade 4 workout
Recap what you learned and put your skills to the test with a guided workout.
Performance pieces
Choose a song to learn that takes what you worked on in Grade 4 and puts it in a musical context. Here, you'll get to jam with a live-recorded band of pro-LA musicians as your backing track.
Personalized feedback
Submit a video of yourself playing a performance piece from this grade for custom video feedback on your playing from our team of pro guitarists.
Final quiz
Make sure you're ready to move on to Grade 5.
Grade 5. Making Music With CAGED
All the CAGED mastery in the world ain't worth a hoot if you can't make your guitar sing. In this grade, we're getting musical.
Day 1. Major scale on one string – E and B strings
Take a lap around your E and B strings to lock in your major scale. Learning your scales across one string is a great way to reach fretboard fluency and access some melodically-pleasing ascending and descending ideas.
Day 2. Major scale on one string – G and D strings
Hello... Is it D you’re looking for? This lesson is about continuing your hard work from Day 1 by mapping out the D major scale on the G and D strings with an extra twist included!
Day 3. 3rds
Now that you can play the major scale across four strings, you’re ready for the next level in your major-scale quest. In this lesson, you’ll look at playing the major scale in 3rds. This will require a strong knowledge of the major scale on the E, B, G, and D strings.
Day 4. 6ths
New day, new interval. In this lesson, Molly will break down the major scale in 6ths, which you can use to beef up your lead lines and become a more sophisticated rhythm guitarist.
Day 5. Blanket soloing in C major
In this lesson, we’re switching over to C major (with a C to F progression). Use your shapes to anchor you in this new key. This lesson is all about blanket soloing. You'll let it rip by channelling the full extent of your CAGED map, vertically and horizontally. You'll use your ear to guide you without worrying too much about chord tones.
Day 6. “Playing the changes” Ima7 to bVIma7
Today is a big one. You’re getting non-diatonic and taking a step toward playing the changes like a true jazz musician.
Today’s progression is Emaj7 to Cmaj7, which means we’ll take a micro-soloing approach and draw on two different key centers.
Day 7. Grade 5 workout
Recap what you learned and put your skills to the test with a guided workout.
Performance pieces
Choose a song to learn that takes what you worked on in Grade 5 and puts it in a musical context. Here, you'll get to jam with a live-recorded band of pro-LA musicians as your backing track.
Personalized feedback
Submit a video of yourself playing a performance piece from this grade for custom video feedback on your playing from our team of pro guitarists.
Final quiz
Make sure you're ready to move on to Grade 6.
Grade 6. Intro to Major Triads
This grade is all about major triads and specifically playing and visualizing them within the CAGED shapes that you’ve put so much work into.
Day 1. 1st string set
It’s the first day of practicing the art of restraint. Triads are beautiful creatures when you want to outline a chord but keep your footprint small. They can also help make your soloing much more musical.
Day 2. 2nd string set
Today, you’ll learn the triad shapes on the 2nd string set: on the B, G, and D strings. These triad shapes are continuations of the triad shapes on the 1st string set. You’re essentially taking the highest note and dropping it to the lowest string of the set.
Day 3. 3rd string set
Today, we'll move of the triad shapes you'll have already learned to another CAGED shape.
Day 4. 4th string set
Today’s triad shapes look the same as the ones from Day 3 when you covered the 3rd string set. You’re just playing them in a different shape. Easy peasy!
Day 5. Triads in G
The best way to make sure you're internalizing material is to move it to a new key, and that's exactly what we'll do in Day 5.
Day 6. I to IV – Upper string sets
Today, you'll use triads to improvise over two chords and outline each chord with chord tones which will bring out their distinctive characters. You'll also find points where you can seamlessly connect the two chords so that your melody can flow freely.
Day 7. Grade 6 workout
Recap what you learned and put your skills to the test with a guided workout.
Performance pieces
Choose a song to learn that takes what you worked on in Grade 6 and puts it in a musical context. Here, you'll get to jam with a live-recorded band of pro-LA musicians as your backing track.
Personalized feedback
Submit a video of yourself playing a performance piece from this grade for custom video feedback on your playing from our team of pro guitarists.
Final quiz
Make sure you're ready to move on to greener pastures.
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Your Instructor
Dr. Molly Miller
Dr. Molly Miller is one of Pickup Music's most popular instructors. Her acclaimed CAGED Learning Pathway has helped hundreds of students unlock their fretboards and reach their playing potential.
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