CAGED 2 Learning Pathway
Take the next step toward fretboard freedom.
Intermediate guitarists
Confident with CAGED in major keys? This class will show you how to adapt that foundation to unlock the minor side of the 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 minor key.
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 one of the most effective ways to make sense of your fretboard. In this sequel to our popular CAGED pathway, you’ll explore the minor side of music and take your fretboard fluency to the next level.
- Confidently improvise in any minor key
- Fluently connect your fretboard with scales and triads
- Learn how to make music – not just play scales
Your guided learning pathway
In this 3-month Learning Pathway, Dr. Molly Miller will teach you how to adapt the knowledge you built in the first CAGED Learning Pathway to the world of minor-key harmony.
Minor Shapes: Am, Gm, Em
In Grade 1, you'll lay the groundwork for your minor CAGED knowledge.
Across seven gradually-paced lesson day, you’ll adapt your existing CAGED framework to the moody sounds of minor. The lessons are suitable for intermediate guitarists who have completed the first CAGED Learning Pathway.
Minor Shapes: Cm, Dm
In Grade 2, you'll complete your minor CAGED foundation by learning how to visualize and solo within the remaining two shapes of the CAGED cycle.
Molly will guide you through how to methodically build a visual map that'll serve as an anchor for soloing and fretboard navigation.
Minor Pentatonic Connections
With your foundation built, it's time to connect the dots. These lessons will help you seamlessly transition between the positions you learned in Grades 1 and 2.
This is key to becoming a fluid lead guitarist and gaining full access to your fretboard.
Grade 4. Natural Minor Scale
Next, we'll expand your pentatonic foundation to get the full natural minor scale. In this grade, you'll explore how just two extra notes add new layers of depth and color to your soloing.
Grade 5. Intro to Minor Triads
Once you lock in the natural minor scale, we'll expand your fretboard fluency with minor triad inversions. These mighty three-note shapes will strengthen your CAGED map while opening up new avenues for rhythm and lead playing.
Grade 6. Making Music With Minor CAGED
To cap off the pathway, Molly will show how to make your CAGED knowledge come alive. From double stops to single-string scales and beyond, she'll guide you through expressive techniques and concepts to move from scales to music.
Curriculum
Stay focused with this step-by-step learning program designed by our expert team of music educators.
Grade 1. Shapes – Am, Gm, Em
Start your minor-key journey by adapting familiar CAGED shapes to their minor counterparts. With just one interval shift, you’ll unlock the darker, moodier side of the fretboard while reinforcing everything you already know. This grade lays the foundation for visualizing minor chords, chord tones, and pentatonic scales.
Day 1. Introduction to minor
Learn how the minor CAGED system works by tweaking just one note in each shape. You’ll see how your major-key knowledge sets you up to understand minor with confidence.
Day 2. Am shape
Get started in the key of D minor by mapping roots, chord tones, and the pentatonic scale – all in one familiar Am position.
Day 3. Gm shape
Build out your fretboard map by exploring how Gm connects naturally to the shapes before and after it.
Day 4. Em shape
This classic shape is probably already in your muscle memory, but Molly will help you understand it inside and out. You’ll dig deeper into how it connects to the rest of the system.
Day 5. Connecting shapes
Now that you’ve mapped out three shapes, it’s time to link them. In this lesson, you'll work through transitions that unlock real-world movement across the fretboard.
Day 6. New key (Em)
Shift everything into a new key to test your adaptability. This is the magic of CAGED – no matter where you are on the fretboard, you can easily shift your map to a new key and play with confidence.
Day 7. Workout
Put everything together in a musical workout. This is your chance to reinforce what you’ve learned and make sure you're ready for the next grade.
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. Minor shapes – Cm, Dm
Complete your minor CAGED foundation with two more shapes. As you bring everything together, the fretboard will feel more connected – and more playable – than ever.
Day 1. Cm shape
We'll kick off the grade by adding the last two minor shapes to your toolbox. First up: Cm. You’ll practice it in the key of E minor and explore how it overlaps with your existing positions.
Day 2. Dm shape
Finish your minor shape collection with this unique position rooted on the 4th string. It’ll open up new avenues of expression and help you break out of thinking only in E- and A-string roots.
Day 3. Connecting Dm and Cm
Start combining these shapes musically. In this lesson, you'll use simple licks and scale work to build flow between positions.
Day 4. Connecting Cm, Am, and Gm
Next, we’ll add more shapes into the mix to deepen your fluency. This day is all about expanding your fretboard awareness as you practice traveling between Cm, Am, and Gm.
Day 5. All shapes
Connecting your full minor CAGED map is key to becoming a fluent lead player. This lesson is where everything starts to feel connected.
Day 6. All shapes in a new key
It's easy to get complacent in one key. In this lesson, we'll shake things up in a new key to put your visualization skills to the test.
Day 7. Workout
Lock it all in with a high-rep, guided workout. Molly will have you revisiting core concepts and building confidence in each shape so you can foster strong connections between them in Grade 3.
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. Minor pentatonic connections
It's time to break out of boxes. In this grade, you’ll connect pentatonic shapes across your fretboard as you develop the ability to solo with confidence and fluidity.
Day 1. Connecting shapes with 3:2
In the spirit of breaking down barriers between boxes, we'll kick off the grade with a powerful way to connect your fretboard. The 3:2 system is a fast & fun fretboard hack that'll help you visualize connections between CAGED shapes and gain quick access to a fluid shredding sound.
Day 2. Connecting shapes in a new key (Am)
Next, you'll apply the same system in a different key to reinforce the concept of 3:2. The more you shift keys, the more fluent you become.
Day 3. Slow dancing in a burning CAGE(D)
Any John Mayer fans here? Day 3 will have you exploring melodic phrasing using 6ths and repeating patterns. This is where your theoretical CAGED knowledge starts to musically bloom.
Day 4. Micro CAGED soloing
While it's a noble goal to travel your entire fretboard, sometimes efficiency is key. This lesson will teach you how to stay in one position and move between overlapping shapes. It's a tried-and-true way to sound intentional in your soloing.
Day 5. Black magic (B.B.) box
Here, you'll tap into a classic B.B. King shape and learn how to play more expressively. This must-know position for minor soloing comes in handy in much more than just blues guitar.
Day 6. CAGED blues in Bm
Drawing on everything you've learned so far, this lesson will challenge you to create a full solo in B minor. You’ll combine macro and micro approaches in one cohesive performance.
Day 7. Workout
Finally, we'll cap off the grade with another musical workout designed to strengthen your connections and phrasing. Remember, you're building soloing instincts, not just patterns.
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 natural minor scale, dive into the world of minor triads, and learn how to bring it all to life with expressive techniques.
Grade 4. Natural Minor Scale
In this grade, you’ll expand your sound by adding two new notes to your pentatonic shapes. The natural minor scale gives you access to richer melodies without overwhelming you.
Day 1. Am
Following a similar formula to the first two grades, we'll start with the Am shape and learn how to turn your pentatonic into a full minor scale. You’ll add the 2 and b6 for a more complete sound.
Day 2. Gm
Next, we'll move to the Gm shape and apply the same expansion while reinforcing visualization along the way.
Day 3. Em
This friendly shape lets you stay rooted while deepening your melodic range. In this lesson, Molly will also teach you how to add movement into your lines with broken 3rds.
Day 4. Dm
Two more shapes to go. In this lesson, you'll explore higher-register playing with the Dm shape while building finger control and note awareness.
Day 5. Cm
We saved the trickiest shape for last. Don't worry, Molly will guide you through it with exercises designed to build fluency.
Day 6. Connecting shapes
Now, it's time to connect. In this lesson, you'll practice moving through all five shapes in one key. This is where the scale starts to feel like one continuous map.
Day 7. Workout
Finally, you'll drill the natural minor scale across the neck to build speed, accuracy, and musical flow.
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. Intro to Minor Triads
Triads are the missing link between chords, scales, and solos. You’ll learn how to use them all over the neck for more melodic and harmonically rich playing.
Day 1. 1st string set
First, we'll start with small with root-position triads across the top strings. You’ll focus on hearing and visualizing these building-block chords as you methodically build them into your muscle memory.
Days 2-4. 2nd, 3rd, and 4th string sets
Next, we'll add new sets of voicings and inversions across your fretboard. These shapes are compact, expressive, and perfect for rhythm or lead. In addition to strengthening your CAGED map and opening up new avenues of soloing expression, you'll gain new tools for rhythm playing.
Day 5. Triads in Gm
Once you've locked in your triads, we'll take what you’ve learned and apply it in a new key to test your visualization skills.
Day 6. Im to IVm – Upper strings
Next, we'll focus on making triads musical by learning to move between chords in a real musical context. We’ll start on the upper strings and blend triads with simple lines.
Day 7. Im to IVm – lower strings
Then, we'll take the same progression to the lower string sets. This final step cements your ability to move triads across the neck.
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. Making Music With Minor CAGED
This is the final step in your journey where everything becomes music. You’ll work on phrasing, melody, and expression to turn your fretboard fluency into musical freedom.
Days 1 -2. One-string minor scales
To kick off the grade, we'll spend two days breaking away from boxed shapes by learning to play across single strings. These exercises will help you play with precision and access slide guitar-style phrasing.
Days 3-4. 3rds & 6ths
Next, we'll add harmonic richness to your solos with double stops via 3rds and 6th. You’ll learn how each interval fits into CAGED shapes and can be used to bring more musicality to your lines.
Day 5. Imaj to IIm triads
After that, we'll head back to triad land as you work on moving between major and minor chords using triads. This lesson will help you bridge rhythm and lead playing in one smooth motion.
Day 6. Musical applications
For your last lesson, you'll apply your knowledge with curated licks that draw from everything you’ve learned. It’s a fun, creative, and practical way to cap off your CAGED 2 knowledge.
Day 7. Workout
Finally, we'll wrap it all up with one last musical workout. You’ll work on moving fluidly across the neck and solidify your command of minor CAGED.
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.
Student stories
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What guitarists love about this course
FULL REFUND, NO QUESTIONS ASKED
If you don’t get better at guitar, we’ll give you your money back
We’re so confident that Pickup Music can help you make progress as a guitarist that we’re underwriting your membership with a 60-day satisfaction guarantee.
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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Frequently Asked Questions
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Is Pickup Music right for me?
Are you a guitar player who feels like you haven’t made progress in a few months… years… or even decades?
You’re probably stuck in what’s called the ‘intermediate plateau’. This is very common and can be very frustrating.
What’s the cause? Well, it’s pretty easy to learn the basics on guitar. Learn a few open chords and you can play Wonderwall and hundreds of other songs. Learn a couple of scales and a few licks and you can play some lead.
But what then? Triads? Modes? Arpeggios? The phrygian scale?!
Without a clear plan and learning system you fall back to playing the same old chords and licks over and over again. Or you bounce around free lessons online but nothing seems to stick. It’s a recipe for a lot of practice without much progress.
That’s where Pickup Music can help. We specialize in taking players stuck in a guitar rut and turning them into advanced guitarists.
We do this through Learning Pathways that take you on a step-by-step journey towards fretboard mastery. We give you a highly structured system that shows you exactly what to work on each week to make serious progress.
These Learning Pathways take the guesswork out of your practice routine. You are guided through a proven grade-by-grade system with daily lessons, play-along practice exercises and interactive workouts.
But it’s not all about theory. We apply everything you learn to real music. That’s why every grade of our Learning Pathways build up to performing a song with a live backing band. This simulates what it’s like to play a real gig, with real musicians. It’s the absolute best way to learn.
You also get 1:1 video feedback on your playing from our expert instructors and can attend weekly live lessons. This personal feedback makes Pickup Music the closest thing to taking in-person lessons, but at a fraction of the cost.
So does this method actually work? Will you see results in your playing?
The most common thing we hear from new members is that they’ve made more progress with Pickup Music in a few months than in years of teaching themselves. As one member recently told us, “I'm finally seeing progress for the first time in many years”.
Want to hear about other members’ experiences with us? Read our independent Trustpilot reviews.
Is Pickup Music worth the money?
Private guitar lessons will cost you about $50 per lesson or $2,600 a year.
Going to a music academy will cost you about $40,000 a year.
A Pickup Music membership will cost you just $180 for the whole year.
That works out to 50 cents a day!
But it’s not just about the money. It’s about not wasting your precious time. It’s about making actual progress on this beautiful instrument.
By following our proven Learning Pathway system, you can stop wasting your time and effort trying to guess what you should practice next. Our guided programs eliminate the guesswork so you know exactly what you need to focus on each day and week to make lasting progress with guitar.
What makes Pickup Music better than other guitar lesson sites?
Most online guitar lesson sites are very good at teaching one-off songs and licks. Or they get super famous guitarists to record one-hour video lessons talking at length about their particular style and career.
The problem is that these approaches don't stick. They don’t help you to actually get better as a guitarist. You can waste a lot of time bouncing around these types of unconnected, one-off lessons. It’s a recipe for a lot of practice without much progress.
Pickup Music takes a different approach. We give you a highly structured system that shows you exactly what to work on each week to make serious progress. We take you beyond the basics through a step-by-step journey towards fretboard mastery.
By following a Pickup Music Learning Pathway, you are getting the most guided way to learn guitar. Over 6 grades, you are taken through daily lessons and practice exercises that carefully explain what’s going on behind the music.
Each grade then builds up to song performances that apply everything you’ve learned with a live backing band. These challenges - where we simulate what it’s like to play a real gig, with real musicians - is the absolute best way to learn.
The Learning Pathway method takes the guesswork out of your practice routine. Most guitarists start to see a rapid acceleration in their progress in a matter of weeks.
You can also get 1:1 video feedback on your playing and weekly live lessons. This personal feedback makes Pickup Music the closest thing to taking in-person lessons, but at a fraction of the cost.
Want to hear about other members’ experiences with us? Read our independent Trustpilot reviews.
What exactly do I get from a Pickup Music membership?
When you become a Pickup Music member you get unlimited access to our huge library of lessons:
- 13 Learning Pathways giving you step-by-step instruction over 3 months
- 47 Master Classes going deep into different styles over 2 weeks
- 500+ original songs from some of the world’s best modern guitarists
- 100+ essential lick packages to add new flavors to your playing
- 200+ 5 minute lessons for bite-sized learning.
You get to enjoy amazing features that create a premium learning experience:
- day-by-day lessons
- 1:1 video feedback on your playing
- weekly live lessons
- progress tracking
- interactive TAB
- multiple HD camera angles
- play-along practice exercises
- downloadable course notes and diagrams
- quizzes to test your understanding
- jam tracks with the Pickup Music Live Band
- exclusive members-only forum, contests and giveaways.
How do the Learning Pathways work?
Learning Pathways are kind of our special sauce here at Pickup Music. They take all the guesswork out of what to practice.
You get day-by-day lessons, play along practice exercises with your instructor, interactive jams with the Pickup Music live band and you can submit videos of your playing for feedback from the Pickup Music team.
We designed this system so that you will know exactly what to practice every time you pick up the guitar. This means that even if you only have time to practice with us once a week, you will still make great progress by following a Learning Pathways.
How often do I need to practice to see results?
Ideally you would practice about three times a week for 30 minutes at a time. But we know that life gets in the way sometimes! So here’s the good news: deliberate practice matters so much more than how often you practice.
After working with thousands of guitarists, we’ve found that the most important thing is to know exactly what you’re going to practice before you pick up the guitar. Even if you can only use Pickup Music a few times a month, you will still make really good progress if you stick to the step-by-step structure of our Learning Pathways.
How long are the lessons?
Pickup Music's lesson plans are designed to suit the amount of time you have available to practice.
- Only got a few minutes? Try our 5-Minute Lessons to quickly add a new skill to your toolbox.
- Got half an hour? Try one of our Essential Lick Packages or original Songs to expand your vocabulary in different genres.
- Got a couple of days? Try a Master Class with one of our world-renowned artists. Each class is broken up into short, digestible modules focused on one topic.
- Ready to really commit to a multi-week program? Try one of our Learning Pathways. Over 3 months and 6 grades of learning, these detailed courses will take you on a day-by-day journey to master each level in the genre. Learning Pathways include daily practice exercises so you know exactly what to focus on. These courses are the best way to make lasting progress.
Whichever approach you choose, we recommend building the exercises you learn into your daily practice schedule. The best way to improve as a guitarist is through a consistent practice routine rather than sporadic, longer sessions. Learning guitar is a day-by-day, life-long journey.
Can I take the lessons at my own pace?
Everything on Pickup Music is designed to be taken at your own pace. There are no deadlines, so you can work at your own speed. You can stay on a topic until you really understand it before you move on.
While we divide our Learning Pathways into ‘days’ - this is a suggestion only. Some learners might take a few days in one sitting, while others will spend a few sessions on a single day. You can go at the pace that feels most comfortable to you.
How does the 1:1 video feedback work?
We want our members to get the closest thing possible to in-person lessons but at a fraction of the cost. That's why you can now get individual video feedback on your guitar playing from our team of expert instructors.
Here's how it works:
- Choose a performance piece to learn at the end of each grade of a Learning Pathway.
- Upload a video of yourself playing the performance piece.
- An expert instructor from our team will review your playing and send you back a detailed video on what you're doing well and what you need to work on.
- Repeat for each grade of the Learning Pathway.
Want to see a sample? Check out this recent video feedback from Pickup Music instructor Jack Handyside.
Is Pickup Music good for beginners?
Absolutely! We make learning the guitar fun and simple – the way it should be.
Too many people get frustrated with guitar because they develop bad habits and poor technique. Avoid these costly and time-consuming mistakes by taking Pickup Music's structured and step-by-step approach to learning guitar.
You'll start with Pickup Music's introductory program Beginner Learning Pathway. Over three weeks, we break down everything from simple chords and melodies to rhythm and lead playing. By the end of the program, you'll be able to play any simple pop or rock song (and even write your own).
Most importantly, we make sure you don't get stuck in the beginner's plateau - a common pitfall for guitarists who are just starting out. You'll keep making progress through Pickup Music's guided Learning Pathways. These programs are designed to quickly take you from a beginner player to an intermediate one who feels comfortable across the whole fretboard.
Is Pickup Music good for intermediate and advanced guitarists?
Pickup Music is the best platform available for intermediate and advanced guitarists. Our courses take you beyond the basics to advanced concepts like the CAGED system, triads, arpeggios, modes and improvisation.
The biggest trap for intermediate players is bouncing around from lesson to lesson without a plan or structure to get to that next level. We are known for taking intermediate and advanced players who have hit a ceiling and busting through until they reach the next level.
Am I too old for guitar lessons?
Many of Pickup Music’s members are in their 60s and 70s and have seen amazing success with our programs. Our platform is designed to be user-friendly for all ages and skill levels. And our supportive community is made up of guitar learners of all ages, cheering each other on.
How does the 14-day free trial work?
When you first sign up to a Pickup Music membership, you enter your credit card but it will not be charged for 14 days. That means that if you decide to cancel within 14 days of signing up, you won't pay anything.
And we send you a reminder before your trial is about to end so you don’t forget about it.
If you decide to cancel after that, you won't be charged at your next billing cycle. That means: if you’re a monthly member, you won’t be charged for the next month. If you’re an annual member, you won’t be charged for the next year.
How does the 60-day money back guarantee work?
In addition to the 14-day free trial, we offer a 60-day money back guarantee. If you’re not satisfied with your progress in the first 60 days of your membership, we will give you your money back - no questions asked.
Is it easy to cancel?
Absolutely! You can cancel at any time (although we'd be sad to see you go). Cancelling is easy, no tricks. Just go to your account page and click a button.
You won't be charged anything if you cancel during your 14-day free trial.
If you cancel after your 14-day trial, you won't be billed again at your next billing cycle. Your membership will remain active until it expires on the day it was originally set to renew.
Note: Once your membership expires, we'll save your progress on your Dashboard if you decide to rejoin at a later date.
What’s the difference between the annual and monthly plan?
The only difference is the price. The monthly membership is $29.99 charged monthly and the annual membership is $179.99 charged once a year.
That means that if you select the annual plan you will pay 50% less and save $180 over a year compared to the monthly plan.
We'll also send you reminders before we bill you each year so that you don't accidentally forget about it.
We give such a big discount for annual members because it aligns with our long-term vision to inspire and support lifelong guitar learning.
Can I buy lessons individually?
We don’t sell lessons individually. But the good news is you get access to every single lesson on Pickup Music through the one membership. If you’re only interested in one lesson, you could purchase a monthly membership and cancel when you’ve finished it – we have a hunch you’ll want to stick around though :)
How do I restart my membership?
It’s easy to rejoin Pickup Music and we’d be thrilled to have you back! We even saved all of your lessons for you while you were gone on your Dashboard.
To restart your membership, simply head to this page, select the plan of your choice, and sign up with the email address you used to sign up the first time around.
