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14,015 TRANSITIONS ANALYZED#1 at 23%: Which Transition?The 100 most repeated chord transitions extracted from thousands of songs. Even the first 10 will transform your guitar practice routine.

The CAGED System: Navigate the Fretboard

DATA-DRIVENWhich Chord Comes Next?Learn the most likely chord transitions on guitar and start playing songs with confidence.

Before you play, tune your guitar and use the tools below to set up your view and flow.

Everychordyoualreadyknowinopenpositioncanbeplayedhigherontheneck.CAGEDisthesystemthatshowsyouexactlywhere-andhowthefivebasicshapesconnectendtoendacrossthefretboard.
Thenamecomesfromthefiveopenchordshapes:C,A,G,E,D.Thesefiveshapestilethefretboardwithoutgaps.Onceyouknowthem,youcanplayanymajorchordinfivedifferentpositions.
##TheFiveShapes
Startwithwhatyoualreadyknow.TheopenCchordistheCshape.OpenAistheAshape.OpenG,E,andDfollowthesamepattern.Eachcanbeshifteduptheneckandplayedasabarrechord-therootnotemoveswithit.
Theshapesconnectinorder:C,A,G,E,D,C,A,G...repeatinguptheneck.Theyarenotfiveseparateregions.Theyarefiveviewsofthesamechord,ascending.
##StartwithEandA
MostguitaristsalreadybarreattheEandAshapes.TheopenEchordbecomesabarrechordatthe2ndfret(Fmajor),5thfret(Amajor),7thfret(Bmajor).Pickatarget:Amajor.PlayitasanE-shapebarreatthe5thfret.NowfindtheA-shapebarrethat'salsoAmajor-that'satthe12thfret.Betweenthosetwo,there'saGshapearoundthe9thfret.TheyallproduceAmajor.
##APracticalStartingExercise
TakeCmajor.Findfourpositionswithoutgoingabovethe12thfret:
1.OpenC(Cshape)
2.A-shapebarreatthe3rdfret
3.G-shapebarreatthe5thfret
4.E-shapebarreatthe8thfret
Playeachone.TheyareallCmajor.Trainyoureartorecognizethesamechordindifferentpositions.
##TheCommonMistake
MostplayerslearnCAGEDasfiveseparatepatterns.Thatisnotthepoint.Thepointisthattheyareonechord,fiveviews.Ifyoucanhearthatallfivepositionsproducethesamerootandquality,youhaveunderstoodthesystem.
##WhyItMattersforSoloing
WhenyouknowwhichCAGEDshapeachordsitsin,youknowwherethechordtonesarerelativetothatposition.MostscalepatternsalignwithoneofthefiveCAGEDshapes.Connectingthetwogivesyouamap:chordhere,scaletoneshere,targetnoteshere.
##Practice
ChooseGmajor.FindeveryGmajorbarrechordbetweentheopenstringsandthe12thfret.Nametheshapeeachtime.Playthemslowly,ascendingtheneck.Youshouldhearthesamechordgettinghigher.RepeatforDandA.
SONG DATA3 Chords, 200 Chains, 1 BookDiscover the most-used three-chord combinations in songs and build real command on guitar.
14,015 TRANSITIONS ANALYZED#1 at 23%: Which Transition?Master guitar today with the most repeated high-impact chord transitions.
SONG DATA3 Chords, 200 Chains, 1 BookThe 200 most popular three-chord chains from real songs. See which songs use each chain and expand your repertoire with patterns that actually matter.