Sean McGowan | How I Play | Improvising with CAGED

Learn how to use shapes you already know as a practical tool for soloing.

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The CAGED system organizes the fretboard around five familiar open-chord shapes—C, A, G, E, and D—that repeat in different positions along the neck. Here, Sean explains the system, then works through a wide range of exercises designed to help you internalize these shapes up and down the fingerboard. The focus is on being able to see CAGED shapes clearly as you play, connect positions naturally, and use the system as a practical tool for improvising rather than relying on a set of fixed patterns. Click here to find a PDF of the TAB and notation for this lesson.

Sean McGowan
Sean McGowan

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