The fretboard can be a complicated terrain to navigate. Many notes can be played at the same pitch in multiple positions, and the third and second strings are tuned a major 3rd apart, whereas the rest are tuned to the interval of a 4th.
With this in mind, the CAGED system is a useful tool to help the fretboard make a little more sense. This system is based on any chord being able to be played in five different positions, based upon the five main open-position major chord shapes of C-A-G-E-D. In essence, each one of these chords can be moved up the guitar neck, most commonly utilising the first finger to barre across the fretboard.
