How do you play the 7 chords in the key of C ... in any position on the fretboard? Most people learn only the open positions near the top of the neck, like this:
A lot of information is conveyed in this one image. Specifically:
- The numbers on each note represent the fingers used to play the chord. (An "o" means play the note as an open string, while an "x" means mute the string.)
- Each chord is labeled by its Roman numeral -- where the numerals are derived from the scale degrees on which the respective harmonies are built (as shown in the image below).
- And the letters below each fretboard represent the "CAGED" shape of a given chord. For example:
- C major is in the "Open C" shape (hence the letter "C" beneath it in the diagram above)
- D minor is played as a minor version of the "Open D" shape (hence the letter "D" shown)
- E minor is the minor version of the "Open E" shape, etc.
Once you get a feel for the fretboard diagrams, it's simple. But while these open positions are the most common, you can play these same chords in various shapes up the fretboard. And these diagrams show exactly how to play each one....
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The result is a visually complex system of blotches and squiggles that’s confusing and even counterintuitive.
