CAGED Triads Chart — The Triads Inside Every Shape

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Every CAGED shape is secretly a stack of triads. Pick a key and quality, and each shape shows the triad tones it contains — intervals labeled, and the inversion on every three-string set spelled out. This is the connection that unlocks the neck, and no static chart shows it.

Key
Quality
R = root3 = major 3rd5 = perfect 5thFaint outline = the CAGED shape skeleton

C major — triads in each CAGED shape

C C shape

2·3·4 — 1st inversion3·4·5 — root position4·5·6 — 2nd inversion
3 5 7 9 12 15 R 5 3 R 5

A A shape

1·2·3 — root position2·3·4 — 2nd inversion
3 5 7 9 12 15 5 3 R 5

G G shape

3·4·5 — 1st inversion4·5·6 — root position
3 5 7 9 12 15 R 5 3 R

E E shape

1·2·3 — 1st inversion2·3·4 — root position3·4·5 — 2nd inversion4·5·6 — 1st inversion
3 5 7 9 12 15 R 5 3 R 5 3

D D shape

1·2·3 — 2nd inversion
3 5 7 9 12 15 3 R 5
Download PDF — C (all qualities)Download PDF — all 12 keys

How to Read This Chart

Each diagram zooms into one CAGED shape region. The faint colored outline is the shape skeleton — the grip you already know. The labeled dots are the actual triad tones inside it: R is the root, 3/b3 the third, 5/b5/#5 the fifth. Take any three adjacent strings and you are holding a complete triad — the chips above each diagram tell you which inversion that is.

This is why practicing triads and practicing CAGED is the same work seen from two angles: the shapes give you the map, the triads give you the moves. Study a shape here, then drill its triads in the trainer until you can name and find them without thinking.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the connection between CAGED shapes and triads?

Every CAGED shape is a stack of triads: take any three adjacent strings inside a shape and you are holding a complete triad in a specific inversion. This chart makes that visible for every key and quality.

How do I read the chart?

Each fretboard shows one CAGED shape region. The faint outline is the shape skeleton; the labeled dots are the triad tones, colored by interval. The chips above each diagram tell you which inversion lives on each three-string set.

Why does a shape sometimes show no triads?

For some keys and qualities, a shape region sits above the 12th fret where the chart library stops — the same triads reappear an octave lower inside the other shapes, so nothing is missing.

Is the PDF free, and what tuning does the chart use?

Yes — every per-key PDF and the all-keys bundle are free to download and print, no sign-up. Everything assumes standard tuning (E A D G B e).