Five Forms of the Major Scale
For any scale there are five basic movable fingering patterns which can be moved to any part of the fretboard. These fingerings are named according to the chord shape to which each fingering corresponds.
The names of the five forms (formations or patterns) are easy to memorize because they spell the word CAGED when put together: i.e., moving up the fretboard, the A form always follows the C form, the G form always follows the A form, the E form always follows the G form and the D form always follows the E form.
After this, the pattern repeats with the C form again (C - A - G - E - D). It is always the position of the key notes in each fingering which determines the name of the form. Here are the five forms of the C major scale, along with the chord shapes to which they relate.
Open Chord Shape
Chord Form
Major Scale Form
C
C Form
C Form
A
A Form
A Form
G
G Form
G Form
E
E Form
E Form
D
D Form
D Form
This how the five forms cover the whole fretboard when placed end to end.
Let’s look at each of the five scale forms individually. The first one is the C form. This is the open position major scale you learned in the previous lesson.
C Form
Here are the other four forms. Learn them one at a time and practice them until you can play them all from memory. It is particularly important to memorize the positions of the key notes in each form, as they are like landmarks which you can always refer back to.
A Form
G Form
E Form
D Form
