EDCAGE

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EDCAGE is a way to structure the practice of scales and arpeggios on the classical guitar.

The initials E, D, C, A, G relate to the left hand finger shapes used to form chords. The letters relate to the key the chord shapes are in when played at the nut. Note the E shape is repeated.

  E Shape       D Shape       C Shape       A Shape       G Shape
E A D G B e   E A D G B e   E A D G B e   E A D G B e   E A D G B e
| | | | | |   | | | | | |   | | | | | |   | | | | | |   | | | | | |
0 | | | 0 0   | | 0 | | |   | | | 0 | 0   | 0 | | | 0   | | 0 0 0 |
| | | 0 | |   | | | | | |   | | | | 0 |   | | | | | |   | | | | | |
| 0 0 | | |   | | | 0 | 0   | | 0 | | |   | | 0 0 0 |   | 0 | | | |
| | | | | |   | | | | 0 |   | 0 | | | |   | | | | | |   0 | | | | 0

The order of the chord shapes (E, D, C, A, G, E) describes how to play the same chord in different (rising) positions on the fretboard.

For example, G major can be played:
- Using an E shape, root note at the 3rd fret
- Using a D shape, root note at the 5th fret
- Using a C shape, root note at the 10th fret
- Using a A shape, root note at the 10th fret
- Using an G shape, root note at the 15th fret
- Using an E shape, root note at the 15th fret

This pattern provides a basis for practising scales and arpeggios in multiple positions on the fretboard.

1 Aims and objectives of the EDCAGE system
2 Major arpeggios
3 Major scales
4 Minor arpeggios
5 Harmonic minor scales
6 Minor arpeggios
7 Melodic minor scales
8 See also

[edit] Aims and objectives of the EDCAGE system

Scales and arpeggios provide a means to develop right and left hand technique, body posture and coordination. Basing this practice around the EDCAGE system deepens fretboard knowledge, and so develops sight-reading ability and the ability to play in multiple positions.

EDCAGE also encourages players to practise above the 12th fret.

When using EDCAGE, the arpeggio/scales are played in every position, focusing on the maintenance of tone, clarity and rhythm. In particular, arpeggios are left to ring for as long as possible. Playing the full chord (where possible) prior to each run is a good idea.

Arpeggios should be played with sensible hand preparation technique. Suitable fingerings have been suggested in the following examples.

[edit] Major arpeggios

G major has been used for this example.

E shape
RH         p  m  p  m  i  m  a  m  i  m  p  m  p
LH         2  1  3  4  2  1  1  1  2  4  3  1  2
e| --3-- --------------------3--------------------
B| --3-- -----------------3-----3-----------------
G| --4-- --------------4-----------4--------------
D| --5-- -----------5-----------------5-----------
A| --5-- -----2--5-----------------------5--2-----
E| --3-- --3-----------------------------------3--

D shape
RH         p  m  p  i  m  i   m   i   m  i  p  m  p
LH         2  1  1  2  1  2   3   2   1  2  1  1  2
e| --7-- --------------7------15------7--------------
B| --8-- -----------8-----15------15-----8-----------
G| --7-- -----4--7--------------------------7--4-----
D| --5-- --5--------------------------------------5--
A| ----- --------------------------------------------
E| ----- --------------------------------------------

C shape
RH          p   i  m  a  i   m   a   m   i   a  m  i  p
LH          4   3  1  2  2   1   4   1   2   2  1  3  4
e| --7--- -------------------10--15--10-------------------
B| --8--- ------------8--12--------------12--8------------
G| --7--- ---------7----------------------------7---------
D| --9--- ------9----------------------------------9------
A| --10-- --10----------------------------------------10--
E| ------ ------------------------------------------------

A shape
RH          p   m  p   i   m   i   m   i   m   i   p   m  p
LH          2   1  1   1   1   3   4   3   1   1   1   1  2
e| --10-- -------------------------15-------------------------
B| --12-- -----------------12--15------15--12-----------------
G| --12-- -------------12----------------------12-------------
D| --12-- ------9--12------------------------------12--9------
A| --10-- --10--------------------------------------------10--
E| ------ ----------------------------------------------------

G shape
RH          p   i   m   a   i   m   a   m   i   a   m   i   p  
LH          4   3   1   1   1   3   4   3   1   1   1   3   4
e| --15-- --------------------------15--------------------------
B| --12-- ------------------12--15------15--12------------------
G| --12-- --------------12----------------------12--------------
D| --12-- ----------12------------------------------12----------
A| --14-- ------14--------------------------------------14------
E| --15-- --15----------------------------------------------15--

E shape (repeated)
RH           p   m   p   m   i   m   a   m   i   m   p   m   p
LH           2   1   3   4   2   1   1   1   2   4   3   1   2
e| --N/A-- --------------------------15--------------------------
B| --N/A-- ----------------------15------15----------------------
G| --N/A-- ------------------16--------------16------------------
D| --N/A-- --------------17----------------------17--------------
A| --N/A-- ------14--17------------------------------17--14------
E| --N/A-- --15----------------------------------------------15--

[edit] Major scales

G major has been used for this example.

Practice with all right hand variations.

E shape
LH      2 4 1 2 4 1 3 4 1 3 4 2 4 1 2 1 4 2 4 3 1 4 3 1 4 2 1 4 2
e| -3- ---------------------------2-3-2---------------------------
B| -3- -----------------------3-5-------5-3-----------------------
G| -4- -----------------2-4-5---------------5-4-2-----------------
D| -5- -----------2-4-5---------------------------5-4-2-----------
A| -5- -----2-3-5---------------------------------------5-3-2-----
E| -3- -3-5---------------------------------------------------5-3-

D shape
LH      2 4 1 2 4 1 3 4 1 3 4 1  3  3  4  3  3  1  4 3 1 4 3 1 4 2 1 4 2
e| -7- -----------------5-7-8-10-12-14-15-14-12-10-8-7-5-----------------
B| -8- -----------5-7-8----------------------------------8-7-5-----------
G| -7- -----4-5-7----------------------------------------------7-5-4-----
D| -5- -5-7----------------------------------------------------------7-5-
A| --- ------------------------------------------------------------------
E| --- ------------------------------------------------------------------

C shape
LH       4  1 3 4  1 3 1 2 4  1 2 4  1  3  4  3  1  4  2 1 4  2 1 3 1 4  3 1 4 
e| -7-- ----------------------7-8-10-12-14-15-14-12-10-8-7----------------------
B| -8-- ---------------7-8-10------------------------------10-8-7---------------
G| -7-- -----------7-9--------------------------------------------9-7-----------
D| -9-- ----7-9-10----------------------------------------------------10-9-7----
A| -10- -10------------------------------------------------------------------10-
E| ---- ------------------------------------------------------------------------

A shape
LH       2  4  1 2  4  1 3  4  1  3  4  1  3  3  4  3  3  1  4  3  1  4  3  1 4  2  1 4  2
e| -10- --------------------------------10-12-14-15-14-12-10--------------------------------
B| -12- -----------------------10-12-13----------------------13-12-10-----------------------
G| -12- ---------------9-11-12----------------------------------------12-11-9---------------
D| -12- -------9-10-12--------------------------------------------------------12-10-9-------
A| -10- -10-12------------------------------------------------------------------------12-10-
E| ---- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

G shape
LH       4  1  3  4  1  3  1  2  4  1  2  4  1  3  4  3  1  4  2  1  4  2  1  3  1  4  3  1  4
e| -15- -------------------------------------12-14-15-14-12-------------------------------------
B| -12- ----------------------------12-13-15----------------15-13-12----------------------------
G| -12- -------------------11-12-14----------------------------------14-12-11-------------------
D| -12- -------------12-14----------------------------------------------------14-12-------------
A| -14- ----12-14-15----------------------------------------------------------------15-14-12----
E| -15- -15----------------------------------------------------------------------------------15-

E shape
LH        2  4  1  2  4  1  3  4  1  3  4  2  4  1  2  1  4  2  4  3  1  4  3  1  4  2  1  4  2
e| -N/A- ----------------------------------------14-15-14----------------------------------------
B| -N/A- ----------------------------------15-17----------17-15----------------------------------
G| -N/A- -------------------------14-16-17----------------------17-16-14-------------------------
D| -N/A- ----------------14-16-17----------------------------------------17-16-14----------------
A| -N/A- -------14-15-17----------------------------------------------------------17-15-14-------
E| -N/A- -15-17----------------------------------------------------------------------------17-15-

[edit] Minor arpeggios

G minor has been used for this example.

E shape
RH
LH
e| --3-- ------------------------------------------------------
B| --3-- ------------------------------------------------------
G| --3-- ------------------------------------------------------
D| --5-- ------------------------------------------------------
A| --5-- ------------------------------------------------------
E| --3-- ------------------------------------------------------

D shape
RH
LH
e| --6-- ------------------------------------------------------
B| --8-- ------------------------------------------------------
G| --7-- ------------------------------------------------------
D| --5-- ------------------------------------------------------
A| ----- ------------------------------------------------------
E| ----- ------------------------------------------------------

C shape
RH
LH
e| ------ ------------------------------------------------------
B| --11-- ------------------------------------------------------
G| --7--- ------------------------------------------------------
D| --8--- ------------------------------------------------------
A| --10-- ------------------------------------------------------
E| ------ ------------------------------------------------------

A shape
RH
LH
e| --10-- ------------------------------------------------------
B| --11-- ------------------------------------------------------
G| --12-- ------------------------------------------------------
D| --12-- ------------------------------------------------------
A| --10-- ------------------------------------------------------
E| ------ ------------------------------------------------------

G shape
RH
LH
e| ------ ------------------------------------------------------
B| --15-- ------------------------------------------------------
G| --15-- ------------------------------------------------------
D| --12-- ------------------------------------------------------
A| ------ ------------------------------------------------------
E| --15-- ------------------------------------------------------

E shape (repeated)
RH
LH
e| --N/A-- ------------------------------------------------------
B| --N/A-- ------------------------------------------------------
G| --N/A-- ------------------------------------------------------
D| --N/A-- ------------------------------------------------------
A| --N/A-- ------------------------------------------------------
E| --N/A-- ------------------------------------------------------

[edit] Harmonic minor scales

G minor has been used for this example.

Practice with all right hand variations.

E shape
LH
e| -3- ------------------------------------------------------
B| -3- ------------------------------------------------------
G| -3- ------------------------------------------------------
D| -5- ------------------------------------------------------
A| -5- ------------------------------------------------------
E| -3- ------------------------------------------------------

D shape
LH
e| -6- ------------------------------------------------------
B| -8- ------------------------------------------------------
G| -7- ------------------------------------------------------
D| -5- ------------------------------------------------------
A| --- ------------------------------------------------------
E| --- ------------------------------------------------------

C shape
LH
e| ---- ------------------------------------------------------
B| -11- ------------------------------------------------------
G| -7-- ------------------------------------------------------
D| -8-- ------------------------------------------------------
A| -10- ------------------------------------------------------
E| ---- ------------------------------------------------------

A shape
LH
e| -10- ------------------------------------------------------
B| -11- ------------------------------------------------------
G| -12- ------------------------------------------------------
D| -12- ------------------------------------------------------
A| -10- ------------------------------------------------------
E| ---- ------------------------------------------------------

G shape
LH
e| ---- ------------------------------------------------------
B| -15- ------------------------------------------------------
G| -15- ------------------------------------------------------
D| -12- ------------------------------------------------------
A| ---- ------------------------------------------------------
E| -15- ------------------------------------------------------

E shape (repeated)
LH
e| -N/A- ------------------------------------------------------
B| -N/A- ------------------------------------------------------
G| -N/A- ------------------------------------------------------
D| -N/A- ------------------------------------------------------
A| -N/A- ------------------------------------------------------
E| -N/A- ------------------------------------------------------

[edit] Minor arpeggios

G minor has been used for this example.

E shape
RH
LH
e| --3-- ------------------------------------------------------
B| --3-- ------------------------------------------------------
G| --3-- ------------------------------------------------------
D| --5-- ------------------------------------------------------
A| --5-- ------------------------------------------------------
E| --3-- ------------------------------------------------------

D shape
RH
LH
e| --6-- ------------------------------------------------------
B| --8-- ------------------------------------------------------
G| --7-- ------------------------------------------------------
D| --5-- ------------------------------------------------------
A| ----- ------------------------------------------------------
E| ----- ------------------------------------------------------

C shape
RH
LH
e| ------ ------------------------------------------------------
B| --11-- ------------------------------------------------------
G| --7--- ------------------------------------------------------
D| --8--- ------------------------------------------------------
A| --10-- ------------------------------------------------------
E| ------ ------------------------------------------------------

A shape
RH
LH
e| --10-- ------------------------------------------------------
B| --11-- ------------------------------------------------------
G| --12-- ------------------------------------------------------
D| --12-- ------------------------------------------------------
A| --10-- ------------------------------------------------------
E| ------ ------------------------------------------------------

G shape
RH
LH
e| ------ ------------------------------------------------------
B| --15-- ------------------------------------------------------
G| --15-- ------------------------------------------------------
D| --12-- ------------------------------------------------------
A| ------ ------------------------------------------------------
E| --15-- ------------------------------------------------------

E shape (repeated)
RH
LH
e| --N/A-- ------------------------------------------------------
B| --N/A-- ------------------------------------------------------
G| --N/A-- ------------------------------------------------------
D| --N/A-- ------------------------------------------------------
A| --N/A-- ------------------------------------------------------
E| --N/A-- ------------------------------------------------------

[edit] Melodic minor scales

G minor has been used for this example.

Practice with all right hand variations.

E shape
LH
e| -3- ------------------------------------------------------
B| -3- ------------------------------------------------------
G| -3- ------------------------------------------------------
D| -5- ------------------------------------------------------
A| -5- ------------------------------------------------------
E| -3- ------------------------------------------------------

D shape
LH
e| -6- ------------------------------------------------------
B| -8- ------------------------------------------------------
G| -7- ------------------------------------------------------
D| -5- ------------------------------------------------------
A| --- ------------------------------------------------------
E| --- ------------------------------------------------------

C shape
LH
e| ---- ------------------------------------------------------
B| -11- ------------------------------------------------------
G| -7-- ------------------------------------------------------
D| -8-- ------------------------------------------------------
A| -10- ------------------------------------------------------
E| ---- ------------------------------------------------------

A shape
LH
e| -10- ------------------------------------------------------
B| -11- ------------------------------------------------------
G| -12- ------------------------------------------------------
D| -12- ------------------------------------------------------
A| -10- ------------------------------------------------------
E| ---- ------------------------------------------------------

G shape
LH
e| ---- ------------------------------------------------------
B| -15- ------------------------------------------------------
G| -15- ------------------------------------------------------
D| -12- ------------------------------------------------------
A| ---- ------------------------------------------------------
E| -15- ------------------------------------------------------

E shape (repeated)
LH
e| -N/A- ------------------------------------------------------
B| -N/A- ------------------------------------------------------
G| -N/A- ------------------------------------------------------
D| -N/A- ------------------------------------------------------
A| -N/A- ------------------------------------------------------
E| -N/A- ------------------------------------------------------