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Preset
F - Major / Ionian |
F - Major / Ionian |
F - Major / Ionian |
F - Major / Ionian |
F - Major / Ionian |
A - Major / Ionian

The CAGED-boxes and 3NPS scale shapes

The CAGED-boxes and 3NPS scale shapes

Below are the most common scale shapes used when playing different scales on guitar. First are the box-shapes from the CAGED-system, and second, the three notes per string shapes or 3NPS-shapes.

The CAGED-boxes spans no more than four frets and two to three notes per string are played, the 3NPS-shapes spans over up to five frets but for each and every string three notes are played. The CAGED-boxes can be played without much hand movement and stretches while the 3NPS-shapes require a little more hand movement and stretches, but are consistent in number of notes played per string, what to prefer is a matter of taste.

The scale shapes below shows how to use the shapes to play the F-major scale, but the same scale shapes can be used to play any mode of the major scale in any key, see the interactive fretboard chart at the bottom.

For more charts and tutorials see the preset-menu at top left, or click the links below on specific topics:

  • How to play the pentatonic scales
  • The CAGED system
  • The seven modes of the major scale
  • Create your own scale and chord charts

CAGED-Boxes

1.
F - Major / Ionian
E-shape
C-shape
G-shape
E
7
1
♭2
2
♭3
3
4
♭5
5
♭6
6
♭7
7
1
♭2
2
B
♭5
5
♭6
6
♭7
7
1
♭2
2
♭3
3
4
♭5
5
♭6
6
G
2
♭3
3
4
♭5
5
♭6
6
♭7
7
1
♭2
2
♭3
3
4
D
6
♭7
7
1
♭2
2
♭3
3
4
♭5
5
♭6
6
♭7
7
1
A
3
4
♭5
5
♭6
6
♭7
7
1
♭2
2
♭3
3
4
♭5
5
E
7
1
♭2
2
♭3
3
4
♭5
5
♭6
6
♭7
7
1
♭2
2
0123456789101112131415
2.
F - Major / Ionian
D-shape
A-shape
E
7
1
♭2
2
♭3
3
4
♭5
5
♭6
6
♭7
7
1
♭2
2
B
♭5
5
♭6
6
♭7
7
1
♭2
2
♭3
3
4
♭5
5
♭6
6
G
2
♭3
3
4
♭5
5
♭6
6
♭7
7
1
♭2
2
♭3
3
4
D
6
♭7
7
1
♭2
2
♭3
3
4
♭5
5
♭6
6
♭7
7
1
A
3
4
♭5
5
♭6
6
♭7
7
1
♭2
2
♭3
3
4
♭5
5
E
7
1
♭2
2
♭3
3
4
♭5
5
♭6
6
♭7
7
1
♭2
2
0123456789101112131415

Three notes per string

3.
F - Major / Ionian
1st - "Major/Ionian"
4th - "Lydian"
E
7
1
♭2
2
♭3
3
4
♭5
5
♭6
6
♭7
7
1
♭2
2
B
♭5
5
♭6
6
♭7
7
1
♭2
2
♭3
3
4
♭5
5
♭6
6
G
2
♭3
3
4
♭5
5
♭6
6
♭7
7
1
♭2
2
♭3
3
4
D
6
♭7
7
1
♭2
2
♭3
3
4
♭5
5
♭6
6
♭7
7
1
A
3
4
♭5
5
♭6
6
♭7
7
1
♭2
2
♭3
3
4
♭5
5
E
7
1
♭2
2
♭3
3
4
♭5
5
♭6
6
♭7
7
1
♭2
2
0123456789101112131415
4.
F - Major / Ionian
2nd - "Dorian"
5th - "Mixolydian"
E
7
1
♭2
2
♭3
3
4
♭5
5
♭6
6
♭7
7
1
♭2
2
B
♭5
5
♭6
6
♭7
7
1
♭2
2
♭3
3
4
♭5
5
♭6
6
G
2
♭3
3
4
♭5
5
♭6
6
♭7
7
1
♭2
2
♭3
3
4
D
6
♭7
7
1
♭2
2
♭3
3
4
♭5
5
♭6
6
♭7
7
1
A
3
4
♭5
5
♭6
6
♭7
7
1
♭2
2
♭3
3
4
♭5
5
E
7
1
♭2
2
♭3
3
4
♭5
5
♭6
6
♭7
7
1
♭2
2
0123456789101112131415
5.
F - Major / Ionian
3rd - "Phrygian"
6th - "Aeolian"
7th - "Locrian"
E
7
1
♭2
2
♭3
3
4
♭5
5
♭6
6
♭7
7
1
♭2
2
B
♭5
5
♭6
6
♭7
7
1
♭2
2
♭3
3
4
♭5
5
♭6
6
G
2
♭3
3
4
♭5
5
♭6
6
♭7
7
1
♭2
2
♭3
3
4
D
6
♭7
7
1
♭2
2
♭3
3
4
♭5
5
♭6
6
♭7
7
1
A
3
4
♭5
5
♭6
6
♭7
7
1
♭2
2
♭3
3
4
♭5
5
E
7
1
♭2
2
♭3
3
4
♭5
5
♭6
6
♭7
7
1
♭2
2
0123456789101112131415

Interactive fretboard chart

Select scale, key and tuning in the on tool-box below. Edit the scale by clicking the scale degrees, and click the fretboard to include and exclude individual notes. For additional editing features click the edit button next to the preset-menu at top left.

6.
A - Major / Ionian
1
♭2
2
♭3
3
4
♭5
5
♭6
6
♭7
7
A
B♭
B
C
C♯
D
E♭
E
F
F♯
G
G♯
1
12
E
5
♭6
6
♭7
7
1
♭2
2
♭3
3
4
♭5
5
B
2
♭3
3
4
♭5
5
♭6
6
♭7
7
1
♭2
2
G
♭7
7
1
♭2
2
♭3
3
4
♭5
5
♭6
6
♭7
D
4
♭5
5
♭6
6
♭7
7
1
♭2
2
♭3
3
4
A
1
♭2
2
♭3
3
4
♭5
5
♭6
6
♭7
7
1
E
5
♭6
6
♭7
7
1
♭2
2
♭3
3
4
♭5
5
0123456789101112

Happy playing!

Stay safe! Rock on!

Below are the most common scale shapes used when playing different scales on guitar. First are the box-shapes from the CAGED-system, and second, the three notes per string shapes or 3NPS-shapes.

The CAGED-boxes spans no more than four frets and two to three notes per string are played, the 3NPS-shapes spans over up to five frets but for each and every string three notes are played. The CAGED-boxes can be played without much hand movement and stretches while the 3NPS-shapes require a little more hand movement and stretches, but are consistent in number of notes played per string, what to prefer is a matter of taste.

The scale shapes below shows how to use the shapes to play the F-major scale, but the same scale shapes can be used to play any mode of the major scale in any key, see the interactive fretboard chart at the bottom.

For more charts and tutorials see the preset-menu at top left, or click the links below on specific topics:

  • How to play the pentatonic scales
  • The CAGED system
  • The seven modes of the major scale
  • Create your own scale and chord charts

CAGED-Boxes

1.
F - Major / Ionian
E-shape
C-shape
G-shape
EADGBE
0
7
3
6
2
♭5
7
1
1
4
♭7
♭3
5
1
2
♭2
♭5
7
3
♭6
♭2
3
2
5
1
4
6
2
4
♭3
♭6
♭2
♭5
♭7
♭3
5
3
6
2
5
7
3
6
4
♭7
♭3
♭6
1
4
7
♭5
7
3
6
♭2
♭5
8
5
1
4
♭7
2
5
9
♭6
♭2
♭5
7
♭3
♭6
10
6
2
5
1
3
6
11
♭7
♭3
♭6
♭2
4
♭7
12
7
3
6
2
♭5
7
13
1
4
♭7
♭3
5
1
14
♭2
♭5
7
3
♭6
♭2
15
2
5
1
4
6
2
2.
F - Major / Ionian
D-shape
A-shape
EADGBE
0
7
3
6
2
♭5
7
1
1
4
♭7
♭3
5
1
2
♭2
♭5
7
3
♭6
♭2
3
2
5
1
4
6
2
4
♭3
♭6
♭2
♭5
♭7
♭3
5
3
6
2
5
7
3
6
4
♭7
♭3
♭6
1
4
7
♭5
7
3
6
♭2
♭5
8
5
1
4
♭7
2
5
9
♭6
♭2
♭5
7
♭3
♭6
10
6
2
5
1
3
6
11
♭7
♭3
♭6
♭2
4
♭7
12
7
3
6
2
♭5
7
13
1
4
♭7
♭3
5
1
14
♭2
♭5
7
3
♭6
♭2
15
2
5
1
4
6
2

Three notes per string

3.
F - Major / Ionian
1st - "Major/Ionian"
4th - "Lydian"
EADGBE
0
7
3
6
2
♭5
7
1
1
4
♭7
♭3
5
1
2
♭2
♭5
7
3
♭6
♭2
3
2
5
1
4
6
2
4
♭3
♭6
♭2
♭5
♭7
♭3
5
3
6
2
5
7
3
6
4
♭7
♭3
♭6
1
4
7
♭5
7
3
6
♭2
♭5
8
5
1
4
♭7
2
5
9
♭6
♭2
♭5
7
♭3
♭6
10
6
2
5
1
3
6
11
♭7
♭3
♭6
♭2
4
♭7
12
7
3
6
2
♭5
7
13
1
4
♭7
♭3
5
1
14
♭2
♭5
7
3
♭6
♭2
15
2
5
1
4
6
2
4.
F - Major / Ionian
2nd - "Dorian"
5th - "Mixolydian"
EADGBE
0
7
3
6
2
♭5
7
1
1
4
♭7
♭3
5
1
2
♭2
♭5
7
3
♭6
♭2
3
2
5
1
4
6
2
4
♭3
♭6
♭2
♭5
♭7
♭3
5
3
6
2
5
7
3
6
4
♭7
♭3
♭6
1
4
7
♭5
7
3
6
♭2
♭5
8
5
1
4
♭7
2
5
9
♭6
♭2
♭5
7
♭3
♭6
10
6
2
5
1
3
6
11
♭7
♭3
♭6
♭2
4
♭7
12
7
3
6
2
♭5
7
13
1
4
♭7
♭3
5
1
14
♭2
♭5
7
3
♭6
♭2
15
2
5
1
4
6
2
5.
F - Major / Ionian
3rd - "Phrygian"
6th - "Aeolian"
7th - "Locrian"
EADGBE
0
7
3
6
2
♭5
7
1
1
4
♭7
♭3
5
1
2
♭2
♭5
7
3
♭6
♭2
3
2
5
1
4
6
2
4
♭3
♭6
♭2
♭5
♭7
♭3
5
3
6
2
5
7
3
6
4
♭7
♭3
♭6
1
4
7
♭5
7
3
6
♭2
♭5
8
5
1
4
♭7
2
5
9
♭6
♭2
♭5
7
♭3
♭6
10
6
2
5
1
3
6
11
♭7
♭3
♭6
♭2
4
♭7
12
7
3
6
2
♭5
7
13
1
4
♭7
♭3
5
1
14
♭2
♭5
7
3
♭6
♭2
15
2
5
1
4
6
2

Interactive fretboard chart

Select scale, key and tuning in the on tool-box below. Edit the scale by clicking the scale degrees, and click the fretboard to include and exclude individual notes. For additional editing features click the edit button next to the preset-menu at top left.

6.
A - Major / Ionian
1
♭2
2
♭3
3
4
♭5
5
♭6
6
♭7
7
A
B♭
B
C
C♯
D
E♭
E
F
F♯
G
G♯
1
12
EADGBE
0
5
1
4
♭7
2
5
1
♭6
♭2
♭5
7
♭3
♭6
2
6
2
5
1
3
6
3
♭7
♭3
♭6
♭2
4
♭7
4
7
3
6
2
♭5
7
5
1
4
♭7
♭3
5
1
6
♭2
♭5
7
3
♭6
♭2
7
2
5
1
4
6
2
8
♭3
♭6
♭2
♭5
♭7
♭3
9
3
6
2
5
7
3
10
4
♭7
♭3
♭6
1
4
11
♭5
7
3
6
♭2
♭5
12
5
1
4
♭7
2
5

Happy playing!

Stay safe! Rock on!

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