Octave Method for Low B : 5-String Bass
Major Scales & Arpeggios


Octave Method for 5-String Bass

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eBook :


Octave Method for Low B : 5-String Bass


Fretboard navigation method for 5-string bass
(Low B) based on an instrument specific modification of the CAGED guitar method, using octave shapes rather than open position chord shapes for ease and simplicity of use.


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Paperbook Book :


Octave Method for Five String Bass


Fretboard navigation method for 5-string bass
(Low B) based on an instrument specific modification of the CAGED guitar method, using octave shapes rather than open position chord shapes for ease and simplicity of use.

Octave Method for Low B : 5-String Bass Paper Book


Keith B Roscoe

Keith B Roscoe

Keith B Roscoe is one of the unsung heroes of the bass guitar world; making by HAND some of the best instruments on the planet all the way down there in Greensboro, North Carolina.

In the US one of the main Roscoe dealers are Alpha Music located in Virginia Beach, Virginia; whereas in England Roscoes are sold via Bass Direct in Leamington Spa, Warwickshire.

Watch out for the in-depth report on the Roscoe Guitars factory visit by Zon Brookes at cagedoctaves.com

Carved bass body

Figured bass body


BAGED octaves (BEADG : 5-string bass standard tuning)
C major scale : General

In this BLOGoZON we take a look at the C major scale box shapes and join them all together for 5-string bass in standard low B tuning to form one long BAGED octaves chain.

BAGED octaves logo

The BAGED octaves sequence is shown for C natural in the diagram that follows:-

BAGED octaves fingerboard : C natural octaves

GuitarPro6 fingerboard : C natural octaves

GuitarPro6 C natural octaves

The diagrams that follow show all of the C major scale notes plotted over the 5-string bass' fretboard in the BAGED octaves and GuitarPro6 styles:-

BAGED octaves fingerboard C major scale notes

GuitarPro6 fingerboard : C major scale

GuitarPro6 C major scale

As always a more long term solution to fretboard navigation is to see scales as INTERVAL shapes rather than note names - as these are universal to all scales, arpeggios and chords rather than specific to one particular root note - with this in mind the intervals for the C major scale are detailed below in the BAGED octaves manner:-

BAGED octaves fingerboard C major scale intervals

The tables and tabbed panels below detail all five box shapes for the C major scale in the BAGED octaves style.


BAGED octaves (BEADG : 5-string bass standard tuning)
C major scale : YouTube videos & pdf files

YouTube icon

Flash iconGuitar Pro 6 icon

BAGED octaves C major scale : 5B3 box shape pdf
BAGED octaves C major scale : 3A1 box shape pdf
BAGED octaves C major scale : 4G1 box shape pdf
BAGED octaves C major scale : 4E2 box shape pdf
BAGED octaves C major scale : 5D2 box shape pdf
BAGED octaves C major scale : 75B3 box shape at 12 pdf


  • 5B3
  • 3A1
  • 4G1
  • 4E2
  • 5D2
  • 5B3 at 12

GuitarPro6 5Z3 box shape

GuitarPro6 3Z1 box shape

GuitarPro6 4Z1 box shape

GuitarPro6 4Z2 box shape

GuitarPro6 5Z2 box shape

GuitarPro6 5Z3 box shape at 12



  • 5B3
  • 3A1
  • 4G1
  • 4E2
  • 5D2
  • 5B3 at 12

BAGED octaves C major scale : 5B3 box shape

BAGED octaves C major scale : 3A1 box shape

BAGED octaves C major scale : 4G1 box shape

BAGED octaves C major scale : 4E2 box shape

BAGED octaves C major scale : 5D2 box shape

BAGED octaves C major scale : 5B3 box shape at 12



Once the individual box shapes have been assimilated all five shapes should be linked together and played in one continuous exercise (with the first shape - 5B3 - being repeated at the 12th fret).



The complete TAB for the previous exercise follows:-

GuitarPro6 C major scale box shapes TAB


The box shapes for the previous exercise follow:-

BAGED octaves C major scale box shapes

Flash iconGuitar Pro 6 icon

BAGED octaves C major scale box shapes pdf

BAGED octaves C major scale box shapes GuitarPro6 TAB pdfBAGED octaves C major scale box shapes GuitarPro6 TAB pdf


BAGED octaves (BEADG : 5-string bass standard tuning)
C major scale : Overall fretboard box shapes

BAGED octaves C major scale box shapes : entire fretboard notes

BAGED octaves C major scale box shapes : entire fretboard intervals


Jimmy Haslip

Mint jam....Zon Brookes

Mint Jam


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