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


Michael Modeste

Michael Modeste

Michael Modeste is the Roscoe Guitar endorsee who holds down the low-end for US hard rock band Dead by Wednesday

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

Roscoe paint shop

Michael Modeste Roscoe bass

Michael Modeste Roscoe headstock


C major arpeggio box shapes for 5-string bass


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This issue demonstrates the CAGED octaves method for 5-string bass guitar but the all important orange letters have been omitted.

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

ZZZZZ octaves for C natural

GuitarPro6 C natural octaves

The diagram that follows shows all of the C major arpeggio notes plotted over the 5-string bass guitar's fretboard in the CAGED octaves style:-

ZZZZZ octaves C arpeggio notes

GuitarPro6 C major arpeggio

As always a more long term solution to fretboard navigation is to see scales/arpeggios 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 arpeggio are detailed below in the CAGED octaves manner:-

ZZZZZ octaves C arpeggio intervals

The table and tabbed panel below details all five box shapes for the C major arpeggio in the
CAGED octaves style.


5-string bass C major arpeggio box shapes

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5Z3 pdf
3Z1 pdf
4Z1 pdf
4Z2 pdf
5Z2 pdf
5Z3 at 12 pdf


  • 5Z3
  • 3Z1
  • 4Z1
  • 4Z2
  • 5Z2
  • 5Z3 at 12

5Z3 box shape

3Z1 box shape

4Z1 box shape

4Z2 box shape

5Z2 box shape

5Z3 box shape at 12



  • 5Z3
  • 3Z1
  • 4Z1
  • 4Z2
  • 5Z2
  • 5Z3 at 12

5Z3 box

3Z1 box

4Z1 box

4Z2 box

5Z2 box

5Z2 at 12 pdf


Michael Modeste

Check out a 5-string Roscoe bass in action on MySpace with Michael Modeste playing at the edge of reason with Dead by Wednesday............

......The Killing Project....Zon Brookes

Michael Modeste


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