Octave Method for 6-String Guitar : Major Scales & Arpeggios


CAGED octaves method for 6-string guitar

Lulu logo

eBook :


Octave Method for Six String Guitar


Fretboard navigation method for 6-string guitar based on an instrument specific modification of the CAGED guitar method, using linked octave shapes rather than open position chord shapes for ease and simplicity of use.


Lulu logo

Paperbook Book :


Octave Method for 6-String Guitar


Fretboard navigation method for 6-string guitar 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 6-String Guitar Paper Book


Larry Carlton

Larry Carlton

Larry Carlton is Mr.335.

Larry Carlton with Robben Ford

Room 335 on Strat

Room 335 on a 335

"Cold, Cold" - Larry Carlton and Robben Ford

"Burnable" - Larry Carlton with Robben Ford

Larry Carlton - 335 Improv - Soloing Over I-VI-II-V

335 Improv

Gibson Mr.335


C major arpeggio box shapes

CAGED octaves logo

In BLOGoZON No.24 the individual box shapes for the C MAJOR ARPEGGIO were presented using
the CAGED octaves methodology.

In this weeks BLOGoZON the box shapes are revisited individually but they are also brought together in one exercise that covers every single shape chain-linked to cover the length of the neck.

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

CAGED octaves C natural

GuitarPro6 C natural octaves

The diagrams that follow show all of the C major arpeggio notes plotted over the 6-string guitar's

fretboard in both the Guitar Pro and CAGED octaves styles:-

GuitarPro6 fingerboard

CAGED octaves C major arpeggio notes

A more long term solution to fretboard navigation is to see scales/modes/arpeggios as INTERVAL shapes rather than note names - as these are universal to all scales, modes, 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:-

CAGED octaves C major arpeggio intervals

The table and tabbed panel below details all five box shapes for the C major arpeggio for the 6-string guitar in the CAGED octaves style.


CAGED octaves - C major arpeggio box shapes

Guitar Pro 6 icon

YouTube icon

Flash icon

5C2 pdf
5A3 pdf
6G3G1 pdf
6E4E1 pdf
4D2 pdf
5C2 at 12 pdf

  • 5C2
  • 5A3
  • 6G3G1
  • 6E4E1
  • 4D2
  • 5C2 at 12


  • 5C2
  • 5A3
  • 6G3G1
  • 6E4E1
  • 4D2
  • 5C2 at 12

5C2 box

5A3 box

6G3G1 box

6E4E1 box

4D2 box

5C2 box 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 - 5C2 - being repeated at the 12th fret).

The video shown to the right demonstrates the CAGED octaves chain-linked sequence for the C major arpeggio box shapes.


The complete tab for the previous exercise follows:-

C major arpeggio box shapes tab


The box shapes for the previous exercise follows:-

box shapes

Guitar Pro 6 icon

Flash icon

GuitarPro6

box shapes pdf

box shapes tab


Larry Carlton

Chicks with kickstands....Zon Brookes

Night Sweats


Return to top of page ^