Octave Method for Low B : 7-String Guitar
Major Scales & Arpeggios


Octave Method for 7-String Guitar (Low B)

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eBook :


Octave Method for Seven String Guitar


Fretboard navigation method for 7-string guitar
(Low B) based on an instrument 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 Low B : 7-String Guitar


Fretboard navigation method for 7-string guitar
(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


Mike Heylmun

Mark Heylmun

Mark Heylmun is the ESP LTD toting 7-string guitarist for Suicide Silence.

Mark Heylmun ESP MKH-7

Mark & Dan's ESP LTD signature models

ESP MKH-7


C major scale box shapes for 7 string guitar

The disguised CAGED octaves method for the C major scale on 7-string guitar now follows:-

7 string ZZZZZ octaves logo

The 7-string guitar CAGED octaves sequence is shown for C major scale in the diagram that follows:-

7 string ZZZZZ octaves C natural

GuitarPro6 C natural octaves

The diagram that follows shows all of the C major scale notes plotted over the 7-string guitar's fretboard

in both the Guitar Pro and CAGED octaves styles:-

GuitarPro 6 fingerboard

7-string ZZZZZ octaves C major scale notes

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 scale are detailed below for the 7-string guitar in the CAGED octaves manner:-

7-string ZZZZZ octaves C major scale intervals

The table and tabbed panel below details all five box shapes for the C major scale for the 7-string guitar in the CAGED octaves style.


7-string guitar C major scale box shapes

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7Z5Z2
5Z3
6Z3Z1
6Z4Z1
7Z4Z2
7Z5Z2 at 12

  • 7B5B2
  • 5A3
  • 6G3G1
  • 6E4E1
  • 7D4D2
  • 7B5B2 at 12


  • 7Z5Z2
  • 5Z3
  • 6Z3Z1
  • 6Z4Z1
  • 7Z4Z2
  • 7Z5Z2 at 12

7Z5Z2

5Z3

6Z3Z1

6Z4Z1

7Z4Z2

7Z5Z2 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 - 7B5B2 - being repeated at the 12th fret).

The video shown to the right demonstrates the CAGED octaves chain-linked sequence for the C major scale (ionian mode) box shapes.


The complete tab for the previous exercise follows:-

GuitarPro7 C major scale (ionian mode) box shapes TAB


The box shapes for the previous exercise follows:-

C major scale box shapes

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C major scale box shapes

C major scale box shapes TAB



ESP MKH-7

O.C.D.....Zon Brookes

The Black Crown


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