Octave Method for Low E : 4-String Bass
Major Scales & Arpeggios


CAGED4BASS eBook cover

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eBook :


Octave Method for Four String Bass


Fretboard navigation method for 4-string bass 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.


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Paperbook Book :


CAGED4BASS : Octave Method for 4-String Bass


Fretboard navigation method for 4-string bass 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.

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


Huw Foster & Vanderkley Cabs


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Huw Foster is a London-based freelance musician, educator and composer.Huw is proud to be the first GB artist endorsed by Dutch company Vanderkley Amplification.

Buy Vanderkley Amplification at BassDirect.co.uk.

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CAGED4BASS : 4-string bass in standard EADG tuning
C major scale : General

In BLOGoZON No.111 the box shapes for the C major scale and C major arpeggio were presented using the CAGED4BASS methodology - this is the CAGED octaves guitar system adapted and improved for bass guitar. In this BLOGoZON we take a closer look at the C major scale box shapes and join them all together to form one long CAGED4BASS chain.

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Hence the CAGED4BASS sequence is shown for C natural in the diagram that follows:-

CAGED4BASS C nautral octave shapes

guitarpro6_c_natural octaves

The diagrams that follow show all of the C major scale notes plotted over the 4-string bass's fretboard in both the Guitar Pro and CAGED4BASS styles:-

GuitarPro6 fingerboard C major scale

CAGED4BASS C amjor 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 in the
CAGED4BASS manner:-

CAGED4BASS C major scale intervals

The tables and tabbed panels below detail all five box shapes for the C major scale in the CAGED4BASS style.


CAGED4BASS : 4-string bass in standard EADG tuning
C major scale : Box shape pdf files

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CAGED4BASS C major scale : 3C* box shape pdf
CAGED4BASS C major scale : 3A1 box shape pdf
CAGED4BASS C major scale : 4G1 box shape pdf
CAGED4BASS C major scale : 4E2 box shape pdf
CAGED4BASS C major scale : 2D* box shape pdf
CAGED4BASS C major scale : 3C* box shape at 12 pdf

CAGED4BASS : 4-string bass in standard EADG tuning
C major scale : YouTube box shapes

  • 3C*
  • 3A1
  • 4G1
  • 4E2
  • 2D*
  • 3C* at 12

GuitarPro6 3C* box shape

GuitarPro6 3A1 box shape

GuitarPro6 4G1 box shape

GuitarPro6 4E1 box shape

GuitarPro6 2D* box shape

GuitarPro6 3C* box shape at 12


CAGED4BASS : 4-string bass in standard EADG tuning
C major scale : Box shapes & TAB

  • 3C*
  • 3A1
  • 4G1
  • 4E2
  • 2D*
  • 3C* at 12

C major scale (ionian mode) : 3C* box shape

C major scale (ionian mode) : 3A1 box shape

C major scale (ionian mode) : 4G1 box shape

C major scale (ionian mode) : 4E2 box shape

C major scale (ionian mode) : 2D* box shape

C major scale (ionian mode) : 3C* 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 - 3C* - being repeated at the 12th fret).

The video shown to the right demonstrates the CAGED4BASS chain-linked sequence for the C major scale box shapes.


The complete TAB for the previous exercise follows:-

C major scale (ionian mode) box shapes TAB


The box shapes for the previous exercise follows:-

C major scale box shape

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C major scale box shapes pdf

C major scale box shapes pdfC major scale box shapes pdf

CAGED4BASS : 4-string bass in standard EADG tuning
C major scale : Overall fretboard box shapes

CAGED4BASS fingerboard  C major scale box shapes notes

CAGED4BASS fingerboard  C major scale box shapes intervals


Huw Foster

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