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


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CAGED4BASS : 4-string bass in standard EADG tuning
C major arpeggio (3 notes per string) : 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 look at the C major arpeggio, again, but with 3nps shapes and join them all together to form one long CAGED4BASS chain.

CAGED4BASS logo

The diagram that follows shows all seven of the CAGED4BASS shapes for use with the three notes per string patterns for 4-string bass guitar tuned to EADG :-

CAGED4BASS 3nps logo

The conjoined 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 arpeggio notes plotted over the 4-string bass's fretboard in both the Guitar Pro and CAGED4BASS styles:-

GuitarPro6 fingerboard C major arpeggio

CAGED4BASS C major arpeggio 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 arpeggio are detailed below in the
CAGED4BASS manner:-

CAGED4BASS C major arpeggio intervals

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


CAGED4BASS : 4-string bass in standard EADG tuning
C major arpeggio (3 notes per string) box shapes : pdf

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Flash iconGuitar Pro 6 icon

CAGED4BASS C major arpeggio 3nps : 3C* box shape pdf

CAGED4BASS C major arpeggio 3nps : 3A1 box shape pdf

CAGED4BASS C major arpeggio 3nps : 3A1G box shape pdf

CAGED4BASS C major arpeggio 3nps : 4G1 box shape pdf

CAGED4BASS C major arpeggio 3nps : 4E2 box shape pdf

CAGED4BASS C major arpeggio 3nps : 4E2D* box shape pdf

CAGED4BASS C major arpeggio 3nps : 2D* box shape pdf

CAGED4BASS C major arpeggio 3nps : 3C* box shape at 12 pdf


CAGED4BASS : 4-string bass in standard EADG tuning
C major arpeggio (3 notes per string) box shapes :
YouTube videos

  • 3C*
  • 3A1
  • 3A1G
  • 4G1
  • 4E2
  • 4E2D*
  • 2D*
  • 3C* at 12

GuitarPro6 C major arpeggio 3nps : 3C* box shape

GuitarPro6 C major arpeggio 3nps : 3A1 box shape

GuitarPro6 C major arpeggio 3nps : 3A1G box shape

GuitarPro6 C major arpeggio 3nps : 4G1 box shape

GuitarPro6 C major arpeggio 3nps : 4E2 box shape

GuitarPro6 C major arpeggio 3nps : 4E2D* box shape

GuitarPro6 C major arpeggio 3nps : 2D* box shape

GuitarPro6 C major arpeggio 3nps : 3C* box shape at 12


  • 3C*
  • 3A1
  • 3A1G
  • 4G1
  • 4E2
  • 4E2D*
  • 2D*
  • 3C* at 12

CAGED4BASS C major arpeggio 3nps : 3C* box shape

CAGED4BASS C major arpeggio 3nps : 3A1 box shape

CAGED4BASS C major arpeggio 3nps : 33A1G box shape

CAGED4BASS C major arpeggio 3nps : 4G1 box shape

CAGED4BASS C major arpeggio 3nps : 4E2 box shape

CAGED4BASS C major arpeggio 3nps : 4E2D* box shape

CAGED4BASS C major arpeggio 3nps : 2D* box shape

CAGED4BASS C major arpeggio 3nps : 3C* box shape at 12



Once the individual box shapes have been assimilated all seven 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 arpeggio 3nps box shapes.


The complete TAB for the previous exercise follows:-

C major arpeggio (3nps) box shapes TAB


The box shapes for the previous exercise follows:-

CAGED4BASS C major arpeggio 3nps box shapes

Flash iconGuitar Pro 6 icon

CAGED4BASS C major arpeggio 3nps box shapes pdf

CAGED4BASS C major arpeggio 3nps box shapes TAB pdfCAGED4BASS C major arpeggio 3nps box shapes TAB pdf

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

CAGED4BASS C major arpeggio 3nps box shapes : fretboard notes

CAGED4BASS C major arpeggio 3nps box shapes : fretboard intervals


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