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


CAGED4BASS eBook cover

Lulu logo

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.


Lulu logo

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


Mayones Victorious

Mayones Victorious

Mayones Victorious

Mayones Victorious

Mayones Victorious

Mayones Victorious

Mayones Victorious


AGEDC4BASS : 4-string bass in standard EADG tuning
A minor arpeggio (3 notes per string) : General

In BLOGoZON No.37 the box shapes for the A minor arpeggio were presented using the AGEDC4BASS methodology - this is the CAGED guitar system adapted and improved for minor scales and arpeggios on 4-string bass guitar.

In this BLOGoZON we look at the A minor scale, again, but with 3nps shapes and join them all together to form one long AGEDC4BASS chain.

AGEDC4BASS logo

The diagram that follows shows all seven of the AGEDC4BASS shapes for use with the three notes per string patterns for 4-string bass guitar tuned to EADG :-

AGEDC4BASS A natural 3nps octave shapes

The conjoined AGEDC4BASS sequence is shown for A natural in the diagram that follows:-

AGEDC4BASS A natural

GuitarPro6 A natural octaves

The diagrams that follow show all of the A minor arpeggio notes plotted over the 4-string bass's fretboard in both the Guitar Pro and AGEDC4BASS styles:-

GuitarPro6 A minor arpeggio notes

AGEDC4BASS A minor 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 A minor arpeggio are detailed below in the AGEDC4BASS and GuitarPro5 manner:-

GuitarPro5 A minor arpeggio intervals

AGEDC4BASS A minor arpeggio intervals

The tables and tabbed panels below detail all five box shapes for the A minor arpeggio in the AGEDC4BASS style.


AGEDC4BASS : 4-string bass in standard EADG tuning
A minor arpeggio (3 notes per string) box shapes : pdf

YouTube icon

Flash iconGuitar Pro 6 icon

AGEDC4BASS A minor arpeggio (3nps) : 3Am1Gm box shape pdf

AGEDC4BASS A minor arpeggio (3nps) : 4Gm1 box shape pdf

AGEDC4BASS A minor arpeggio (3nps) : 4Em2 box shape pdf

AGEDC4BASS A minor arpeggio (3nps) : 4Em2Dm* box shape pdf

AGEDC4BASS A minor arpeggio (3nps) : 2Dm* box shape pdf

AGEDC4BASS A minor arpeggio (3nps) : 3Cm* box shape pdf

AGEDC4BASS A minor arpeggio (3nps) : 3Am1 box shape pdf

AGEDC4BASS A minor arpeggio (3nps) : 3Am1Gm box shape at 12 pdf


AGEDC4BASS : 4-string bass in standard EADG tuning
A minor arpeggio (3nps) box shapes : YouTube videos

  • 3Am1Gm
  • 4Gm1
  • 4Em2
  • 4Em2Dm*
  • 2Dm*
  • 3Cm*
  • 3Am1
  • 3Am1Gm at 12

GuitarPro6 A minor srpeggio (3nps) : 3Am1Gm box shape

GuitarPro6 A minor srpeggio (3nps) : 4Gm1 box shape

GuitarPro6 A minor srpeggio (3nps) : 4Em2 box shape

GuitarPro6 A minor srpeggio (3nps) : 4Em2Dm* box shape

GuitarPro6 A minor srpeggio (3nps) : 2Dm* box shape

GuitarPro6 A minor srpeggio (3nps) : 3Cm* box shape

GuitarPro6 A minor srpeggio (3nps) : 3Am1 box shape

GuitarPro6 A minor srpeggio (3nps) : 3Am1Gm box shape at 12


  • 3Am1Gm
  • 4Gm1
  • 4Em2
  • 4Em2Dm*
  • 2Dm*
  • 3Cm*
  • 3Am1
  • 3Am1Gm at 12

AGEDC4BASS A minor arpeggio (3nps) : 3Am1Gm box shape

AGEDC4BASS A minor arpeggio (3nps) : 4Gm1 box shape

AGEDC4BASS A minor arpeggio (3nps) : 4Em2 box shape

AGEDC4BASS A minor arpeggio (3nps) : 4Em2Dm* box shape

AGEDC4BASS A minor arpeggio (3nps) : 2Dm* box shape

AGEDC4BASS A minor arpeggio (3nps) : 3Cm* box shape

AGEDC4BASS A minor arpeggio (3nps) : 3Am1 box shape

AGEDC4BASS A minor arpeggio (3nps) : 3Am1Gm 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 - 3Am1Gm - being repeated at the 12th fret).

The video shown to the right demonstrates the AGEDC4BASS chain-linked sequence for the A minor arpeggio (3nps) box shapes.


The complete TAB for the previous exercise follows:-

AGEDC4BASS A minor arpeggio (3nps) box shapes TAB


The box shapes for the previous exercise follows:-

AGEDC4BASS A minor arpeggio (3nps) box shapes

Flash iconGuitar Pro 6 icon

AGEDC4BASS A minor arpeggio (3nps) box shapes pdf

AGEDC4BASS A minor arpeggio (3nps) box shapes TAB pdfAGEDC4BASS A minor arpeggio (3nps) box shapes TAB pdf

AGEDC4BASS : 4-string bass in standard EADG tuning
A minor arpeggio (3nps): Overall fretboard box shapes

AGEDC4BASS A minor arpeggio (3nps) box shapes : fretboard notes

AGEDC4BASS A minor arpeggio (3nps) box shapes : fretboard intervals


Mayones Victorious

You know how to love me
....Zon Brookes

Phyllis Hyman




Return to top of page ^