Octave Method for 6-String Bass (Low B)
Major Scales & Arpeggios

Lulu eBook: 6-string bass (Low B)

 Lulu logo

eBook :

Octave Method for Six String Bass

Fretboard navigation method for 6-string bass
(Low B) 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 Low B : 6-String Bass

Fretboard navigation method for 6-String Bass
(Low B) 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

XOTiC XJ-1T6

XOTiC XJ-1T6

XOTiC XJ-1T6

XOTiC XJ-1T6

XOTiC XJ-1T6

XOTiC XJ-1T6

XOTiC XJ-1T6

AGEDBC octaves (BEADGC : 6-string bass standard tuning)
A minor scale (aeolian mode): General

In this BLOGoZON we take a look at the A minor scale box shapes and join them all together for 6-string bass in standard low B tuning to form one long AGEDBC octaves chain.

AGEDBC octaves logo

The AGEDBC octaves sequence is shown for A natural in the diagram that follows:-

AGEDBC octaves fingerboard : A natural octaves

GuitarPro6 fingerboard : A natural octaves

GuitarPro6 A natural octaves

The diagrams that follow show all of the A minor scale notes plotted over the 6-string bass' fretboard in the AGEDBC octaves and GuitarPro6 styles:-

AGEDBC octaves fingerboard A minor scale notes

GuitarPro6 fingerboard : A minor scale

GuitarPro6 A minor scale

As always a more long term solution to fretboard navigation is to see scales 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 scale are detailed below in the AGEDBC octaves manner:-

AGEDBC octaves fingerboard A minor scale intervals

The tables and tabbed panels below detail all five box shapes for the A minor scale in the AGEDBC octaves style.

AGEDBC octaves (BEADGC : 6-string bass standard tuning)
A minor scale : YouTube videos & pdf files

YouTube icon

Flash iconGuitar Pro 6 icon
AGEDBC octaves A minor scale : 4Am2 box shape pdf
AGEDBC octaves A minor scale : 5Gm2 box shape pdf
AGEDBC octaves A minor scale : 5Em3 box shape pdf
AGEDBC octaves A minor scale : 6Dm3Dm1 box shape pdf
AGEDBC octaves A minor scale : 6Bm4Cm1 box shape pdf
AGEDBC octaves A minor scale : 4Am2 box shape at 12 pdf

AGEDBC octaves (BEADGC : 6-string bass standard tuning)
A minor scale : Box shapes on YouTube

  • 4Am2 (incomplete)
  • 4Am2 (altered)
  • 5Gm2
  • 5Em3
  • 6Dm3Dm1
  • 6Bm4Cm1
  • 4Am2 at 12

GuitarPro6 4Am2 box shape

GuitarPro6 4Am2 altered box shape

GuitarPro6 5Gm2 box shape

GuitarPro6 5Em3 box shape

GuitarPro6 6Dm3Dm1 box shape

GuitarPro6 6Bm4Cm1 box shape

GuitarPro6 4Am2 box shape at 12

AGEDBC octaves (BEADGC : 6-string bass standard tuning)
A minor scale : Box shapes & TAB

  • 4Am2
  • 5Gm2
  • 5Em3
  • 6Dm3Dm1
  • 6Bm4Cm1
  • 4Am2 at 12

AGEDBC octaves A minor scale : 4Am2 box shape

AGEDBC octaves A minor scale : 5Gm2 box shape

AGEDBC octaves A minor scale : 5Em3 box shape

AGEDBC octaves A minor scale : 6Dm3Dm1 box shape

AGEDBC octaves A minor scale : 4Am2 box shape

AGEDBC octaves A minor scale : 4Am2 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 - 4Am2 - being repeated at the 12th fret).

The video shown to the right demonstrates the AGEDBC octaves chain-linked sequence for the A minor scale box shapes.


The complete TAB for the previous exercise follows:-

GuitarPro6 A minor scale box shapes TAB

The box shapes for the previous exercise follow:-

AGEDBC octaves A minor scale box shapes

Flash iconGuitar Pro 6 icon

AGEDBC octaves A minor scale box shapes pdf

AGEDBC octaves A minor scale box shapes GuitarPro6 TAB pdfAGEDBC octaves A minor scale box shapes GuitarPro6 TAB pdf

AGEDBC octaves (BEADGC : 6-string bass standard tuning)
A minor scale : Overall fretboard box shapes

AGEDBC octaves C major scale box shapes : entire fretboard notes

AGEDBC octaves C major scale box shapes : entire fretboard intervals

XOTiC XJ-1T6

Divine emotions....Zon Brookes

Narada Michael Walden

Return to top of page ^