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


Lulu eBook: 6-string bass (Low B)

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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.


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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


Dingwall AB1 6-string

Dingwall AB1 6-string

Dingwall AB1 6-string

Dingwall AB1 6-string

Dingwall AB1 6-string

Dingwall AB1 6-string

Dingwall AB1 6-string


BCAGED octaves (BEADGC : 6-string bass standard tuning)
C major arpeggio (3 notes per string) : General

In BLOGoZON No.270 the box shapes for the C major arpeggio were presented using the BCAGED octaves methodology - this is the CAGED octaves guitar system adapted and improved for 6-string bass.

In this BLOGoZON we look at the C major arpeggio, again, but with 3nps shapes and join them all together to form one long BCAGED octaves chain.

BCAGED octaves logo

The diagram that follows shows all seven of the BCAGED octaves shapes for use with
the three notes per string patterns for a 6-string bass tuned to BEADGC :-

BCAGED octaves 3nps logo

The conjoined BCAGED octaves sequence is shown for C natural in the diagram that follows:-

BCAGED octaves fingerboard : C natural octaves

GuitarPro6 fingerboard : C natural octaves

GuitarPro6 C natural octaves

The diagrams that follow show all of the C major arpeggio notes plotted over the 6-string bass' fretboard in the BCAGED octaves and GuitarPro6 styles:-

BCAGED octaves fingerboard C major arpeggio notes

GuitarPro6 fingerboard : C major arpeggio

GuitarPro6 C major arpeggio

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 C major arpeggio are detailed below in the
BCAGED octaves manner:-

BCAGED octaves fingerboard C major arpeggio intervals

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


BCAGED octaves (BEADGC : 6-string bass standard tuning)
C major arpeggio (3 notes per string) box shapes : pdf

YouTube icon

Flash iconGuitar Pro 6 icon

BCAGED octaves C major arpeggio (3nps) : 6B4C1 box shape pdf

BCAGED octaves C major arpeggio (3nps) : 6B4A2 box shape pdf

BCAGED octaves C major arpeggio (3nps) : 4A2 box shape pdf

BCAGED octaves C major arpeggio (3nps) : 5G2 box shape pdf

BCAGED octaves C major arpeggio (3nps) : 5E3 box shape pdf

BCAGED octaves C major arpeggio (3nps) : 5E3D1 box shape pdf

BCAGED octaves C major arpeggio (3nps) : 6D3D1 box shape pdf

BCAGED octaves C major arpeggio (3nps) : 6B4C1 box shape at 12 pdf


BCAGED octaves (BEADGC : 6-string bass standard tuning)
C major arpeggio (3nps) box shapes : YouTube videos

  • 6B4C1
  • 6B4A2
  • 4A2
  • 5G2
  • 5E3
  • 5E3D1
  • 6D3D1
  • 6B4C1 at 12

GuitarPro6 C major arpeggio (3nps) : 6B4C1 box shape

GuitarPro6 C major arpeggio (3nps) : 6B4A2 box shape

GuitarPro6 C major arpeggio (3nps) : 4A2 box shape

GuitarPro6 C major arpeggio (3nps) : 5G2 box shape

GuitarPro6 C major arpeggio (3nps) : 5E3 box shape

GuitarPro6 C major arpeggio (3nps) : 5E3D1 box shape

GuitarPro6 C major arpeggio (3nps) : 6D3D1 box shape

GuitarPro6 C major arpeggio (3nps) : 6B4C1 box shape at 12


  • 6B4C1
  • 6B4A2
  • 4A2
  • 5G2
  • 5E3
  • 5E3D1
  • 6D3D1
  • 6B4C1 at 12

BCAGED octaves C major arpeggio (3nps) : 6B4C1 box shape

BCAGED octaves C major arpeggio (3nps) : 6B4A2 box shape

BCAGED octaves C major arpeggio (3nps) : 4A2 box shape

BCAGED octaves C major arpeggio (3nps) : 5G2 box shape

BCAGED octaves C major arpeggio (3nps) : 5E3 box shape

BCAGED octaves C major arpeggio (3nps) : 5E3D1 box shape

BCAGED octaves C major arpeggio (3nps) : 6D3D1 box shape

BCAGED octaves C major arpeggio (3nps) : 6B4C1 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 - 6B4C1 - being repeated at the 12th fret).

The video shown to the right demonstrates the BCAGED octaves chain-linked sequence for the C major scale 3nps box shapes.


The complete TAB for the previous exercise follows:-

BCAGED octaves C major arpeggio (3nps) box shapes TAB


The box shapes for the previous exercise follows:-

BCAGED octaves C major arpeggio (3nps) box shapes

Flash iconGuitar Pro 6 icon

BCAGED octaves C major arpeggio (3nps) box shapes

BCAGED octaves C major arpeggio (3nps) box shapes TAB pdfBCAGED octaves C major arpeggio (3nps) box shapes TAB pdf

BCAGED octaves (BEADGC : 6-string bass standard tuning)
C major arpeggio (3nps) : Overall fretboard box shapes

BCAGED octaves C major arpeggio (3nps) box shapes : fretboard notes

BCAGED octaves C major arpeggio (3nps) box shapes : fretboard notes


Dingwall AB1 6-string

Real love
....Zon Brookes

Drizabone




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