Octave Method for 6-String Guitar : Major Scales & Arpeggios


CAGED octaves method for 6-string guitar

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eBook :


Octave Method for Six String Guitar


Fretboard navigation method for 6-string 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.


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Paperbook Book :


Octave Method for 6-String Guitar


Fretboard navigation method for 6-string guitar based on an instrument specific modification of the CAGED guitar method, using octave shapes rather than open position chord shapes for ease and simplicity of use.

Octave Method for 6-String Guitar Paper Book


Mike Lull M4V

Mike Lull M4V

Mike Lull M4V

Mike Lull M4V

Mike Lull M4V

Mike Lull M4V

Mike Lull M4V


CAGED octaves (EADGBE : 6-string guitar standard tuning)
B locrian mode (3 notes per string) : General

In BLOGoZON No.304 the box shapes for the B locrian mode were presented using the CAGED octaves methodology - this is the standard CAGED octaves guitar system.

In this BLOGoZON we look at the B locrian mode, again, but with 3nps shapes and join them all together to form one long CAGED octaves chain.

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

CAGED octaves 3nps logo

The conjoined CAGED octaves sequence is shown for B natural in the diagram that follows:-

CAGED octaves fingerboard : B natural octaves

GuitarPro6 fingerboard : B natural octaves

GuitaPro6 B natural octaves

The diagrams that follow show all of the B locrian mode notes plotted over the 6-string guitar's fretboard in the CAGED octaves and GuitarPro6 styles:-

CAGED octaves fingerboard B locrian mode notes

GuitarPro6 fingerboard : B locrian mode

GuitarPro6 B locrian mode

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 B locrian mode are detailed below in the CAGED octaves manner:-

CAGED octaves fingerboard B locrian mode intervals

The tables and tabbed panels below detail all seven box shapes
for the B locrian mode in the CAGED octaves style.


CAGED octaves (EADGBE : 6-string guitar standard tuning)
B locrian mode (3 notes per string) box shapes : pdf

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Flash iconGuitar Pro 6 icon

CAGED octaves B locrian mode 3nps : 5A3 box shape pdf

CAGED octaves B locrian mode 3nps : 5A3G1 box shape pdf

CAGED octaves B locrian mode 3nps : 6G3G1 box shape pdf

CAGED octaves B locrian mode 3nps : 6E4E1 box shape pdf

CAGED octaves B locrian mode 3nps : 6E4D2 box shape pdf

CAGED octaves B locrian mode 3nps : 4D2 box shape pdf

CAGED octaves B locrian mode 3nps : 5C2 box shape pdf

CAGED octaves B locrian mode 3nps : 5A3 box shape at 12 pdf


CAGED octaves (EADGBE : 6-string guitar standard tuning)
B locrian mode (3 notes per string) box shapes : YouTube videos

  • 5A3
  • 5A3G1
  • 6G3G1
  • 6E4E1
  • 6E4D2
  • 4D2
  • 5C2
  • 5A3 at 12

GuitarPro6 B locrian mode 3nps : 5A3 box shape

GuitarPro6 B locrian mode 3nps : 5A3G1 box shape

GuitarPro6 B locrian mode 3nps : 6G3G1 box shape

GuitarPro6 B locrian mode 3nps : 6e4e1 box shape

GuitarPro6 B locrian mode 3nps : 6E4D2 box shape

GuitarPro6 B locrian mode 3nps : 4D2 box shape

GuitarPro6 B locrian mode 3nps : 5C2 box shape

GuitarPro6 B locrian mode 3nps : 5A3 box shape at 12


  • 5A3
  • 5A3G1
  • 6G3G1
  • 6E4E1
  • 6E4D2
  • 4D2
  • 5C2
  • 5A3 at 12

CAGED octaves B locrian mode 3nps : 5A3 box shape

CAGED octaves B locrian mode 3nps : 5A3G1 box shape

CAGED octaves B locrian mode 3nps : 6G3G1 box shape

CAGED octaves B locrian mode 3nps : 6e4e1 box shape

CAGED octaves B locrian mode 3nps : 6e4d2 box shape

CAGED octaves B locrian mode 3nps : 5A3 box shape

CAGED octaves B locrian mode 3nps : 5C2 box shape

CAGED octaves B locrian mode 3nps : 5A3 box shape



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 - 5A3 - being repeated at the 12th fret).

The video shown to the right demonstrates the CAGED octaves chain-linked sequence for the B locrian mode 3nps box shapes.


The complete TAB for the previous exercise follows:-

CAGED octaves B locrian mode 3nps box shapes TAB


The box shapes for the previous exercise follows:-

CAGED octaves B locrian mode 3nps box shapes

Flash iconGuitar Pro 6 icon

CAGED octaves B locrian mode 3nps box shapes pdf

CAGED octaves B locrian mode 3nps box shapes TAB pdfCAGED octaves B locrian mode 3nps box shapes TAB pdf

CAGED octaves (EADGBE : 6-string guitar standard tuning)
B locrian mode (3nps) : Overall fretboard box shapes

CAGED octaves B locrian mode 3nps box shapes : fretboard notes

CAGED octaves B locrian mode 3nps box shapes : fretboard notes


Mike Lull M4V

He came from somewhere
back in her long ago
....Zon Brookes

The Doobie Brothers




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