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


Octave Method for Drop D: 6-String Guitar eBook

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eBook :


Octave Method for Drop D Guitar


Fretboard navigation method for Drop D :
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 Drop D : 6-String Guitar


Fretboard navigation method for Drop D :
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.

Octave Method for Low B : 5-String Bass Paper Book


Mayones BE4 Ash Custom

Mayones BE4 Ash Custom

Mayones BE4 Ash Custom

Mayones BE4 Ash Custom

Mayones BE4 Ash CustomMayones BE4 Ash CustomMayones BE4 Ash Custom

Mayones BE4 Ash Custom

Mayones BE4 Ash Custom


6 string guitar (DADGBE - Drop D tuning)
C major scale: General

This weeks BLOGoZON looks at the C major scale for 6-string guitar in Drop D tuning.

CAGED octaves drop D logo

Below the CAGED octaves for drop D sequence is shown for C natural in the diagram that follows:-

CAGED octaves drop D - C natural

GuitarPro6 C natural octaves

The diagrams that follow show all of the C major scale notes plotted over the 6-string guitar's DADGBE fretboard in the CAGED octaves (drop D) and GuitarPro6 styles:-

CAGED octaves drop D fretboard C major scale notes

GuitarPro6 C major 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 C major scale are detailed below in the CAGED octaves manner:-

CAGED octaves drop D fretboard C major scale intervals

The tables and tabbed panels below detail all five box shapes for the
C major scale in the CAGED octaves Drop D style.


6 string guitar (DADGBE - Drop D tuning)
C major scale: YouTube videos & pdf files

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Flash iconGuitar Pro 6 icon

CAGED octaves (Drop D) C major scale : 5C2 box shape pdf
CAGED octaves (Drop D) C major scale : 5A3 box shape pdf
CAGED octaves (Drop D) C major scale : 3G1 box shape pdf
CAGED octaves (Drop D) C major scale : 6E4E1 box shape pdf
CAGED octaves (Drop D) C major scale : 6D4D2 box shape pdf
CAGED octaves (Drop D) C major scale : 5C2 box shape at 12 pdf

6 string guitar (DADGBE - Drop D tuning)
C major scale : Box shapes on YouTube

  • 5C2
  • 5A3
  • 3G1
  • 6E4E1
  • 6D4D2
  • 5C2 at 12

GuitarPro6 5C2

GuitarPro6 5A3

GuitarPro6 3G1

GuitarPro6 6E4E1

GuitarPro6 6D4D2

GuitarPro6 5C2 at 12


6 string guitar (DADGBE - Drop D tuning)
C major scale : Box shapes & TAB

  • 5C2
  • 5A3
  • 3G1
  • 6E4E1
  • 6D42
  • 5C2 at 12

CAGED octaves (Drop D) C major scale : 5C2 box shape

CAGED octaves C major scale : 5A3 box shape

CAGED octaves C major scale : 3G1 box shape

CAGED octaves C major scale : 6E4E1 box shape

CAGED octaves C major scale : 6D4D2 box shape

CAGED octaves C major scale : 5C2 box shape at 12


Once the individual box shapes have been assimilated all five shapes should be linked together and played in one continuous exercise (with the first shape - 5C2 - being repeated at the 12th fret).

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


The complete TAB for the previous exercise follows:-

C ionian mode (major scale) (Drop D) box shapes TAB


The box shapes for the previous exercise follow:-

C major scale (drop D) 3nps box shapes

6 string guitar (DADGBE - Drop D tuning)
C major scale : Box shapes pdf & GuitarPro6 TAB pdf

Flash iconGuitar Pro 6 icon

C major scale drop D box shapes pdf

C major scale (Drop D) box shapes TAB pdfC major scale (Drop D) box shapes TAB pdf


6 string guitar (DADGBE - Drop D tuning)
C major scale : Overall fretboard box shapes

CAGED octaves fretboard C major scale notes

CAGED octaves fretboard C major scale intervals


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