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


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Dingwall SJ5-3

Dingwall SJ5-3

Dingwall SJ5-3

Dingwall SJ5-3

Dingwall SJ5-3

Dingwall SJ5-3


BCAGED octaves (BEADGC : 6-string bass standard tuning)
C pentatonic major scale : General

In this BLOGoZON we take a look at the C pentatonic major box shapes and join them all together for
6-string bass in standard Low B tuning to form one long BCAGED octaves chain.

BCAGED octaves logo

The 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 pentatonic major scale notes plotted over the 6-string bass' fretboard in the BCAGED octaves and GuitarPro6 styles:-

BCAGED octaves fingerboard C pentatonic major scale notes

GuitarPro6 fingerboard : C pentatonic major scale

GuitarPro6 fingerboard :  C pentatonic 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 pentatonic major scale are detailed below in the
BCAGED octaves manner:-

BCAGED octaves fingerboard C pentatonic major scale intervals

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


BCAGED octaves (BEADGC : 6-string bass standard tuning)
C pentatonic major scale : YouTube videos & pdf files

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Flash iconGuitar Pro 6 icon

BCAGED octaves C pentatonic major scale : 6B4C1 box shape pdf
BCAGED octaves C pentatonic major scale : 4A2 box shape pdf
BCAGED octaves C pentatonic major scale : 5G2 box shape pdf
BCAGED octaves C pentatonic major scale : 5E3 box shape pdf
BCAGED octaves C pentatonic major scale : 6D3D1 box shape pdf
BCAGED octaves C pentatonic major scale : 6B4C1 at 12 box shape pdf

BCAGED octaves (BEADGC : 6-string bass standard tuning)
C pentatonic major arpeggio : Box shapes on YouTube

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

GuitarPro6 fingerboard C pentatonic major scale : 6B4C1 box shape

GuitarPro6 fingerboard C pentatonic major scale : 4A2 box shape

GuitarPro6 fingerboard C pentatonic major scale : 5G2 box shape

GuitarPro6 fingerboard C pentatonic major scale : 5E3 box shape

GuitarPro6 fingerboard C pentatonic major scale : 6D3D1 box shape

GuitarPro6 fingerboard C pentatonic major scale : 6B4C1 box shape at 12


BCAGED octaves (BEADGC : 6-string bass standard tuning)
C pentatonic major scale : Box shapes & TAB

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

BCAGED octaves C pentatonic major scale : 6B4C1 box shape

BCAGED octaves C pentatonic major scale : 4A2 box shape

BCAGED octaves C pentatonic major scale : 5G2 box shape

BCAGED octaves C pentatonic major scale : 5E3 box shape

BCAGED octaves C pentatonic major scale : 6D3D1 box shape

BCAGED octaves C pentatonic major scale : 6B4C1 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 - 7B5B2 - being repeated at the 12th fret).

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



The complete TAB for the previous exercise follows:-

GuitarPro6 C pentatonic major scale box shapes TAB


The box shapes for the previous exercise follow:-

BCAGED octaves C pentatonic major scale box shapes

Flash iconGuitar Pro 6 icon

BCAGED octaves C pentatonic major scale box shapes pdf

BCAGED octaves C pentatonic major scale box shapes GuitarPro6 TAB pdfBCAGED octaves C pentatonic major scale box shapes GuitarPro6 TAB pdf


BCAGED octaves (BEADGC : 6-string bass standard tuning)
C pentatonic major scale : Overall fretboard box shapes

BCAGED octaves C pentatonic major scale box shapes : entire fretboard notes

BCAGED octaves C pentatonic major scale box shapes : entire fretboard intervals


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