Octave Method for 8-string Guitar (Low F#)
Major Scales & Arpeggios


Lulu eBook: 8-string guitar (Low F#)

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eBook :


Octave Method for Eight String Guitar


Fretboard navigation method for 8-string guitar
(Low F#) 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 F# : 8-String Guitar


Fretboard navigation method for 8-string guitar
(Low F#) 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 Viking VF Antique Black

Mayones Viking VF Antique Black

Mayones Viking VF Antique Black

Mayones Viking VF Antique Black

Mayones Viking VF Antique Black

Mayones Viking VF Antique Black

Mayones Viking VF Antique Black

Mayones Viking VF Antique Black

Mayones Viking VF Antique Black


BAF#GED octaves : 8-string guitar low F# tuning (F#BEADGBE)
C major scale (3 notes per string) : General

In BLOGoZON No.484 the box shapes for the C major scale (ionian mode) were presented using the BAF#GED octaves methodology - this is the standard BAF#GED octaves guitar system.

BAF#GED octaves logo

In this BLOGoZON we look at the C major scale (ionian mode), again, but with 3nps shapes and
join them all together to form one long BAF#GED octaves chain.

The diagram that follows shows all seven of the BAF#GED octaves shapes for use with the
three notes per string patterns for an 8-string guitar tuned to F#BEADGBE :-

BAF#GED octaves : Octave shapes 3nps

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

BAF#GED octaves C natural fretboard

GuitarPro6 fingerboard : C natural octaves

GuitarPro6 C natural octaves

The diagram that follows shows all seven of the BAF#GED octaves shapes for use with the
box shapes for a 8-string guitar (Low F#) :-

BAF#GED octaves : C natural octaves (3nps)

The diagrams that follow show all of the C major scale (ionian mode) notes plotted over
the 8-string guitar's (Low F#) fretboard in the BAF#GED octaves and GuitarPro6 styles:-

BAF#GED octaves fingerboard C major scale notes

GuitarPro6 fingerboard : C major scale (ionian mode)

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 (ionian mode) are detailed below in the BAF#GED octaves manner:-

BAF#GED octaves fingerboard C major scale intervals

The tables and tabbed panels below detail all seven box shapes for the
C major scale (ionian mode) for 8-string guitar (Low F#).


BAGED octaves : 8-string guitar in low F# tuning (F#BEADGBE)
C major scale (3nps) : YouTube videos & pdf files

YouTube icon

Flash iconGuitar Pro 6 icon

BAF#GED octaves C major scale (ionian mode) : 7B5A3 box shape (3nps) pdf

BAF#GED octaves C major scale (ionian mode) : 8A5A3G1 box shape (3nps) pdf

BAF#GED octaves C major scale (ionian mode) : 8F#6G3G1 box shape (3nps) pdf

BAF#GED octaves C major scale (ionian mode) : 8F#6E4E1 box shape (3nps) pdf

BAF#GED octaves C major scale (ionian mode) : 6E4D2 box shape (3nps) pdf

BAF#GED octaves C major scale (ionian mode) : 7D4D2 box shape (3nps) pdf

BAF#GED octaves C major scale (ionian mode) : 7B5B2 box shape (3nps) pdf

BAF#GED octaves C major scale (ionian mode) : 7B5A3 box shape at 12 (3nps) pdf


BAGED octaves : 8-string guitar in low G tuning (GBEADGBE)
C major scale (3nps) : Box shapes on YouTube

  • 7B5A3
  • 8A5A3G1
  • 8F#6G3G1
  • 8F#6E4E1
  • 6E4D2
  • 7D4D2
  • 7B5B2
  • 7B5A3 at 12

GuitarPro6 3nps C ionian mode (major scale) : 7B5A3 box shape

GuitarPro6 3nps C ionian mode (major scale) : 8A5A3G1 box shape

GuitarPro6 3nps C ionian mode (major scale) : 8F#6G3G1 box shape

GuitarPro6 3nps C ionian mode (major scale) : 8F#6E4E1 box shape

GuitarPro6 3nps C ionian mode (major scale) : 6E4D2 box shape

GuitarPro6 3nps C ionian mode (major scale) : 7D4D2 box shape

GuitarPro6 3nps C ionian mode (major scale) : 7B5B2 box shape

GuitarPro6 3nps C ionian mode (major scale) : 7B5A3 box shape at 12


  • 7B5A3
  • 8A5A3G1
  • 8F#6G3G1
  • 8F#6E4E1
  • 6E4D2
  • 7D4D2
  • 7B5B2
  • 7B5A3 at 12

BAF#GED octaves C major scale (ionian mode) : 7B5A3 box shape (3nps)

BAF#GED octaves C major scale (ionian mode) : 8A5A3G1 box shape (3nps)

BAF#GED octaves C major scale (ionian mode) : 8F#6G3G1 box shape (3nps)

BAF#GED octaves C major scale (ionian mode) : 8F#6E4E1 box shape (3nps)

BAF#GED octaves C major scale (ionian mode) : 7D4D2 box shape (3nps)

BAF#GED octaves C major scale (ionian mode) : 6E4D2 box shape (3nps)

BAF#GED octaves C major scale (ionian mode) : 7B5B2 box shape (3nps)

BAF#GED octaves C major scale (ionian mode) : 7B5A3 box shape at 12(3nps)


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 - 7B5A3 - being repeated at the 12th fret).

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

The complete TAB for the previously described exercise follows:-

GuitarPro7 TAB: BAF#GED octaves C major scale (ionian mode)


The box shapes for the previous exercise follows:-

BAF#GED octaves C ionian mode (major scale) 3nps box shapes

BAGED octaves : 8-string guitar in low G tuning (GBEADGBE)
C major scale (3nps) : Box shapes pdf & GuitarPro6 TAB pdf

Flash iconGuitar Pro 6 icon

C major scale (ionian mode) 8-string guitar (Low F#) box shapes pdf

8-string  guitar (Low F#) : C major scale (ionian mode) box shapes TAB pdf8-string  guitar (Low F#) : C major scale (ionian mode) box shapes TAB pdf

BAGED octaves : 8-string guitar in low G tuning (GBEADGBE)
C major scale (3nps) : Overall fretboard box shapes

BAF#GED octaves C major scale (ionian mode) 3nps box shapes : fretboard notes

BAF#GED octaves C major scale (ionian mode) 3nps box shapes : fretboard intervals


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Never let her slip away....Zon Brookes

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