Octave Method for Low E : 4-String Bass
Major Scales & Arpeggios


CAGED4BASS eBook cover

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eBook :


Octave Method for Four String Bass


Fretboard navigation method for 4-string bass 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 :


CAGED4BASS : Octave Method for 4-String Bass


Fretboard navigation method for 4-string bass 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


CAGEDC4BASS : 4-string bass in Low E (EADG tuning)
C major blues scale : General

In this BLOGoZON we take a look at the C major blues scale box shapes and
join them all together to form one long CAGED4BASS chain.

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Hence the CAGED4BASS sequence is shown for C natural in the diagram that follows:-

CAGED4BASS C natural fingerboard

GuitarPro6 fingerboard : C natural octaves

GuitarPro6 C natural octaves

The diagram that follows shows all five of the CAGED4BASS shapes for use with the
box shapes for a 4-string bass tuned to EADG :-

CAGED4BASS octave shapes

CAGED4BASS : C natural octaves

The diagrams that follows show all of the C major blues scale notes plotted over the
4-string bass guitar's fretboard in the CAGED4BASS style.

C pentatonic major scale : CAGED4BASS fingerboard notes

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 blues scale are detailed below in the CAGED4BASS manner.

C pentatonic major scale : CAGED4BASS fingerboard intervals

The tables and tabbed panels below detail all five box shapes for the C major blues scale
in the CAGED4BASS style for Low E tuning.


CAGED4BASS : 4-string bass in Low E (EADG tuning)
C major blues scale box shapes

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CAGED4BASS C major blues scale : 3C* box shape
CAGED4BASS C major blues scale : 3A1 box shape
CAGED4BASS C major blues scale : 4G1 box shape
CAGED4BASS C major blues scale : 4E2 box shape
CAGED4BASS C major blues scale : 2D* box shape
CAGED4BASS C major blues scale : 3C* box shape at 12

CAGED4BASS : 4-string bass in Low E (EADG tuning)
C major blues scale box shapes

  • 3C*
  • 3A1
  • 4G1
  • 4E2
  • 2D*
  • 3C* at 12

GuitarPro6 (4-string bass : Low E) C pentatonic major scale : 3C* box shape

GuitarPro6 (4-string bass : Low E) C pentatonic major scale : 3A1 box shape

GuitarPro6 (4-string bass : Low E) C pentatonic major scale : 4G1 box shape

GuitarPro6 (4-string bass : Low E) C pentatonic major scale : 4E2 box shape

GuitarPro6 (4-string bass : Low E) C pentatonic major scale : 2D* box shape

GuitarPro6 (4-string bass : Low E) C pentatonic major scale : 3C* box shape at 12


CAGED4BASS : 4-string bass in Low E (EADG tuning)
C major blues scale box shapes

  • 3C*
  • 3A1
  • 4G1
  • 4E2
  • 2D*
  • 3C* at 12

CAGED4BASS (4-string bass : Low E - EADG) C major blues scale : 3C* box shape

CAGED4BASS (4-string bass : Low E - EADG) C major blues scale : 3A1 box shape

CAGED4BASS (4-string bass : Low E - EADG) C major blues scale : 4G1 box shape

CAGED4BASS (4-string bass : Low E - EADG) C major blues scale : 4E2 box shape

CAGED4BASS (4-string bass : Low E - EADG) C major blues scale : 2D* box shape

CAGED4BASS (4-string bass : Low E - EADG) C major blues scale : 3C* 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 - 3C* - being repeated at the 12th fret).

The video shown to the right demonstrates the CAGED4BASS chain-linked sequence for the C major blues scale box shapes.


The complete TAB for the previous exercise follows:-

GuitarPro7 TAB : C major blues scale box shapes


The box shapes for the previous exercise follow:-

C  major blues scale (4-string bass: Low E) box shapes

CAGED4BASS : 4-string bass in Low E (EADG tuning)
C major blues scale
Box shapes pdf & GuitarPro6 TAB pdf

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CAGED4BASS C major blues scale (4-string bass : Low E - EADG) box shapes pdf

GuitarPro7 TAB : C major blues scale (4-string bass: Low E) box shapes pdfGuitarPro7 TAB : C major blues scale (4-string bass: Low E) box shapes pdf


CAGED4BASS : 4-string bass in Low E (EADG tuning)
C major blues scale : Overall fretboard box shapes

CAGED4BASS (4-string bass: Low E - EADG) fingerboard C major bluesscale notes pdf

CAGED4BASS (4-string bass: Low E - EADG) fingerboard C major bluesscale intervals pdf


Running With The Night

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