Octave Method for Low B : 5-String Bass
Major Scales & Arpeggios


Octave Method for 5-String Bass

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eBook :


Octave Method for Low B : 5-String Bass


Fretboard navigation method for 5-string bass
(Low B) 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.


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Paperbook Book :


Octave Method for Five String Bass


Fretboard navigation method for 5-string bass
(Low B) 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 Low B : 5-String Bass Paper Book


BAGED octaves : 5-string bass (Low B - BEADG)
C major arpeggio : General

In this BLOGoZON we take a look at the C major arpeggio box shapes and join them all together
for 5-string bass (Low B - BEADG) to form one long BAGED octaves chain.

BAGED octaves logo

The BAGED octaves sequence is shown for C natural in the diagram that follows:-

BAGED octaves fingerboard : C natural octaves

GuitarPro6 fingerboard : C natural octaves

GuitarPro6 C natural octaves

The diagram that follows shows all five of the BAGED octaves shapes for use with the
box shapes for a 5-string bass (Low B - BEADG).

5-String Bass (Low B) : C natural octaves

The diagrams that follow show all of the C major arpeggio notes plotted over the
5-string bass' fretboard in the BAGED octaves and GuitarPro6 styles:-

BAGED octaves fingerboard C major arpeggio notes

GuitarPro6 fingerboard : C major arpeggio

GuitarPro6 fingerboard :  C major arpeggio

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 arpeggio are detailed below in the BAGED octaves manner:-

BAGED octaves fingerboard C major arpeggio intervals

The tables and tabbed panels below detail all five box shapes
for the C major arpeggio in the BAGED octaves style.


BAGED octaves : 5-string bass (Low B - BEADG)
C major arpeggio : YouTube videos & pdf files

YouTube icon

Flash iconGuitar Pro 6 icon

5-String Bass (Low B) C major arpeggio : 5B3 box shape pdf
5-String Bass (Low B) C major arpeggio : 3A1 box shape pdf
5-String Bass (Low B) C major arpeggio : 4G1 box shape pdf
5-String Bass (Low B) C major arpeggio : 4E2 box shape pdf
5-String Bass (Low B) C major arpeggio : 5D2 box shape pdf
5-String Bass (Low B) C major arpeggio : 5B3 box shape at 12 pdf

BAGED octaves : 5-string bass (Low B - BEADG)
C major arpeggio : Box shapes on YouTube

  • 5B3
  • 3A1
  • 4G1
  • 4E2
  • 5D2
  • 5B3 at 12

GuitarPro6 fingerboard : C major arpeggio 5B3 box shape

GuitarPro6 fingerboard : C major arpeggio 3A1 box shape

GuitarPro6 fingerboard : C major arpeggio 4G1 box shape

GuitarPro6 fingerboard : C major arpeggio 4E2 box shape

GuitarPro6 fingerboard : C major arpeggio 5D2 box shape

GuitarPro6 fingerboard : C major arpeggio 5B3 box shape at 12


BAGED octaves : 5-string bass (Low B - BEADG)
C major arpeggio : Box shapes & TAB

  • 5B3
  • 3A1
  • 4G1
  • 4E2
  • 5D2
  • 5B3 at 12

5-String Bass (Low B) C major arpeggio : 5B3 box shape

5-String Bass (Low B) C major arpeggio : 3A1 box shape

5-String Bass (Low B) C major arpeggio : 4G1 box shape

5-String Bass (Low B) C major arpeggio : 4E2 box shape

5-String Bass (Low B) C major arpeggio : 5D2 box shape

5-String Bass (Low B) C major arpeggio : 5B3 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 - 5B3 - being repeated at the 12th fret).

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



The complete TAB for the previous exercise follows:-

GuitarPro7 TAB : 5-String Bass (Low B) C major arpeggio


The box shapes for the previous exercise follow:-

BAGED octaves C major arpeggio box shapes

BAGED octaves : 5-string bass (Low B - BEADG)
C major arpeggio
Box shapes pdf & GuitarPro7 TAB pdf

Flash iconGuitar Pro 6 icon

5-String Bass (Low B) C major arpeggio box shapes

GuitarPro7 TAB : 5-String Bass (Low B) C major arpeggioGuitarPro7 TAB : 5-String Bass (Low B) C major arpeggio


BAGED octaves : 5-string bass (Low B - BEADG)
C major arpeggio : Overall fretboard box shapes

5-String Bass (Low B) C major arpeggio box shapes : entire fretboard notes

5-String Bass (Low B) C major arpeggio box shapes : entire fretboard intervals


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