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 pentatonic major scale - 31313 sweep patterns : General

In BLOGoZON No.619 the standard box shapes for the C pentatonic major scale
were presented using the BAGED octaves methodology for 5-string bass (Low B - BEADG).

BAGED octaves logo

In this BLOGoZON we look at the C pentatonic major scale, again, but with 31313 sweep patterns patterns and join them all together to form one long BAGED octaves chain.

The diagram that follows shows all five of the BAGED octaves shapes for use with the
31313 sweep patterns patterns for a 5-string bass (Low B - BEADG).

C natural octaves (pseudo 3nps)

The conjoined 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 AGEDC octaves shapes for use with the
box shapes for a 6-string guitar (E standard: EADGBE).

BAGED octaves (5-string bass : Low B - BEADG) - C natural octaves

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

BAGED 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 BAGED octaves manner:-

BAGED 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 BAGED octaves style.


BAGED octaves : 5-string bass (Low B - BEADG)
C pentatonic major scale - 31313 sweep patterns
YouTube videos & pdf files

YouTube icon

Flash iconGuitar Pro 6 icon

BAGED octaves C pentatonic major scale : 5B3:3A1 box shape (313131 sweep pattern) pdf
BAGED octaves C pentatonic major scale : 3A1:4G1 box shape (313131 sweep pattern) pdf
BAGED octaves C pentatonic major scale : 4G1:4E2 box shape (313131 sweep pattern) pdf
BAGED octaves B pentatonic major scale : 4E2:5D2 box shape (313131 sweep pattern) pdf
BAGED octaves B pentatonic major scale : 5D2:5B3 box shape (313131 sweep pattern) pdf
BAGED octaves C pentatonic major scale : 5B3:3A1 box shape at 12 (313131 sweep pattern) pdf

BAGED octaves : 5-string bass (Low B - BEADG)
C pentatonic major scale - 31313 sweeps : YouTube videos

  • 5B3:3A1

  • 3A1:4G1

  • 4G1:4E2

  • 4E2:5D2

  • 5D2:5B3

  • 5B3:3A1 at 12

BAGED octaves C pentatonic major scale : 5B3:3A1 box shape(313131 sweep pattern)

BAGED octaves C pentatonic major scale : 3A1:4G1 box shape(313131 sweep pattern)

BAGED octaves C pentatonic major scale : 4G1:4E2 box shape(313131 sweep pattern)

BAGED octaves C pentatonic major scale : 4E2:5D2 box shape(313131 sweep pattern)

BAGED octaves C pentatonic major scale : 5D2:5B3 box shape(313131 sweep pattern)

BAGED octaves C pentatonic major scale : 5B3:3A1 box shape at 12 (313131 sweep pattern)


BAGED octaves : 5-string bass (Low B - BEADG)
C pentatonic major scale - 31313 sweeps : Box shapes & TAB

  • 5B3:3A1

  • 3A1:4G1

  • 4G1:4E2

  • 4E2:5D2

  • 5D2:5B3

  • 5B3:3A1 at 12

BAGED octaves A pentatonic minor scale - 5B3:3A1 box shape (313131 sweep pattern)

BAGED octaves A pentatonic minor scale - 3A1:4G1 box shape (313131 sweep pattern)

BAGED octaves A pentatonic minor scale - 4G1:4E2 box shape (313131 sweep pattern)

BAGED octaves A pentatonic minor scale - 4E2:5D2 box shape (313131 sweep pattern)

BAGED octaves A pentatonic minor scale - 5D2:5B3 box shape (313131 sweep pattern)

BAGED octaves A pentatonic minor scale - 5B3:3A1 at 12  box shape (313131 sweep pattern)


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 - 5B3:3A1 - being repeated at the 12th fret).

The complete TAB for the previously described exercise follows:-

GuitarPro7 TAB: C pentatonic major scale box shapes (313131 sweep pattern)


The box shapes for the previous exercise follow:-

BAGED octaves C pentatonic minor scale box shapes (313131 sweep pattern)

BAGED octaves : 5-string bass (Low B - BEADG)
C pentatonic major scale - 31313 sweep patterns
Box shapes pdf & GuitarPro7 TAB pdf

Flash iconGuitar Pro 6 icon

BAGED octaves C pentatonic major scale box shapes (313131 sweep patterns) pdf

GuitarPro7 TAB: BAGED octaves C pentatonic major scale box shapes (313131 sweep patterns) pdfGuitarPro7 TAB: BAGED octaves C pentatonic major scale box shapes (31313 sweep patterns) pdf


BAGED octaves : 5-string bass (Low B - BEADG)
C pentatonic major scale - 31313 sweep patterns
Overall fretboard box shapes

BAGED octaves C pentatonic major scale box shapes (313131 sweep patterns) : entire fretboard notes

BAGED octaves C pentatonic major scale box shapes (313131 sweep patterns) : entire fretboard intervals


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