Octave Method for Low B : 5-String Bass
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


BCAGED octaves : 6-string bass (Low B - BEADGC)
C pentatonic major scale - pseudo 3nps : General

In BLOGoZON No.646 the standard box shapes for the C pentatonic major scale
were presented using the BCAGED octaves methodology for 6-string bass (Low B - BEADGC).

BCAGED octaves logo: 6-string bass (Low B - BEADGC)

In this BLOGoZON we look at the C pentatonic major scale, again, but with pseudo 3nps patterns
and join them all together to form one long BCAGED octaves chain.

The diagram that follows shows all five of the BCAGED octaves shapes for use with the
pseudo Three-Notes-Per-String patterns for a 6-string bass (Low B - BEADGC).

C natural octaves (pseudo 3nps)

The conjoined BAGED 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 diagram that follows shows all five of the AGEDC octaves shapes for use with the
box shapes for a 6-string bass (Low B - BEADGC).

6-String Bass (Low B - BEADGC) : 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 C pentatonic major scale : fingerboard 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 C pentatonic major scale : fingerboard 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 : 6-string bass (Low B - BEADGC)
C pentatonic major scale - pseudo 3nps
YouTube videos & pdf files

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Flash iconGuitar Pro 6 icon

BCAGED octaves C pentatonic mmajor scale : 6B4C1:4A2 box shape(pseudo 3nps) pdf
BCAGED octaves C pentatonic major scale : 4A2:5G2 box shape(pseudo 3nps) pdf
BCAGED octaves C pentatonic major scale : 5G2:5E3 box shape(pseudo 3nps) pdf
BCAGED octaves B pentatonic major scale : 5E3:6D3D1 box shape(pseudo 3nps) pdf
BCAGED octaves B pentatonic major scale : 6D3D1:6B4C1 box shape(pseudo 3nps) pdf
BCAGED octaves C pentatonic major scale : 6B4C1:4A2 box shape at 12 (pseudo 3nps) pdf

BCAGED octaves : 6-string bass (Low B - BEADGC)
C pentatonic major scale - pseudo 3nps : YouTube videos

  • 6B4C1:4A2

  • 4A2:5G2

  • 5G2:5E3

  • 5E3:6D3D1

  • 6D3D1:6B4C1

  • 6B4C1:4A2 at 12

6B4C1:4A2 box shape(pseudo 3nps)

4A2:5G2 box shape(pseudo 3nps)

5G2:5E3 box shape(pseudo 3nps)

5E3:6D3D1 box shape(pseudo 3nps)

6D3D1:6B4C1 box shape(pseudo 3nps)

6B4C1:4A2 at 12 box shape(pseudo 3nps)


BCAGED octaves : 6-string bass (Low B - BEADGC)
C pentatonic major scale - pseudo 3nps : Box shapes & TAB

  • 6B4C1:4A2

  • 4A2:5G2

  • 5G2:5E3

  • 5E3:6D3D1

  • 6D3D1:6B4C1

  • 6B4C1:4A2 at 12

BCAGED octaves A pentatonic minor scale - 6B4C1:4A2 box shape (pseudo 3nps)

BCAGED octaves A pentatonic minor scale - 4A2:5G2 box shape (pseudo 3nps)

BCAGED octaves A pentatonic minor scale - 5G2:5E3 box shape (pseudo 3nps)

BCAGED octaves A pentatonic minor scale - 5E3:6D3D1 box shape (pseudo 3nps)

BCAGED octaves A pentatonic minor scale - 6D3D1:6B4C1 box shape (pseudo 3nps)

BCAGED octaves A pentatonic minor scale - 6B4C1:4A2 box shape at 12 (pseudo 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 - 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 (pseudo 3nps)


The box shapes for the previous exercise follow:-

BCAGED octaves C pentatonic minor scale (pseudo 3nps) box shapes

BCAGED octaves : 6-string bass (Low B - BEADGC)
C pentatonic major scale - pseudo 3nps
Box shapes pdf & GuitarPro7 TAB pdf

Flash iconGuitar Pro 6 icon

BCAGED octaves C pentatonic major scale (pseudo 3nps) box shapes pdf

GuitarPro7 TAB: BCAGED octaves C pentatonic major scale (pseudo 3nps) box shapes pdfGuitarPro7 TAB: BCAGED octaves C pentatonic major scale (pseudo 3nps) box shapes pdf


BCAGED octaves : 6-string bass (Low B - BEADGC)
C pentatonic major scale - pseudo 3nps
Overall fretboard box shapes

BCAGED octaves C pentatonic major scale (pseudo 3nps) box shapes : entire fretboard notes

BCAGED octaves C pentatonic major scale (pseudo 3nps) box shapes : entire fretboard intervals


A Night To Remember

A Night To Remember....Zon Brookes

Shalamar: Friends


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