Octave Method for 6-String Bass (Low B)
Major Scales & Arpeggios


Lulu eBook: 6-string bass (Low B)

Lulu logo

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.


Lulu logo

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 major-minor arpeggio : General

In this BLOGoZON we take a look at the C major-minor arpeggio and join them all together
for 6-string bass (Low B - BEADGC) to form one long BCAGED octaves chain.

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

The BCAGED 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 BCAGED 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 major-minor arpeggio notes plotted over the
6-string bass' fretboard in the BCAGED octaves manner.

BCAGED octaves (6-string bass : Low B - BEADGC) C major arpeggio 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-minor arpeggio are detailed below in the BCAGED octaves manner.

BCAGED octaves (6-string bass : Low B - BEADGC) C major arpeggio fingerboard intervals

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


BCAGED octaves : 6-string bass (Low B - BEADGC)
C major-minor arpeggio : YouTube videos & pdf files

YouTube icon

Flash iconGuitar Pro 6 icon

BCAGED octaves C major-minor arpeggio : 6B4C1 box shape pdf
BCAGED octaves C major-minor arpeggio : 4A2 box shape pdf
BCAGED octaves C major-minor arpeggio : 5G2 box shape pdf
BCAGED octaves C major-minor arpeggio : 5E3 box shape pdf
BCAGED octaves C major-minor arpeggio : 6D3D1 box shape pdf
BCAGED octaves C major-minor arpeggio : 6B4C1 box shape at 12 pdf

BCAGED octaves : 6-string bass (Low B - BEADGC)
C major-minor arpeggio : Box shapes on YouTube

  • 6B4C1
  • 4A2
  • 5G2
  • 5E3
  • 6D3D1
  • 6B4C1 at 12

GuitarPro6 fingerboard C major-minor arpeggio : 6B4C1 box shape

GuitarPro6 fingerboard C major-minor arpeggio : 4A2 box shape

GuitarPro6 fingerboard C major-minor arpeggio : 5G2 box shape

GuitarPro6 fingerboard C major-minor arpeggio : 5E3 box shape

GuitarPro6 fingerboard C major-minor arpeggio : 6D3D1 box shape

GuitarPro6 fingerboard C major-minor arpeggio : 6B4C1 box shape at 12


BCAGED octaves : 6-string bass (Low B - BEADGC)
C major blues scale : Box shapes & TAB

  • 6B4C1
  • 4A2
  • 5G2
  • 5E3
  • 6D3D1
  • 6B4C1 at 12

BCAGED octaves C major-minor arpeggio : 6B4C1 box shape

BCAGED octaves C major-minor arpeggio : 4A2 box shape

BCAGED octaves C major-minor arpeggio : 5G2 box shape

BCAGED octaves C major-minor arpeggio : 5E3 box shape

BCAGED octaves C major-minor arpeggio : 6D3D1 box shape

BCAGED octaves C major-minor arpeggio : 6B4C1 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 - 6B4C1 - being repeated at the 12th fret).

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



The complete TAB for the previous exercise follows:-

GuitarPro7 TAB: C major-minor arpeggio box shapes


The box shapes for the previous exercise follow:-

BCAGED octaves C major-minor arpeggio box shapes

BCAGED octaves : 6-string bass (Low B - BEADGC)
C major-minor arpeggio
Box shapes pdf & GuitarPro7 TAB pdf

Flash iconGuitar Pro 6 icon

BCAGED octaves C major-minor arpeggio box shapes pdf

GuitarPro7 TAB: BCAGED octaves C major-minor arpeggio box shapes pdfGuitarPro7 TAB: BCAGED octaves C major-minor arpeggio box shapes pdf


BCAGED octaves : 6-string bass (Low B - BEADGC)
C major-minor arpeggio : Overall fretboard box shapes

BCAGED octaves C major-minor arpeggio box shapes : entire fretboard notes

BCAGED octaves C major-minor arpeggio box shapes : entire fretboard intervals


Me & Mrs Jones

Me & Mrs Jones....Zon Brookes

Billy Paul: Greatest Hits





Return to top of page ^