Octave Method for Drop D : 6-String Guitar
Major Scales & Arpeggios


Octave Method for Drop D: 6-String Guitar eBook

eBook: Octave Method for Drop D: 6-string guitar

Fretboard navigation method for Drop D : 6-string guitar based on a modification of the CAGED guitar method, using linked octave shapes rather than open position chord shapes for ease and simplicity of use.


Book: Octave Method for Drop D: 6-String Guitar

Fretboard navigation method for Drop D : 6-String 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


CAGED octaves : 6-string guitar (Drop D - DADGBE)
C major scale (ionian mode) 3nps : General

In BLOGoZON No.664 the box shapes for the C major scale (ionian mode) were presented for
6-string guitar (Drop D - DADGBE) using the standard CAGED octaves guitar system adapted for Drop D.

CAGED octaves Drop D logo

In this BLOGoZON we look again at the C major scale (ionian mode), but with 3nps shapes and
join them all together to form one long Drop D : CAGED octaves chain.

The diagram that follows shows all seven of the octave shapes used with the
three notes per string patterns for Drop D : 6-string guitar.

CAGED octaves : Drop D 3nps octave shapes

The conjoined Drop D : CAGED octaves sequence is shown for C natural in the diagram that follows.

CAGED octaves Drop D - C natural octaves fretboard

GuitarPro6 fingerboard : C natural octaves

GuitarPro6 C natural octaves

The diagram that follows shows all seven of the Drop D : CAGED octaves shapes for use with the
3nps box shapes for a 6-string guitar (Drop D - DADGBE).

6-String Guitar (Drop D - DADGBE) : C natural 3nps octaves

The diagrams that follow show all of the C major scale (ionian mode) notes plotted over the
6-string guitar's (Drop D - DADGBE) fretboard in the CAGED octaves and GuitarPro6 styles.

CAGED octaves (6-string guitar : Drop D - DADGBE) C major scale (ionian mode) fretboard notes

GuitarPro6 fingerboard : C major scale (ionian mode)

GuitarPro6 C 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 major scale (ionian mode) are detailed below in the CAGED octaves manner:-

CAGED octaves (6-string guitar : Drop D - DADGBE) C major scale (ionian mode) fretboard intervals

The tables and tabbed panels below detail all seven box shapes for the 3nps
C major scale (ionian mode) in the Drop D : CAGED octaves style.


CAGED octaves : 6-string guitar (Drop D - DADGBE)
C major scale (ionian mode) 3nps : YouTube videos & pdf files

YouTube icon

Flash iconGuitar Pro 6 icon

CAGED octaves (6-string guitar : Drop D - DADGBE) C major scale (ionian mode) : 5C2 box shape pdf (3nps)

CAGED octaves (6-string guitar : Drop D - DADGBE) C major scale (ionian mode) : 5A3 box shape pdf (3nps)

CAGED octaves (6-string guitar : Drop D - DADGBE) C major scale (ionian mode) : 5A3G1 box shape pdf (3nps)

CAGED octaves (6-string guitar : Drop D - DADGBE) C major scale (ionian mode) : 3G1 box shape pdf (3nps)

CAGED octaves (6-string guitar : Drop D - DADGBE) C major scale (ionian mode) : 6E4E1 box shape pdf (3nps)

CAGED octaves (6-string guitar : Drop D - DADGBE) C major scale (ionian mode) : 6E4D2 box shape pdf (3nps)

CAGED octaves (6-string guitar : Drop D - DADGBE) C major scale (ionian mode) : 6D4D2 box shape pdf (3nps)

CAGED octaves (6-string guitar : Drop D - DADGBE) C major scale (ionian mode) : 5C2 box shape at 12 pdf (3nps)


CAGED octaves : 6-string guitar (Drop D - DADGBE)
C major scale (ionian mode) 3nps : Box shapes on YouTube

  • 5C2
  • 5A3
  • 5A3G1
  • 3G1
  • 6E4E1
  • 6E4D2
  • 6D4D2
  • 5C2 at 12

GuitarPro6 (Drop D) 3nps C ionian mode (major scale) : 5C2 box shape

GuitarPro6 (Drop D) 3nps C ionian mode (major scale) : 5A3 box shape

GuitarPro6 (Drop D) 3nps C ionian mode (major scale) : 5A3G1 box shape

GuitarPro6 (Drop D) 3nps C ionian mode (major scale) : 3G1 box shape

GuitarPro6 (Drop D) 3nps C ionian mode (major scale) : 6E4E1 box shape

GuitarPro6 (Drop D) 3nps C ionian mode (major scale) : 6E4D2 box shape

GuitarPro6 (Drop D) 3nps C ionian mode (major scale) : 6D4D2 box shape

GuitarPro6 (Drop D) 3nps C ionian mode (major scale) : 5C2 box shape at 12


  • 5C2
  • 5A3
  • 5A3G1
  • 3G1
  • 6E4E1
  • 6E4D2
  • 6D4D2
  • 5C2 at 12

CAGED octaves C major scale (6-string guitar : Drop D - DADGBE) : 5C2 box shape (3nps)

CAGED octaves C major scale (6-string guitar : Drop D - DADGBE) : 5A3 box shape (3nps)

CAGED octaves C major scale (6-string guitar : Drop D - DADGBE) : 5A3G1 box shape (3nps)

CAGED octaves C major scale (6-string guitar : Drop D - DADGBE) : 3G1 box shape (3nps)

CAGED octaves C major scale (6-string guitar : Drop D - DADGBE) : 6E4E1 box shape (3nps)

CAGED octaves C major scale (6-string guitar : Drop D - DADGBE) : 6E4D2 box shape (3nps)

CAGED octaves C major scale (6-string guitar : Drop D - DADGBE) : 6D4D2 box shape (3nps)

CAGED octaves C major scale (6-string guitar : Drop D - DADGBE) : 3G1 box shape at 12 (3nps)


Once the individual box shapes have been assimilated all seven shapes should be linked together and played in one continuous exercise (with the first shape - 5C2 - being repeated at the 12th fret).

The video shown to the right demonstrates the Drop D : CAGED octaves
chain-linked sequence for the
C major scale box shapes (3nps).

CAGED octaves : 6-string guitar (Drop D - DADGBE)
C major scale (ionian mode) 3nps : GuitarPro7 TAB

The complete TAB for the previously described exercise follows:-

GuitarPro7 TAB - C major scale (ionian mode) box shapes (3nps)


CAGED octaves : 6-string guitar (Drop D - DADGBE)
C major scale (ionian mode) 3nps : Box shapes

The box shapes for the previous exercise follows:-

C major scale (ionian mode) box shapes (3nps)

CAGED octaves : 6-string guitar (Drop D - DADGBE)
C major scale (ionian mode) 3nps
Box shapes pdf & GuitarPro6 TAB pdf

Flash iconGuitar Pro 6 icon

C major scale (ionian mode) box shapes (3nps) pdf

GuitarPro7 TAB: 6-string guitar (Drop D - DADGBE) C major scale (ionian mode) box shapes pdfGuitarPro7 TAB: 6-string guitar (Drop D - DADGBE) C major scale (ionian mode) box shapes pdf

CAGED octaves : 6-string guitar (Drop D - DADGBE)
C major scale (ionian mode) 3nps : Overall fretboard box shapes

CAGED octaves (6-string guitar : Drop D - DADGBE) - C major scale (ionian mode) box shapes (3nps) : fretboard notes

CAGED octaves (6-string guitar : Drop D - DADGBE) - C major scale (ionian mode) box shapes (3nps) : fretboard intervals


Bad Love

Bad Love....Zon Brookes

Eric Clapton: Journeyman






Return to top of page ^