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 baritone bass
(F0 baritone standard - FBEADG)
C major scale (ionian mode)
1 2 3 5 6 7 - C D E F G A B
General

In this BLOGoZON we take a look at the C major scale (ionian mode) (1 2 3 5 6 7 - C D E F G A B) for
6-string baritone bass (F0 baritone standard - FBEADG) forming one long BCAGED octaves chain.

BAGED octaves logo: 6-string baritone bass (F#0 baritone standard - F#BEADG)

Below the BCAGED octaves sequence is shown for C natural over the entire fretboard.

BCAGED octaves 6-string baritone bass (F#0 baritone standard - F#BEADG): 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 baritone bass (F0 baritone standard - FBEADG).

BCAGED octaves 5-string baritone bass (F#0 baritone standard - F#BEADG) fingerboard : C natural octave shapes

GuitarPro6 fingerboard : C natural octaves

GuitarPro6 C natural octaves

GuitarPro8 TAB: C natural octave shapes


The diagram that follows shows all five of the BCAGED octaves shapes for use with the
box shapes for a 6-string baritone bass (F0 baritone standard - FBEADG).

BCAGED octaves 6-string baritone bass (F#0 baritone standard - F#BEADG) C natural octaves shapes pdf

The diagrams that follow show all of the C major scale (ionian mode) (1 2 3 5 6 7 - C D E F G A B)
notes plotted over the 6-string bass' fretboard in the BCAGED octaves and GuitarPro6 styles.

BCAGED octaves 6-string baritone bass (F#0 baritone standard - F#BEADG) C major scale (ionian mode) : entire 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) (1 2 3 5 6 7 - C D E F G A B)
are detailed below in the BCAGED octaves manner.

BCAGED octaves 6-string baritone bass (F#0 baritone standard - F#BEADG) C major scale (ionian mode) : entire fretboard intervals

The tables and tabbed panels below detail all five box shapes for the
C major scale (ionian mode) (1 2 3 5 6 7 - C D E F G A B) in the BCAGED octaves style.


BCAGED octaves : 6-string baritone bass
(F0 baritone standard - FBEAD)
C major scale (ionian mode)
1 2 3 5 6 7 - C D E F G A B
YouTube videos & pdf files

YouTube icon

Flash iconGuitar Pro 6 icon

BCAGED octaves 6-string baritone bass (F#0 baritone standard - F#BEADG) C major scale (ionian mode) : 6B4C1 box shape (modified fingering) pdf
BCAGED octaves 6-string baritone bass (F#0 baritone standard - F#BEADG) C major scale (ionian mode) : 4A2 box shape pdf
BCAGED octaves 6-string baritone bass (F#0 baritone standard - F#BEADG) C major scale (ionian mode) : 5G2 box shape pdf
BCAGED octaves 6-string baritone bass (F#0 baritone standard - F#BEADG) C major scale (ionian mode) : 5E3 box shape pdf
BCAGED octaves 6-string baritone bass (F#0 baritone standard - F#BEADG) C major scale (ionian mode) : 6D3D1 box shape pdf
BCAGED octaves 6-string baritone bass (F#0 baritone standard - F#BEADG) C major scale (ionian mode) : 6B4C1 box shape at 12 pdf

BCAGED octaves : 6-string baritone bass
(F0 baritone standard - FBEAD)
C major scale (ionian mode)
1 2 3 5 6 7 - C D E F G A B
Box shapes on YouTube

  • 6B4C1 (incomplete)
  • 6B4C1 (altered)
  • 4A2
  • 5G2
  • 5E3
  • 6D3D1
  • 6B4C1 at 12

GuitarPro6 6B4C1 box shape

GuitarPro6 6B4C1 (altered) box shape

GuitarPro6 4A2 box shape

GuitarPro6 5G2 box shape

GuitarPro6 5E3 box shape

GuitarPro6 6D3D1 box shape

GuitarPro6 6B4C1 box shape at 12


BCAGED octaves : 5-string baritone bass
(F0 baritone standard - FBEAD)
C major scale (ionian mode)
1 2 3 5 6 7 - C D E F G A B
Box shapes & GuitarPro8 TAB

  • 6B4C1 (incomplete)
  • 6B4C1 (altered)
  • 4A2
  • 5G2
  • 5E3
  • 6D3D1
  • 6B4C1 at 12

BCAGED octaves 5-string baritone bass (F#0 baritone standard - F#BEADG) C major scale (ionian mode) : 6B4C1 box shape (incomplete)

BCAGED octaves 5-string baritone bass (F#0 baritone standard - F#BEADG) C major scale (ionian mode) : 6B4C1 box shape (modified fingering)

BCAGED octaves 5-string baritone bass (F#0 baritone standard - F#BEADG) C major scale (ionian mode) : 4A2 box shape

BCAGED octaves 5-string baritone bass (F#0 baritone standard - F#BEADG) C major scale (ionian mode) : 5G2 box shape

BCAGED octaves 5-string baritone bass (F#0 baritone standard - F#BEADG) C major scale (ionian mode) : 5E3 box shape

BCAGED octaves 5-string baritone bass (F#0 baritone standard - F#BEADG) C major scale (ionian mode) : 6D3D1 box shape

BCAGED octaves 5-string baritone bass (F#0 baritone standard - F#BEADG) C major scale (ionian mode) : 6B4C1 box shape at 12


BCAGED octaves : 6-string baritone bass
(F0 baritone standard - FBEAD)
C major scale (ionian mode)
1 2 3 5 6 7 - C D E F G A B
GuitarPro8 TAB

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


The GuitarPro8 TAB shown below demonstrates the BCAGED octaves chain-linked sequence
for the C major scale (ionian mode) (1 2 3 5 6 7 - C D E F G A B) box shapes
for 6-string baritone bass (F0 baritone standard - FBEADG).

GuitarPro8 TAB: BCAGED octaves 6-string baritone bass (F#0 baritone standard - F#BEADG) C major scale (ionian mode) box shapes


BCAGED octaves : 6-string baritone bass
(F0 baritone standard - FBEAD)
C major scale (ionian mode)
1 2 3 5 6 7 - C D E F G A B
Box shapes

The box shapes for the previous exercise follow:-

BCAGED octaves 6-string baritone bass (F#0 baritone standard - F#BEADG) C major scale (ionian mode) box shapes

BCAGED octaves : 6-string baritone bass
(F0 baritone standard - FBEAD)
C major scale (ionian mode)
1 2 3 5 6 7 - C D E F G A B
Box shapes pdf & GuitarPro8 TAB pdf

Flash iconGuitar Pro 6 icon

BCAGED octaves 6-string baritone bass (F#0 baritone standard - F#BEADG) C major scale (ionian mode) box shapes pdf

GuitarPro8 TAB pdf: BCAGED octaves 6-string baritone bass (F#0 baritone standard - F#BEAD) C major scale (ionian mode) box shapesGuitarPro8 TAB pdf: BCAGED octaves 6-string baritone bass (F#0 baritone standard - F#BEAD) C major scale (ionian mode) box shapes


BCAGED octaves : 6-string baritone bass
(F0 baritone standard - FBEAD)
C major scale (ionian mode)
1 2 3 5 6 7 - C D E F G A B
Overall fretboard box shapes

BCAGED octaves (6-string bass : B0 standard - BEADGC) C major scale (ionian mode) box shapes : entire fretboard notes

BCAGED octaves (6-string bass : B0 standard - BEADGC) C major scale (ionian mode) box shapes : entire fretboard intervals


Shalamar: There It Is

There It Is....Zon Brookes

Shalamar: There It Is












Return to top of page ^