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


CAGED octaves method for 6-string guitar

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eBook :


Octave Method for Six String Guitar


Fretboard navigation method for 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.


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Paperbook Book :


Octave Method for 6-String Guitar


Fretboard navigation method for 6-string guitar 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 6-String Guitar Paper Book


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DCAGE octaves (EADGBE : 6-string guitar standard tuning)
D dorian mode (3 notes per string) : General

In BLOGoZON No.285 the box shapes for the D dorian mode were presented using the DCAGE octaves methodology.

In this BLOGoZON we look at the D dorian mode, again, but with 3nps shapes and join them all together to form one long DCAGE octaves chain.

The diagram that follows shows all seven of the DCAGE octaves shapes for use with
the three notes per string patterns for a 6-string guitar tuned to EADGBE :-

DCAGE 3nps octaves

The conjoined DCAGE octaves sequence is shown for D natural in the diagram that follows:-

DCAGE octaves fingerboard : D natural octaves

GuitarPro6 fingerboard : D natural octaves

GuitarPro6 D natural octaves

The diagrams that follow show all of the D dorian mode notes plotted over the 6-string guitar's fretboard in the DCAGE octaves and GuitarPro6 styles:-

DCAGE octaves fingerboard D dorian mode notes

GuitarPro6 fingerboard : D dorian mode

GuitarPro6 D dorian mode

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 D dorian mode are detailed below in the DCAGE octaves manner:-

DCAGE octaves fingerboard D dorian mode intervals

The tables and tabbed panels below detail all five box shapes for the
D dorian mode in the DCAGE octaves style.


DCAGE octaves (EADGBE : 6-string guitar standard tuning)
D dorian mode (3 notes per string) box shapes : pdf

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DCAGE octaves D dorian mode 3nps : 4Dm2 box shape pdf

DCAGE octaves D dorian mode 3nps : 5Cm2 box shape pdf

DCAGE octaves D dorian mode 3nps : 5Am3 box shape pdf

DCAGE octaves D dorian mode 3nps : 5Am3Gm1 box shape pdf

DCAGE octaves D dorian mode 3nps : 6Gm3Gm1 box shape pdf

DCAGE octaves D dorian mode 3nps : 6Em4Em1 box shape pdf

DCAGE octaves D dorian mode 3nps : 6Em4Dm2 box shape pdf

DCAGE octaves D dorian mode 3nps : 4Dm2 box shape at 12 pdf


DCAGE octaves (EADGBE : 6-string guitar standard tuning)
D dorian mode (3 notes per string) box shapes : YouTube videos

  • 4Dm2
  • 5Cm2
  • 5Am3
  • 5Am3Gm1
  • 6Gm3Gm1
  • 6Em4Em1
  • 6Em4Dm2
  • 4Dm2 at 12

GuitarPro6 D dorian mode 3nps : 4Dm2 box shape

GuitarPro6 D dorian mode 3nps : 5Cm2 box shape

GuitarPro6 D dorian mode 3nps : 5Am3 box shape

GuitarPro6 D dorian mode 3nps : 5Am3Gm1 box shape

GuitarPro6 D dorian mode 3nps : 6Gm3Gm1 box shape

GuitarPro6 D dorian mode 3nps : 6Em4Em1 box shape

GuitarPro6 D dorian mode 3nps : 6Em4Dm2 box shape

GuitarPro6 D dorian mode 3nps : 4Dm2 box shape at 12


  • 4Dm2
  • 5Cm2
  • 5Am3
  • 5Am3Gm1
  • 6Gm3Gm1
  • 6Em4Em1
  • 6Em4Dm2
  • 4Dm2 at 12

GuitarPro6 D dorian mode 3nps : 4Dm2 box shape

GuitarPro6 D dorian mode 3nps : 5Cm2 box shape

GuitarPro6 D dorian mode 3nps : 5Am3 box shape

GuitarPro6 D dorian mode 3nps : 5Am3Gm1 box shape

GuitarPro6 D dorian mode 3nps : 6Gm3Gm1 box shape

GuitarPro6 D dorian mode 3nps : 6Em4Em1 box shape

GuitarPro6 D dorian mode 3nps : 6Em4Dm2 box shape

GuitarPro6 D dorian mode 3nps : 4Dm2 box shape at 12



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 - 4Dm2 - being repeated at the 12th fret).

The video shown to the right demonstrates the DCAGE octaves chain-linked sequence for the D dorian mode 3nps box shapes.


The complete TAB for the previous exercise follows:-

DCAGE octaves D dorian mode 3nps box shapes TAB


The box shapes for the previous exercise follows:-

DCAGE octaves D dorian mode 3nps box shapes

Flash iconGuitar Pro 6 icon

DCAGE octaves D dorian mode 3nps box shapes

DCAGE octaves D dorian mode 3nps box shapes TAB pdfDCAGE octaves D dorian mode 3nps box shapes TAB pdf

DCAGE octaves (EADGBE : 6-string guitar standard tuning)
D dorian mode : Overall fretboard box shapes

DCAGE octaves D dorian mode 3nps box shapes : fretboard notes

DCAGE octaves D dorian mode 3nps box shapes : fretboard notes


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