Octave Method for Low E : 4-String Bass
Major Scales & Arpeggios


CAGED4BASS eBook cover

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eBook :


Octave Method for Four String Bass


Fretboard navigation method for 4-string bass 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 :


CAGED4BASS : Octave Method for 4-String Bass


Fretboard navigation method for 4-string bass 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


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CAGED4BASS : 4-string bass in Low E (EADG tuning)
C major-minor arpeggio : General

In this BLOGoZON we take a look at the C major blues scale box shapes and join them all together to form one long CAGED4BASS chain.

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Hence the CAGED4BASS sequence is shown for C natural in the diagram that follows:-

CAGED4BASS C natural fingerboard

guitarpro6_c_natural octaves

The diagram that follows shows all five of the CAGED4BASS shapes for use with the
box shapes for a 4-string bass tuned to EADG :-

CAGED4BASS octave shapes

The diagrams that follows show all of the C major-minor arpeggio notes plotted over the 4-string bass guitar's fretboard in the CAGED4BASS style:-

CAGED4BASS fingerboard C major-minor arpeggio 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
CAGED4BASS manner:-

CAGED4BASS fingerboard C major-minor arpeggio intervals

The tables and tabbed panels below detail all five box shapes for the C major-minor arpeggio in the
CAGED4BASS style for Low E tuning.


CAGED4BASS : 4-string bass in Low E (EADG tuning)
C major-minor arpeggio box shapes

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CAGED4BASS C major-minor arpeggio : 3C* box shape
CAGED4BASS C major-minor arpeggio : 3A1 box shape
CAGED4BASS C major-minor arpeggio : 4G1 box shape
CAGED4BASS C major-minor arpeggio : 4E2 box shape
CAGED4BASS C major-minor arpeggio : 2D* box shape
CAGED4BASS C major-minor arpeggio : 3C* box shape at 12

CAGED4BASS : 4-string bass in Low E (EADG tuning)
C major-minor arpeggio box shapes

  • 3C*
  • 3A1
  • 4G1
  • 4E2
  • 2D*
  • 3C* at 12

GuitarPro6 (4-string bass : Low E) C major-minor arpeggio : 3C* box shape

GuitarPro6 (4-string bass : Low E) C major-minor arpeggio : 3A1 box shape

GuitarPro6 (4-string bass : Low E) C major-minor arpeggio : 4G1 box shape

GuitarPro6 (4-string bass : Low E) C major-minor arpeggio : 4E2 box shape

GuitarPro6 (4-string bass : Low E) C major-minor arpeggio : 2D* box shape

GuitarPro6 (4-string bass : Low E) C major-minor arpeggio : 3C* box shape at 12


CAGED4BASS : 4-string bass in Low E (EADG tuning)
C major-minor arpeggio box shapes

  • 3C*
  • 3A1
  • 4G1
  • 4E2
  • 2D*
  • 3C* at 12

CAGED4BASS (4-string bass : Low E) C major-minor arpeggio : 3C* box shape

CAGED4BASS (4-string bass : Low E) C major-minor arpeggio : 3A1 box shape

CAGED4BASS (4-string bass : Low E) C major-minor arpeggio : 4G1 box shape

CAGED4BASS (4-string bass : Low E) C major-minor arpeggio : 4E2 box shape

CAGED4BASS (4-string bass : Low E) C major-minor arpeggio : 2D* box shape

CAGED4BASS (4-string bass : Low E) C major-minor arpeggio : 3C* 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 - 3C* - being repeated at the 12th fret).

The video shown to the right demonstrates the CAGED4BASS chain-linked sequence for the C major -minor arpeggio box shapes.


The complete TAB for the previous exercise follows:-

C major-minor arpeggio box shapes TAB


The box shapes for the previous exercise follow:-

C major-minor arpeggio (4-string bass: Low E) box shapes

CAGED4BASS : 4-string bass in Low E (EADG tuning)
C major-minor arpeggio
Box shapes pdf & GuitarPro6 TAB pdf

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C major-minor arpeggio (4-string bass : Low E) box shapes pdf

C major-minor arpeggio (4-string bass: Low E) box shapes TAB pdfC major-minor arpeggio (4-string bass: Low E) box shapes TAB pdf


CAGED4BASS : 4-string bass in Low E (EADG tuning)
C major-minor arpeggio : Overall fretboard box shapes

CAGED4BASS (4-string bass: Low E) fingerboard C major-minor arpeggio notes pdf

CAGED4BASS (4-string bass: Low E) fingerboard C major-minor arpeggio intervals pdf


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