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


BAGED4BASS : 4-string bass (B0 standard - BEAD)
C major arpeggio (3nps) : General

In BLOGoZON No.514 the box shapes for the C major arpeggio were presented
using the BAGED octaves methodology for 4-string bass (B0 standard - BEAD).

In this BLOGoZON we take a look at the C major arpeggio , but with 3nps shapes and join them all together for 4-string bass (B0 standard - BEAD) to form one long BAGED octaves chain.

BAGED octaves logo: 4-string bass (B0 standard - BEAD)

The BAGED octaves sequence is shown for C natural in the diagram that follows.

BAGED octaves fingerboard : C natural octaves

GuitarPro8 fingerboard : C natural octaves

GuitarPro8: C natural octaves

The diagram that follows shows all seven of the BAGED4BASS shapes for use with the
box shapes for a 4-string bass (B0 standard - BEAD).

BAGED4BASS: C natural octave shapes (3nps)

BAGED4BASS : C natural octaves (3nps)

The diagrams that follows show all of the C major arpeggio notes plotted over the
4-string bass (B0 standard - BEAD) guitar's fretboard in the BAGED4BASS style.

BAGED4BASS 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 arpeggio are detailed below in the BAGED4BASS manner.

BAGED4BASS C major arpeggio fingerboard intervals

The tables and tabbed panels below detail all seven box shapes for the C major arpeggio
in the BAGED4BASS style for 4-string bass (B0 standard - BEAD).


BAGED4BASS : 4-string bass (B0 standard - BEAD)
C major arpeggio (3nps) : box shapes

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BAGED4BASS (4-string bass : B0 standard - BEAD) C major arpeggio: 4B2 box shape pdf (3nps)

BAGED4BASS (4-string bass : B0 standard - BEAD) C major arpeggio: 4B2A* box shape pdf (3nps)

BAGED4BASS (4-string bass : B0 standard - BEAD) C major arpeggio: 2A* box shape pdf (3nps)

BAGED4BASS (4-string bass : B0 standard - BEAD) C major arpeggio: 3G* box shape pdf (3nps)

BAGED4BASS (4-string bass : B0 standard - BEAD) C major arpeggio: 3E1 box shape pdf (3nps)

BAGED4BASS (4-string bass : B0 standard - BEAD) C major arpeggio: 3E1D box shape pdf (3nps)

BAGED4BASS (4-string bass : B0 standard - BEAD) C major arpeggio: 4D1 box shape pdf (3nps)

BAGED4BASS (4-string bass : B0 standard - BEAD) C major arpeggio: 4B2 box shape at 12 pdf (3nps)


BAGED4BASS : 4-string bass (B0 standard - BEAD)
C major arpeggio (3nps) box shapes

  • 4B2
  • 4B2A*
  • 2A*
  • 3G*
  • 3E1
  • 3E1D
  • 4D1
  • 4B2 at 12

BAGED4BASS (4-string bass : B0 standard - BEAD) C major arpeggio: 4B2 box shape (3nps)

BAGED4BASS (4-string bass : B0 standard - BEAD) C major arpeggio: 4B2A* box shape (3nps)

BAGED4BASS (4-string bass : B0 standard - BEAD) C major arpeggio: 2A* box shape (3nps)

BAGED4BASS (4-string bass : B0 standard - BEAD) C major arpeggio: 3G* box shape (3nps)

BAGED4BASS (4-string bass : B0 standard - BEAD) C major arpeggio: 3E1 box shape (3nps)

BAGED4BASS (4-string bass : B0 standard - BEAD) C major arpeggio: 3E1D box shape (3nps)

BAGED4BASS (4-string bass : B0 standard - BEAD) C major arpeggio: 4D1 box shape (3nps)

BAGED4BASS (4-string bass : B0 standard - BEAD) C major arpeggio: 4B2 box shape at 12 (3nps)


BAGED4BASS : 4-string bass (B0 standard - BEAD)
C major arpeggio (3nps) box shapes

  • 4B2
  • 4B2A*
  • 2A*
  • 3G*
  • 3E1
  • 3E1D
  • 4D1
  • 4B2 at 12

BAGED4BASS (4-string bass : B0 standard - BEAD) C major arpeggio: 4B2 box shape (3nps)

BAGED4BASS (4-string bass : B0 standard - BEAD) C major arpeggio: 4B2A* box shape (3nps)

BAGED4BASS (4-string bass : B0 standard - BEAD) C major arpeggio: 2A* box shape (3nps)

BAGED4BASS (4-string bass : B0 standard - BEAD) C major arpeggio: 3G* box shape (3nps)

BAGED4BASS (4-string bass : B0 standard - BEAD) C major arpeggio: 3E1 box shape (3nps)

BAGED4BASS (4-string bass : B0 standard - BEAD) C major arpeggio: 3E1D box shape (3nps)

BAGED4BASS (4-string bass : B0 standard - BEAD) C major arpeggio: 4D1 box shape (3nps)

BAGED4BASS (4-string bass : B0 standard - BEAD) C major arpeggio: 4B2 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 - 4B2 - being repeated at the 12th fret).


The complete TAB for the previous exercise follows:-

GuitarPro8 TAB: C major arpeggio box shapes (3nps)


The box shapes for the previous exercise follow:-

BAGED4BASS (4-string bass : B0 standard - BEAD) C major arpeggio box shapes (3nps)

BAGED4BASS : 4-string bass (B0 standard - BEAD)
C major arpeggio (3nps)
Box shapes pdf & GuitarPro6 TAB pdf

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BAGED4BASS (4-string bass : B0 standard - BEAD) C major arpeggio box shapes pdf (3nps)

GuitarPro8 TAB: C major arpeggio box shapes (3nps) pdfGuitarPro8 TAB: C major arpeggio box shapes (3nps) pdf


BAGED4BASS : 4-string bass (B0 standard - BEAD)
C major arpeggio (3nps)
Overall fretboard box shapes

BAGED4BASS (4-string bass : B0 standard - BEAD) C major arpeggio box shapes : fretboard notes

BAGED4BASS (4-string bass : B0 standard - BEAD) C major arpeggio box shapes : fretboard intervals


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