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


CAGED4BASS eBook cover

Lulu logo

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.


Lulu logo

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


Mayones Jabba 4 - Hadrien Feraud

Mayones Jabba 4 Hadrien Feraud

Mayones Jabba 4 Hadrien Feraud

Mayones Jabba 4 Hadrien Feraud

Mayones Jabba 4 Hadrien Feraud

Mayones Jabba 4 Hadrien Feraud

Mayones Jabba 4 Hadrien Feraud

Mayones Jabba 4 Hadrien Feraud

Mayones Jabba 4 Hadrien Feraud


CAGED4BASS : 4-string bass in Low E (EADG tuning)
C major scale (ionian mode) : General

In this BLOGoZON we take a look at the C major scale (ionian mode)
and join them all together to form one long CAGED4BASS chain.

CAGED4BASS logo

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

CAGED4BASS : C natural octaves

The diagrams that follows show all of the C major scale (ionian mode) notes plotted over the
4-string bass guitar's fretboard in the CAGED4BASS style:-

C major scale (ionian mode) : CAGED4BASS 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 scale (ionian mode) are detailed below in the CAGED4BASS manner:-

C major scale (ionian mode) : CAGED4BASS fingerboard intervals

The tables and tabbed panels below detail all five box shapes for the C major scale (ionian mode)
in the CAGED4BASS style for Low E tuning.


CAGED4BASS : 4-string bass in Low E (EADG tuning)
C major scale (ionian mode) box shapes

YouTube icon

Flash iconGuitar Pro 6 icon

CAGED4BASS C major scale (ionian mode) : 3C* box shape
CAGED4BASS C major scale (ionian mode) : 3A1 box shape
CAGED4BASS C major scale (ionian mode) : 4G1 box shape
CAGED4BASS C major scale (ionian mode) : 4E2 box shape
CAGED4BASS C major scale (ionian mode) : 2D* box shape
CAGED4BASS C major scale (ionian mode) : 3C* box shape at 12

CAGED4BASS : 4-string bass in Low E (EADG tuning)
C major scale (ionian mode) box shapes

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

GuitarPro6 3C* box shape

GuitarPro6 3A1 box shape

GuitarPro6 4G1 box shape

GuitarPro6 4E1 box shape

GuitarPro6 2D* box shape

GuitarPro6 3C* box shape at 12


CAGED4BASS : 4-string bass in Low E (EADG tuning)
C major scale (ionian mode) box shapes

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

CAGED4BASS (4-string bass : Low E) C major scale (ionian mode) : 3C* box shape

CAGED4BASS (4-string bass : Low E) C major scale (ionian mode) : 3A1 box shape

CAGED4BASS (4-string bass : Low E) C major scale (ionian mode) : 4G1 box shape

CAGED4BASS (4-string bass : Low E) C major scale (ionian mode) : 4E2 box shape

CAGED4BASS (4-string bass : Low E) C major scale (ionian mode) : 2D* box shape

CAGED4BASS (4-string bass : Low E) C major scale (ionian mode) : 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 scale box shapes.


The complete TAB for the previous exercise follows:-

GuitarPro7 TAB : C major scale (ionian mode) box shapes


The box shapes for the previous exercise follow:-

CAGED4BASS C major scale (ionian mode) box shapes

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

Flash iconGuitar Pro 6 icon

CAGED4BASS (4-string bass : Low E) - C major scale (ionian mode) box shapes pdf

CAGED4BASS (4-string bass : Low E) - C major scale (ionian mode) box shapes TAB pdfCAGED4BASS (4-string bass : Low E) - C major scale (ionian mode) box shapes TAB pdf


CAGED4BASS : 4-string bass in Low E (EADG tuning)
C major scale (ionian mode) : Overall fretboard box shapes

CAGED4BASS (4-string bass: Low E) fingerboard C major scale (ionian mode) notes pdf

CAGED4BASS (4-string bass: Low E) fingerboard C major scale (ionian mode) intervals pdf


Mayones Jabba 4 Hadrien Feraud

Drift Away....Zon Brookes

Dobie Gray




Return to top of page ^