Octave Method for Low B : 5-String Bass
Major Scales & Arpeggios


Octave Method for 5-String Bass

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eBook :


Octave Method for Low B : 5-String Bass


Fretboard navigation method for 5-string bass
(Low B) 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.


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Paperbook Book :


Octave Method for Five String Bass


Fretboard navigation method for 5-string bass
(Low B) 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 Low B : 5-String Bass Paper Book


BAGED octaves : 5-string bass (Low B - BEADG)
C major arpeggio (3nps) : General

In BLOGoZON No.614 the box shapes for the C major arpeggio
were presented using the BAGED octaves methodology -
this is the CAGED octaves guitar method adapted and improved for 5-String Bass (Low B).

BAGED octaves logo

In this BLOGoZON we look at the C major arpeggio, again, but with
3nps shapes and join them all together to form one long BAGED octaves chain.

The diagram that follows shows all seven of the BAGED octaves shapes for use with the
three notes per string patterns for a 5-String Bass (Low B).

BAGED octaves 3nps logo

The conjoined BAGED octaves sequence is shown for C natural in the diagram that follows:-

BAGED octaves fingerboard : C natural octaves

GuitarPro6 fingerboard : C natural octaves

GuitarPro6 C natural octaves

The diagram that follows shows all seven of the BAGED octaves shapes
for use with the box shapes for a 5-String Bass (Low B) :-

5-String Bass (Low B) : C natural octaves (3nps)

The diagrams that follow show all of the C major arpeggio notes plotted over the
5-string bass' fretboard in the BAGED octaves and GuitarPro6 styles:-

BAGED octaves fingerboard C major arpeggio notes

GuitarPro6 fingerboard : C major arpeggio

GuitarPro6 fingerboard :  C major arpeggio

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 BAGED octaves manner:-

BAGED octaves fingerboard C major arpeggio intervals

The tables and tabbed panels below detail all seven box shapes for the
C major arpeggio in the BAGED octaves style.


BAGED octaves : 5-string bass (Low B - BEADG)
C major arpeggio (3nps) box shapes : pdf

YouTube icon

Flash iconGuitar Pro 6 icon

5-String Bass (Low B) C major arpeggio (3nps) : 5B3 box shape pdf

5-String Bass (Low B) C major arpeggio (3nps) : 5B3A1 box shape pdf

5-String Bass (Low B) C major arpeggio (3nps) : 3A1 box shape pdf

5-String Bass (Low B) C major arpeggio (3nps) : 4G1 box shape pdf

5-String Bass (Low B) C major arpeggio (3nps) : 4E2 box shape pdf

5-String Bass (Low B) C major arpeggio (3nps) : 4E2D box shape pdf

5-String Bass (Low B) C major arpeggio (3nps) : 5D2 box shape pdf

5-String Bass (Low B) C major arpeggio (3nps) : 5B3 box shape at 12 pdf


BAGED octaves : 5-string bass (Low B - BEADG)
C major arpeggio (3nps) box shapes : YouTube videos

  • 5B3
  • 5B3A1
  • 3A1
  • 4G1
  • 4E2
  • 4E2D
  • 5D2
  • 5B3 at 12

GuitarPro6 C major arpeggio (3nps) : 5B3 box shape

GuitarPro6 C major arpeggio (3nps) : 5B3A1 box shape

GuitarPro6 C major arpeggio (3nps) : 3A1 box shape

GuitarPro6 C major arpeggio (3nps) : 4G1 box shape

GuitarPro6 C major arpeggio (3nps) : 4E2 box shape

GuitarPro6 C major arpeggio (3nps) : 4E2D box shape

GuitarPro6 C major arpeggio (3nps) : 5D2 box shape

GuitarPro6 C major arpeggio (3nps) : 5B3 box shape at 12


  • 5B3
  • 5B3A1
  • 3A1
  • 4G1
  • 4E2
  • 4E2D
  • 5D2
  • 5B3 at 12

5-String Bass (Low B) C major arpeggio (3nps) : 5B3 box shape

5-String Bass (Low B) C major arpeggio (3nps) : 5B3A1 box shape

5-String Bass (Low B) C major arpeggio (3nps) : 3A1 box shape

5-String Bass (Low B) C major arpeggio (3nps) : 4G1 box shape

5-String Bass (Low B) C major arpeggio (3nps) : 4E2 box shape

5-String Bass (Low B) C major arpeggio (3nps) : 4E2D box shape

5-String Bass (Low B) C major arpeggio (3nps) : 5D2 box shape

5-String Bass (Low B) C major arpeggio (3nps) : 5B3 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 - 5B3 - being repeated at the 12th fret).

The video shown to the right demonstrates the BAGED octaves chain-linked sequence for the C major arpeggio (3nps) box shapes.


The complete TAB for the previous exercise follows:-

GuitarPro7 TAB: 5-String Bass (Low B) C major arpeggio (3nps)


The box shapes for the previous exercise follows:-

BAGED octaves C major arpeggio (3nps) box shapes

BAGED octaves : 5-string bass (Low B - BEADG)
C major arpeggio (3nps)
Box shapes pdf & GuitarPro6 TAB pdf

Flash iconGuitar Pro 6 icon

5-String Bass (Low B) C major arpeggio (3nps) box shapes pdf

GuitarPro7 TAB: 5-String Bass (Low B) C major arpeggio (3nps) box shapes pdfGuitarPro7 TAB: 5-String Bass (Low B) C major arpeggio (3nps) box shapes pdf

BAGED octaves : 5-string bass (Low B - BEADG)
C major arpeggio (3nps)
Overall fretboard box shapes

5-String Bass (Low B) C major arpeggio (3nps) box shapes : fretboard notes

5-String Bass (Low B) C major arpeggio (3nps) box shapes : fretboard intervals


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September....Zon Brookes

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