Pentatonics are very popular in Blues soloing and can be applied in many different ways.

For the most part you have 2 main pentatonic scales:

major and minor.

For this lesson we’re looking at the minor variety however, by starting on the 2nd note of the scale and playing to its octave you will have a major pentatonic!

These scales are really the same so the boxes I have provided below will navigate you through both tonalities.

Why are these scales called boxes? They are labeled “boxes” simply because of the shape that they ultimately create on the fingerboard.

Every zone these scales are played in creates a box-like or square pattern.

I’m demonstrating every box using the A minor pentatonic or C major pentatonic scale.

Obviously, you want to practice these patterns in all keys so you can visualize where you are going and what zone you want to target next.

Box 1

E |---------------------------------------------5-|
B |------------------------------------5---8------|
G |---------------------------5---7---------------|
D |-------------------5---7-----------------------|
A |----------5---7--------------------------------|
E |-5---8-----------------------------------------|

Box 2

E |----------------------------------------8--10-|
B |--------------------------------8--10---------|
G |-------------------------7--9-----------------|
D |-----------------7--10------------------------|
A |---------7--10--------------------------------|
E |-8--10----------------------------------------|

Box 3

E |-----------------------------------------------10-12---|
B |-------------------------------------10--13------------|
G |-----------------------------9--12---------------------|
D |--------------------10--12-----------------------------|
A |----------10--12---------------------------------------|
E |-10--12------------------------------------------------|

Box 4

E |-------------------------------------------------12--15---|
B |---------------------------------------13--15-------------|
G |-----------------------------12--14-----------------------|
D |--------------------12--14--------------------------------|
A |----------12--15------------------------------------------|
E |-12--15---------------------------------------------------|

Box 5

E |---------------------------------------------3---5--|
B |------------------------------------3---5-----------|
G |---------------------------2---5--------------------|
D |-------------------2---5----------------------------|
A |----------3---5-------------------------------------|
E |-3---5----------------------------------------------|

Want To Learn More …

blues-boxBlues is a style of music that has endured since the early decades of the twentieth century.

It is hard to imagine the blues without guitar.

Learning the blues is rated as the second topic most guitarists would love to learn.

No matter where you are now, no matter how long you’ve searched for the secrets, the tricks, or the techniques.

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