Pentatonic Box Switching Help Options

[AIB234]

I've memorized the 5 boxes for the pentatonic scales and now I'm working on shifting through the boxes in Am, but I have a question.

I am able to go say, from box 2 to 1 one while descending:

[Box2--------][Box1]
e|-10-8----------------|
b|------10-8-----------|
g|-----------9\7-------|
d|---------------------|
a|---------------------|
e|---------------------|

And from box 1 to box 2 while ascending:

[Box1--------][Box2]
e|------------------|
b|------------------|
g|------------------|
d|---------5-7/10---|
a|-----5-7----------|
e|-5-8--------------|

My question lies wherein I want to go from box 2 to 1 one while ascending. I can not figure out a method similar to the ones above that will allow me to do this effectively, it just doesn't fit. I'm hoping it's a simple solution that's staring me in the face and this is just a silly mind block.

If you could please post examples like I have to help me understand that would be a great help.

Thank you for your help.

-Ryan

[Steelkonsum]

I've memorized the 5 boxes for the pentatonic scales and now I'm working on shifting through the boxes in Am, but I have a question.

I am able to go say, from box 2 to 1 one while descending:

[Box2--------][Box1]
e|-10-8----------------|
b|------10-8-----------|
g|-----------9\7-------|
d|---------------------|
a|---------------------|
e|---------------------|

And from box 1 to box 2 while ascending:

[Box1--------][Box2]
e|------------------|
b|------------------|
g|------------------|
d|---------5-7/10---|
a|-----5-7----------|
e|-5-8--------------|

My question lies wherein I want to go from box 2 to 1 one while ascending. I can not figure out a method similar to the ones above that will allow me to do this effectively, it just doesn't fit. I'm hoping it's a simple solution that's staring me in the face and this is just a silly mind block.

If you could please post examples like I have to help me understand that would be a great help.

Thank you for your help.

-Ryan

You could check out my lesson in the aspiring instructors board. My playing isnt excellent but might give you some ideas. But if you want to change while ascending in a simple you could do something like

e|--------------------------------------
B|---------------------------------------
G|--------------------------------5--7~
D|---------------------7--10s7-------
A|-------------7--10------------------
E|-----8---10-------------------------

But since you will go in the "wrong" direction while doing this it may not sound so natural but with the right usage it can produce a cool effect I'm sure!

Just keep messing with the boxes. Once you know em all by heart you know where the notes are rather than where the boxes are which makes you able to hit them freely as you choose.

Keep studying those pentatonics!

[AIB234]

Thanks.

I was thinking to maybe forget the slides and just switch boxes. Not as much fun for me at the moment, but it sounds more natural.

[Gabriel Leopardi]

I've memorized the 5 boxes for the pentatonic scales and now I'm working on shifting through the boxes in Am, but I have a question.

I am able to go say, from box 2 to 1 one while descending:

[Box2--------][Box1]
e|-10-8----------------|
b|------10-8-----------|
g|-----------9\7-------|
d|---------------------|
a|---------------------|
e|---------------------|

And from box 1 to box 2 while ascending:

[Box1--------][Box2]
e|------------------|
b|------------------|
g|------------------|
d|---------5-7/10---|
a|-----5-7----------|
e|-5-8--------------|

My question lies wherein I want to go from box 2 to 1 one while ascending. I can not figure out a method similar to the ones above that will allow me to do this effectively, it just doesn't fit. I'm hoping it's a simple solution that's staring me in the face and this is just a silly mind block.

If you could please post examples like I have to help me understand that would be a great help.

Thank you for your help.

-Ryan

Hi Ryan!


I think that you could do this.

e|--------------------------------
B|-------------------------------
G|-------------------------5--7~
D|---------------------7---------
A|-------------7--10------------
E|-----8---10--------------------


or

e|----------------------------------------- |
B|----------------------------------5--8~ |
G|------------------------------7---------
D|---------------------7--10-------------
A|-------------7--10---------------------
E|-----8---10----------------------------


Then, you should also add the b5 note as a passing note.

e|-10-8----------------|
b|------10-8-----------|
g|-----------9-8-7\5---|
d|----------------------|
a|----------------------|
e|----------------------|


Bye,

Gabriel.-

[AIB234]

Hi Ryan!
I think that you could do this.

e|--------------------------------
B|-------------------------------
G|-------------------------5--7~
D|---------------------7---------
A|-------------7--10------------
E|-----8---10--------------------
or

e|----------------------------------------- |
B|----------------------------------5--8~ |
G|------------------------------7---------
D|---------------------7--10-------------
A|-------------7--10---------------------
E|-----8---10----------------------------
Then, you should also add the b5 note as a passing note.

e|-10-8----------------|
b|------10-8-----------|
g|-----------9-8-7\5---|
d|----------------------|
a|----------------------|
e|----------------------|
Bye,

Gabriel.-

Thanks for the input Gab, but I don't think I fully understand what you're trying to get across.

e|--------------------------------
B|-------------------------------
G|-------------------------5--7~
D|---------------------7---------
A|-------------7--10------------
E|-----8---10--------------------

What is the point of omitting the 10th fret on the D string? Is it to keep the timing even when you slide from the 7th fret down to the 9th on the G string? I do like this technique, it's a nice little change from just straight running the second box and I'm sure with a little creative thought it could be worked quite nicely using that concept all over.

e|-10-8----------------|
b|------10-8-----------|
g|-----------9-8-7\5---|
d|----------------------|
a|----------------------|
e|----------------------|

I do not know what a b5 note is, so if you could clarify that, it would be appreciated.

Thanks again for the input, I really really like the first pattern you suggested.

[AIB234]

Shameless bump.

Can someone please tell me what a b5 note is or point me to a lesson that teaches about it?

[Andrew Cockburn]

Shameless bump.

Can someone please tell me what a b5 note is or point me to a lesson that teaches about it?

Well we're not quite there with the theory for that yet, but it is coming soon ... to understand what a 5th note is check out my degrees of the scale lesson. Then when you have your 5th note, you just flatten it (move it down a semitone). This is starting to touch on chord construction, and there will be a lesson on this shortly.

In the context of the scales you are looking at, the 5th note is part of the pentatonic, as is the 4th note. The note in between them is - you guessed it - the flattened 5th (b5). For this reason, the b5 note is very often played in the pentatonic scale as a passing note - a cool way to get from the 5th note to the 4th note or the other way around, and incidentally, a very easy note to slip in legato style to speed up your playing -

Heres an example:


E||----------------------|-------------------------|-------||
B||----------------------|-------------------------|-------||
G||----------------------|-------------------------|-------||
D||----------------------|-------------------------|-------||
A||------------5----7----|------------5h--6h--7----|-------||
E||--5----8--------------|--5----8-----------------|-------||

The first bar uses just pentatonic notes, the second is essentially the same but adds a passing note and 2 hammer ons for embellishment
Hope that helps

This post has been edited by Andrew Cockburn: Mar 12 2007, 01:22 AM

[AIB234]

It does very much. Thanks Andrew.

Suddenly all the music classes I took in high school don't seem so useless! Yay, now they have a practical use.

My girlfriend is also studying voice at university so I'll just get her to teach my anything I'm having trouble with.

This post has been edited by AIB234: Mar 12 2007, 01:32 AM

[Gabriel Leopardi]

Hi!!
Andrew explained the b5 very well. It's a very important tool when you're playing blues.
I'll do some lessons using b5 soon.

gabriel.-