Breaking the "Box" Barrier: Moving Seamlessly from One Position to the Next

Chad Johnson

Going beyond the pentatonic scale forms to open up the neck

So you’ve learned all your pentatonic scale forms, and you’ve got them all under your fingers. You can play several different licks in several different positions on the neck without having to think for twenty minutes to do it. What's left?

The true benefit in knowing all these forms is in the freedom it provides—freedom to move seamlessly from one position to the next without having to think about it. Have you ever stared at a player in awe as he spanned the entire neck in one lick? Well, in this lesson, you’re going to learn how to do just that. Before we jump in though, let’s make sure you’re solid on all the forms.

This lick incorporates all five forms of the A minor pentatonic scale in one non-stop lick. If you’ve fudged your way through any of the forms so far, it’s going to show now.
Download Example Audio 1...

Here we see the same figure played with only one difference. The first phrase features a third-finger slide from A to C, while the second phrase features a first-finger slide from G to A. This is done to demonstrate that there are a number of ways to connect two scale forms together. Different situations, such as personal preference, ease of execution, or musical logic will dictate which one works best for you. Download Example Audio 2...



This example moves through one scale form each beat by way of slides until you reach your destination—one full octave above where you started. You’ll find slides invaluable when moving between different scale forms.Download Example Audio 3...



This example accomplishes this one-octave climb by way of shifts and strict alternate picking.
Download Example Audio 4...



Here is an impressive "span the neck" lick that climbs from the A note on fret 5 of string 6 to the C note on fret 20 of string 1. Note the extensive use of slides. The trick here is to be able to stress the three-note groups as sixteenths instead of triplets. 
Download Example Audio 5...