Stuck in the first minor pentatonic box...

[wagdog]

Wagdog's Box Busting tip of the day...

 

Learn all five Pentatonic boxes.

 

Then, start in a given Key, say G and play the first position, E and A string only.

 

Move up to the second position, E and A string, play the two notes on each string.

 

Move up to the third position, E and A string, play the two notes on that string.

 

repeat up to the octave. Note that top end of the box are the bottom end of the next box.

 

Move to A and D string, same key, and work up the neck again.

 

D/G, G/B, B/E

 

Pick a different key, start over. Note that you're going UP the neck.

 

After you get good at that, work DOWN the neck the same way. Work on alternate picking, attack and control all at the same time.

 

You should be comfortable moving from box to box, anywhere on the neck at any given position.

 

This takes a lot of practice, it won't happen overnight, or in a month. Keep at it. With practice and repetition comes fluency and competency. You should be able to jump right into the neck in any key and any stirng and work your way up and down the neck.

 

After you have this down, try it with a different scale, like a harmonic minor - only use three notes per string instead of two.

 

You may want to map these runs out on paper - I find doing that, with a guitar in my hand is another great way to visualize what I'm doing.

[hecticone]

Download guitar power. Great software for learning.

[PlinytheWelder]

This may help...
http://www.thedigitalguitar.com/?p=3

[sonowilson]

I have been trying to get out of this rut as well. Its not only a rut rut that is easy to get into but it is one that is easy to fall back into.

 

Once you learn the different patterns, I'd recommend practicing the transitions from one pattern or position to the next. Once I'm in a position I'm good and can move around in that position but seamlessly flowing from one position to another is another thing entirely.

 

So in order to transition better I have been practicing three or four notes that

move me into another position.

 

For example-

 

E - - 3 - - 6 - 8 for give my inability to tab stuff, but that represents the first 3 notes of the Gm pentatonic on the high E. What I'll do is play the first and second notes with my first and fourth fingers then transition up and play the third note with my first finger. I'll play just these three notes and over until I can make the transition naturally and quickly. I do little exercises like this with different fingers and in different parts of a scale. Its helped a lot. YMMV

[AlexMC]

Great answers to this thread, keep em coming!

[DaleH]

Just extend that box like this.
[YOUTUBE]RZRw1m2yW84[/YOUTUBE]

[Engl Kramer]

I can remember having the same issue.

The most important thing I took away from guitar lessons was the old adage that the first note of your solo can't be wrong.
You may need to slide or bend it to resolve it but it always sounds right.

Also try not playing scales for a while and just play on one string slowly over a piece of music.
Just try sliding between frets until you can hear/feel which notes will sound right without thinking about scales.
This technique also taught me a lot about passing notes, bends etc and just helped me get a better tone with my fingers.

Don't worry about forgetting your scales- you can apply your new skills to them afterwards.

Also at the risk of sounding patronising have you tried listening to some unconventional guitarists for inspiration?
For example listening to Zappa made me completely rethink the guitar from the ground up and helped me to find my own path.

[rainvalorx]

great help guys!! I tend to run into the same problem. I've been able to start incorporating the second and third box, but it definitely has taken time. My main problem now is that most of the time my stuff ends up sounding the same, so that gets really frustrating.