KevinLewis217
Blues Newbie
Griff posted a link to the five boxes but it doesnt have the keys on it - wondering if anyone has the boxes in the various keys already listed with the boxes?
box's in various Keys?
- Thread starter KevinLewis217
- Start date
BraylonJennings
It's all blues
He does this for a reason, the boxes stay the same. You have to put them in the proper position for each key. You do this by finding the root notes in the box and matching it to the fret position of whichever key you're playing. For the key of G, the first box has root notes on the first and sixth strings. Your G note on the fretboard is at the third fret of these strings so box one begins at the third fret. The rest of the boxes follow. It's important to know where the root notes are in each box and will help you learn the notes on the fretboard as well. Absolutely vital stuff to learn. The five boxes don't change, you just slide them around to whatever key you need.
dvs
Green Mountain Blues
Yes, as Braylon said, the five boxes are movable shapes and you can play any box in any key by moving it around on the neck. Not sure what link you saw, but on most of Griff's diagrams the Root note is indicated somehow (different color, or the letter R, etc.). You'll have to learn where the notes of the musical scale are at least on the two lowest strings (low E and A, usually called the 6th and 5th strings) and then you can figure out where to play any box in whichever key you want.
Spend some time figuring this out, it's important!
Spend some time figuring this out, it's important!
Paleo
Student Of The Blues
Boxes aren’t in a key until you define a modality and tonality.
Throughout the lessons in BGU (and the appendix) boxes don’t have root notes labeled.
And may not elsewhere unless they are designated specifically as being either Major or minor and given a tonal center.
As in “Slow Blues Supplement” after Lesson 1, which also first presents the 5 boxes sans root notes.
Maybe check out this video from the blog:
Throughout the lessons in BGU (and the appendix) boxes don’t have root notes labeled.
And may not elsewhere unless they are designated specifically as being either Major or minor and given a tonal center.
As in “Slow Blues Supplement” after Lesson 1, which also first presents the 5 boxes sans root notes.
Maybe check out this video from the blog:
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Elwood
Blues
Just like all those "little chords", those four string 7th chord shapes can move as far as you can play them. Scale patterns, boxes, and chord shapes. Stuff that does not rely on an open string, you learn those and use 'em where you need to. Very good stuff!
you just have to know enough to know that you found a good chart for what you are looking for. Tons of stuff shows up when you google, not all of it is accurate for what you are trying to do.
Paleo
Student Of The Blues
Shorter answer:
Every time you move a box up or down a fret you’re in a new key.
You could buy a book of scales (or charts) to consult each time you want a different key.
You’ll have page after page of fretboard diagrams in all keys that actually just have all the same sequence of the same patterns starting at different frets.
Or you could just learn how to move a pattern your own self.
Every time you move a box up or down a fret you’re in a new key.
You could buy a book of scales (or charts) to consult each time you want a different key.
You’ll have page after page of fretboard diagrams in all keys that actually just have all the same sequence of the same patterns starting at different frets.
Or you could just learn how to move a pattern your own self.
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@KevinLewis217 Your question seems to indicate a misunderstanding of how the boxes work. Not an unusual thing for new players.
Just remember that (as a few folks have said above), the boxes area "rigid" pattern, one following the next. Always in the same order.
For instance in the key of A box one starts on the 5th fret, box two always starts on the 8th fret and so in up the boxes. If you want to change key just move the starting point. In the key of B box one starts on the 7th fret and box two starts at the 10th.
Box one shape is ALWAYS the same just starting at different points on the 6th or 1st string.
Key of E - Open string
Key of F - 1st fret
Key of G - 3rd fret
Key of A - 5th fret
Key of B - 7th fret
Key of C - 8th fret
Key of D - 10th fret
And it starts over again at the 12th fret
IF the answers above haven made it clear to you , Please keep asking until we get it right.
Just remember that (as a few folks have said above), the boxes area "rigid" pattern, one following the next. Always in the same order.
For instance in the key of A box one starts on the 5th fret, box two always starts on the 8th fret and so in up the boxes. If you want to change key just move the starting point. In the key of B box one starts on the 7th fret and box two starts at the 10th.
Box one shape is ALWAYS the same just starting at different points on the 6th or 1st string.
Key of E - Open string
Key of F - 1st fret
Key of G - 3rd fret
Key of A - 5th fret
Key of B - 7th fret
Key of C - 8th fret
Key of D - 10th fret
And it starts over again at the 12th fret
IF the answers above haven made it clear to you , Please keep asking until we get it right.
Paleo
Student Of The Blues
To avoid any potential confusion Griff often "warns" us to be specific when discussing "Boxes".
Yes, for a "Blues in A" you could anchor Box 1 with your first finger on the 5th fret of the 6th string if you intended to make use of the A minor pentatonic scale.
Otherwise Box 1 is in the Key of A minor.
Nor would you anchor Box 1 with your first finger on the 6th string A if you intend to start with the A Major pentatonic over the I chord of a "Blues in A" or if you wanted to play "in key" in the "actual" Key of A.
Yes, for a "Blues in A" you could anchor Box 1 with your first finger on the 5th fret of the 6th string if you intended to make use of the A minor pentatonic scale.
Otherwise Box 1 is in the Key of A minor.
Nor would you anchor Box 1 with your first finger on the 6th string A if you intend to start with the A Major pentatonic over the I chord of a "Blues in A" or if you wanted to play "in key" in the "actual" Key of A.
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TexBill
Blues in Texas
@KevinLewis217
Pentatonic Scales & Technique Mastery course pp 19-21 Shows all 5 Boxes in A minor. Each box is shown both as TAB and as a diagram of the fretboard. None of the Diagrams have the ROOT notes indicated. All of the boxes follow what has previously been described. That is to say, the notes of each box towards the body of the guitar are the beginning notes of the next box, i.e., Box 1 5 - 8 on 6th with Box 2 starting at 8th fret on 6th.
For example, Box 1 A minor starts on 5th fret of 6th string with the second note at the 8th fret of 6th string. That means Box 2 starts at 8th fret of 6th string. Box 3 starts at 10th fret of 6th string. Box 4 starts at 12th fret of 6th string. And Boc 5 starts at 3rd fret of 6th string. Alternative starting position for Box 5 is 15th fret on 6th string. That puts the second note of Box 5 at 17th fret. To me personally, that is in the high squeaky area and not my favorite place for Box 5.
Keeping with the other suggestions, if you don't have Pentatonic Scales & Technique Mastery Course, you can search for All 5 Boxes of Minor Pentatonic Scales and observe whether they coincide with the above descriptions of where each starts and the following starting position of the next box.....
Hope you find the helpful!
Pentatonic Scales & Technique Mastery course pp 19-21 Shows all 5 Boxes in A minor. Each box is shown both as TAB and as a diagram of the fretboard. None of the Diagrams have the ROOT notes indicated. All of the boxes follow what has previously been described. That is to say, the notes of each box towards the body of the guitar are the beginning notes of the next box, i.e., Box 1 5 - 8 on 6th with Box 2 starting at 8th fret on 6th.
For example, Box 1 A minor starts on 5th fret of 6th string with the second note at the 8th fret of 6th string. That means Box 2 starts at 8th fret of 6th string. Box 3 starts at 10th fret of 6th string. Box 4 starts at 12th fret of 6th string. And Boc 5 starts at 3rd fret of 6th string. Alternative starting position for Box 5 is 15th fret on 6th string. That puts the second note of Box 5 at 17th fret. To me personally, that is in the high squeaky area and not my favorite place for Box 5.
Keeping with the other suggestions, if you don't have Pentatonic Scales & Technique Mastery Course, you can search for All 5 Boxes of Minor Pentatonic Scales and observe whether they coincide with the above descriptions of where each starts and the following starting position of the next box.....
Hope you find the helpful!
MarkDyson
Blues Hound Wannabe
I created a quick and dirty cheat sheet of the five boxes plus the blues note. Some of the keys have extra boxes where there was room to, for example, go from box 1 back to box 5 going left, or from five back to 1 going right. A couple of them aren't labelled. Still, as a quick visual guide it might be useful? At any rate, hope it helps. Box 1, if it's not obvious, is the brighter blue one.
Silicon Valley Tom
It makes me happpy to play The Blues!
I created these a few years ago.
]
more to come... there is a litit of 5 jpg's to a page
Tom
]
more to come... there is a litit of 5 jpg's to a page
Tom
Silicon Valley Tom
It makes me happpy to play The Blues!
Continued...
Tom
Tom
Silicon Valley Tom
It makes me happpy to play The Blues!
Two more goodies...
Tom
Tom
Paleo
Student Of The Blues
Maybe check out this blog post sent out again in today’s email …
https://griffhamlin.keap-link014.co...VPFj_jGeY0Os65WlHcA6NuH7YCg-s2oMKePoFdPKooA==
….. which contains this link to Griff’s pdf with “everything you ever wanted to know about boxes”:
Especially starting with page 6:
“You Want To Play All 5 Boxes In The Key Of “X” Minor”
https://griffhamlin.keap-link014.co...VPFj_jGeY0Os65WlHcA6NuH7YCg-s2oMKePoFdPKooA==
….. which contains this link to Griff’s pdf with “everything you ever wanted to know about boxes”:
Especially starting with page 6:
“You Want To Play All 5 Boxes In The Key Of “X” Minor”
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KevinLewis217
Blues Newbie
thanks for this - that helps alot
KevinLewis217
Blues Newbie
I looked at google and saw thousands of posts re the boxes so came back here today and see much more than I could ask for - thanks in all cases!
sdbrit68
Student Of The Blues
The trick I found, hit images, and you can get a nice chart
KevinLewis217
Blues Newbie
that is exactly what I was looking for - thank you very much!