Unboxing the Pentatonic Scale

By Jude Gold | May, 2006

While many guitarists have built fabulous careers off the four-fret-by-six-string pentatonic box pattern in Ex. 1, it’s always refreshing to meet players who can think, shall we say, “outside the box.” Nick Matty of Feasterville, Pennsylvania, is one such dude. He’s clearly learned all five A minor pentatonic boxes and, as he proves in Ex. 2, can leap nimbly from one to the next, often skipping strings in the process.

“This lick takes notes from three of the A boxes,” says Matty. “The key here is to pay close attention to the hammer-ons and pull-offs. You will also need to control the string noise when skipping strings. This phrase is cool to play when trying out a new guitar in a music store. Heads will turn!”

Postscript:

Want to help the world play better guitar? Submit your candidate for Reader’s Challenge (preferably notated and on cassette or CD), along with a brief explanation of why it’s cool and how to play it, to Guitar Player Reader’s Challenge, 2800 Campus Dr., San Mateo, CA 94403. Include your name, address, e-mail, and phone number. Materials won’t be returned, but we will listen to all submissions. You’ll hear from us if your lick is chosen.

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