There is often confusion about which Pentatonic or Blues “Box” you should play over each chord…

The question, itself, implies some misunderstanding so in this live video I’ll try and clear that up for you.

Hope you dig it… and, by the way, this one was filmed live on a previous occasion šŸ™‚


    49 replies to "Which Box Do I Use For Which Chord?"

    • Sonny

      Thanks Griff. This helps a lot. As usual great class. I just need to get faster.

    • Mike H.

      Woke up this morning, Griff
      With those old Compartmentalized Blues.
      Low down dirty feelinā€™ boxed-in, Griff
      Tells me everything I ever need to use,
      Butā€¦ when I look up now, Iā€™m seeinā€™, Griff
      I already done sent all my blue money to youse.
      Oh yeahā€¦
      šŸ˜‰

    • Craig Romero

      Thanks Griff!!!!
      This explains so much to me as a story to tell. Just appreciate so much your ability to connect with my skill level and make explanations clear and so easy.

    • Alexander

      That was so helpful to me. I understand about having the option to play box 1 if I wanted to stay there during the chord progression, hearing you say that you have a story to tell with the solo and and you want to build it up at the end and that’s where I feel my solo’s are not doing. I’m still at the phase of not having a middle and an end. Can’t wait to work on this. Thanks Griff!
      Alexdander

    • Dave

      You kinda have to know what your hearing in your head, to determine where your going on the fretboard.

      • Topaz

        Hello Dave, you have hit the nail fair and square with that one – far too much emphasis placed on applying endless scales to given chords, and as you point out, precious little attention is given to playing what you hear in your head, and how do you go about translating that to the fretboard. Just look at the late great Barney Kessell or Herb Ellis and note how they improvise – you will see their lips moving as they silently mouth what they are playing – sure, it takes a while to develop that technique to instantly find those notes you are hearing, but that is what being a master of any instrument is all about – you only get out of it what you put in, and whilst scaler playing has its place, it is no substitute for playing what you, as an individual, can hear going on inside you.

    • Mark P.

      Thanks, Grif. Very helpful and clear. Perhaps an unrelated, similar question. I seem to remember you once did a vid where you named the cords that would go with a scale. I’m spacing on it and can’t find the vid. I just remember that some of the chords were minor and others major. Any thoughts? Do you remember the vid?
      Thanks!

    • Dirk

      Good video, Griff. When you go up the neck to the 2-5 boxes in this video it sounds like you’re still playing off the root G note – hence the point of the lesson. Is there a way you can tie this “what box do I play” video into how the pentatonic scale can be thought of, and played, in a modal way over the key of G’s dominant 7th chords? I’m not sure about what I’m asking, and conceptually I may be out to lunch, but I’m trying to get at if the pentatonic boxes, going up the neck, naturally begin on the E string with starting notes for the modes. So is it possible to say, play a mixolydian pentatonic scale (in the key of G) over those three key of G dominant 7th chords?

      • PAUL

        Nice SG ! Basically, box 1 all over the fret board. Guess you used That Crimsome Red SG, so you could hit those high note’s.
        I CUSTOM MAKE GUITARS BY HAND. “DRAGONFIRE CUSTOM WERKS”. I HAVE A FEW ON REVERB .COM. THERE NOT LIKE THE CUSTOM SHOP, GIBSON, FENDER ECT.. I BUILD THEM BY HAND NOT AN ASSEMLY LINE. MADE IN THE USA.
        SINCE 1998. WISJ I COULD ATTACH A PHOTO OF AN AIR BRUSHED SG I MADE. ALL MY GUITARS HAVE A DRAGON ON THE FRONT.
        HELP ME OUT GUYS, AND CHECK THEM OUT AND BUY ONE. THERE CHEEP, BECAUSE OF ALL THE ASIAN AND MEXICO MADE ONES. THANS, PAUL.

    • Don Hall

      Thanks for this, Griff. Funny how so many kinds of artistic expression come down to the basic forms of storytelling. Build to a climax, resolve something. “Man, that guy has something to say…” It comes down to sharing your stories, by using sounds, which are all over your guitar’s fretboard.

    • William

      Great lesson Griff. As always you open our eyes even further.

    • TOM

      Larry, the answer is Yes

    • Darryl Manire

      Hi..Griff, nice playing, how can a video be live,haa

    • Pete

      I love the SG Standard. It was my first ‘proper’ guitar. They feel so good round your neck as well and don’t drag you down. I’m going to part-ex something and get another one. I’d like to see Griff using this beauty more.

    • Walter De Schutter

      Hi Griff,
      Good to hear that my ear didn’t prove me wrong
      All the best,
      Walter

    • Mark d.

      As always a great lesson! Been with griff about 6 years now. I have been able to help other guitar players with music theory because of griffs lessons. Imo theory is scary because it can be complicated. But for blues if you know the basics your good to go. Just play have fun ! Thanks again griff!!šŸ˜Ž

    • mike

      Thanks for the lesson but my question is what if you are not playing Blues, can you still use the major pentatonic scale over the 1 4 and 5 chords?

      • Rod Woolley

        Yes, why not? I think its a question of whether the notes being played suit the notes of the chord. For all scales major and minor pentatonic and diatonic, the notes used in the I, IV and V chords are all contained within the scale. Thus it will sound just fine. Itā€™s not a question of what type of music you are playing.

    • Layne Oliver

      Another piece to my puzzle found- great lesson Griff-Thank you!

    • Mike

      I know Iā€™ve heard you explain this before in your other videos. However, this is the best explanation for me, that makes it all ā€œclickā€!
      Thanks for sharing your gift with us.

    • Jim P.

      Griff
      Great explanation. Thanks. Guitar/amp sounds are important too. Could you also explain in all your lessons what pedal, amp, amp and guitar settings you are using. It would be helpful. Also, do you have a specific lesson dedicated to this subject?

    • Walter

      Thanks Griff, confirms my feelings when playing. As always great lesson!
      All the best,
      Walter

    • Jim Gulley

      Thanks for this video, it helps clear up THAT QUESTION for me.

    • Phil

      Hi Griff. Weā€™re can I get the 5x 5 jam tracks

      • Jeffrey

        They have it available in Course catalog! Thumb nail, upper right hand corner!

    • Michael Dattoma

      Hi Griff,

      I have been spending a lot of time learning to solo
      over each chord of the I, IV, V separately and zero in on the Root, 3rd and 5th of each chord in itā€™s appropriate box…Say starting in Box 1 for the I chord and then dropping into box IV of the IV
      chord for that 5th string root, and then Box IV again for the V chord, again for the 5th string root.

      Do I have this all wrong? Am I wasting my time or is this the proper way to solo over different chords during a progression? Michael

      • Don Hall

        Nothing wrong with that approach at all. Jazz guys, with complicated changes, pretty much have to change patterns when the chords change. But in the blues you can stay in the minor pentatonic box all the way through and never hit a “wrong” note. Griff explains that in several videos.

    • greg

      Thanks Griff. Enjoyed this one. Would be great to have a lesson on how to go about using the riffs I know and put them together for a fluid “Story Form” like you did.

    • Larry

      Griff, This is great and helpful, but CAN you play the pentatonic scale that corresponds with the chord? Say, the G pentatonic over the G than move to the C pentatonic when you go to the C chord?

      • TOM

        Yes Larry, I do it all the time, it sounds great.

        • TOM

          back again, Larry try this, While playing box 1 in A at the 5th fret ,during the first 4 bars, Then play a lick in D pentatonic scale using box Box 5 of the D Blues scale, sounds more advanced, but yes to your original question.

    • Gary

      The idea of using boxes to develop flow and feel was great. I guess I’ve been exposed before but this is the first time it sunk it. Thanks.

    • Tim Moran

      Really good lesson, but a question: should you be targeting different notes in the scale over the IV and V chords, to fit the chord tones?

    • Chris CLEMANS

      This video really helps as they all do now I will go to my 5×5 course and use the jam tracks

    • Louis Ogden

      Great lesson. Thanks, Griff. I have a tendency to hold on to box 1 and this lesson was valuable to me. Where’s my Strat?

    • tony

      well the Pentatonic scale is a crutch . are we forgetting the major scale ? just sounds like noddle music or improvising . that`s just my opinion . You got to center around the root for it to sound like a phrase ( yes or no. )

    • Ted Ducote

      Griff, It appears in you demonstration of box 4 that the 6th note that you play which is a D is being played with your index finger in 8th fret on the 3rd string but the D is actually in the 7th fret. You are obviously playing the D note. Am I missing something or are my eyes playing tricks on me?

      • Griff

        That 6th note is a D on the 12th fret of the 4th string. I think your eyes were playing tricks on you there šŸ™‚

    • Dan Scharf

      Good stuff as usual Griff…………I also have the BGU 1 and 2 courses. Have nip and tucked with them for what I do on guitar…..mainly play acoustic progressions to songs I like with a little bit of soloing (mainly box 1). This lesson helps in my perspective on expanding the range of where I play the solos. Many thanks

    • Jack Donoghue

      Hi, Griff.
      That was just great. I was struggling with that precise question. Knew about maj and min pentatonic scales, knew how to apply them – for the FIRST chord of the blues.
      After that, let’s just say, it was problematic. Ha-Ha!

      Thanks for the lesson. I really needed that.

    • Dennis Jenkins

      Griff, thank you, you just gave me the key to the blues realm! I downloaded BGU 2 years ago and havenā€™t finished it yet because I have ADD šŸ¤“ and your daily email lessons get in the way! ā€œHey look thereā€™s a squirrel!ā€ This answered a number of questions that kept me a bit confused and now I am on my way! You are the best instructor on the internet! Thank you for so much musical pleasure! Keep it up! From Beaufort, SC!

    • Dennis Jenkins

      Griff, thank you, you just gave me the key to the blues realm! I downloaded BGU 2 years ago and havenā€™t finished it yet because I have ADD šŸ¤“ and your daily email lessons get in the way! ā€œHey look thereā€™s a squirrel!ā€ This answered a number of questions that kept me a bit confused and now I am on my way! You are the best instructor on the internet! Thank you for so much musical pleasure! Keep it up! From Beaufort, SC!

    • Bob Eisenberg

      THAT was a great lesson! Thank uiu

    • john allen

      Hey Griff
      Great lesson!! I have often wondered why and how the flowing lead can just go on and on, will put this to good use today Thanks so much

    • Charles

      You always answer questions I’ve had when I needed them the most.
      Thanks,
      Charles

    • Strick

      Thank you. I can really use this lesson.

    • Trish Smith

      Great lesson. You are always so helpful and inspiring!

    • Mac

      Fabulous lession !!

    • Jeremy

      Incredibly helpful. Thanks once again for motivating me to keep learning and progressing Grif.

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