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Blues Boxes

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(@jmaxwellstk)
Posts: 19
Member
Topic starter
 

Does the five blues boxes cover playing in any Key? If so how do you berak it down?

 
Posted : April 26, 2020 15:18
(@jestme)
Posts: 929
Noble Member
 

Basically, yes they can cover all keys but...Be you must be aware of the "Root note" or key for the scale. If you shift the root note as the starting position, you are also shifting the key of the scale.

The boxes are shapes and the shapes can be moved to different positions... so for instance if you were playing the E minor pentatonic scale and you shifted the "Root" from E to F but played the same pattern playing from the F as the root note... that would be the F minor pentatonic scale... 

The order goes like this

E F F# G G# A A# B C C# D D# and back to E

Let's say you were playing box 1 from the 5th fret. That would be the Root or Key of A [6th string 5th fret is the Root note A] in this case.

If you play the same box 1 pattern, from the 3rd fret that would be the Root or key of G [6th string 3rd fret is G]

I hope this helps. It can seem confusing at first but give it a little time and it will become more clear.

Questions...?

 

 
Posted : April 26, 2020 19:23
robert reacted
(@matonanjin)
Posts: 434
Prominent Member
 
@jmaxwell
 
A very intelligent response Chris provided for you and I'm sure you found it helpful.  Here is a link to a website that I found useful for studying the different keys.  I use it (have used it) as a "cheat sheet" when I am studying.  As a matter of fact, I have just recently gone back and am revisited the pentatonic scales.  This particular link will take you to A Blues.
 
 
You can change this ad infinitum.  One can put it the type scale one is working.  Blues, Pentatonic, Major, etc.
Then put in the key for that scale.
Then move your cursor over the graphic towards the bottom of the page and it will provide you with the different boxes, 1 -5.  In each box, what they call pattern, you will have all the notes, with the root highlighted in red.  With the blues scale, the blue note that is added to the pentatonic scale to make it the blues scale is highlighted in blue, appropriately.
You can also have all boxes displayed and download or print out a pdf.
 
As an example, lets change it to Chris' example, "If you play the same box 1 pattern, from the 3rd fret that would be the Root or key of G [6th string 3rd fret is G]".  Move your cursor to "Pattern 1" and you have the 6th string (and 1st) 3rd fret root.
 
 
Good luck in your studies.
 

 

 

 
Posted : April 27, 2020 10:28
JestMe and robert reacted
(@robert)
Posts: 2294
Famed Member Admin
 

Yeah, you simply move/shift all the boxes the same distance. For example, if using A blues boxes but you want to learn them in C, you shift them all up 3 frets higher, from A to C. From A to D would be 5 frets, to E would be 7 frets. And so on. Does that make sense?

 
Posted : April 27, 2020 16:01
JestMe reacted
(@jmaxwellstk)
Posts: 19
Member
Topic starter
 

@robert

yes sure does just wanted to make sure i was practicing correctly.

thanks Robert

 

 
Posted : April 28, 2020 13:32
robert reacted
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