Moving between pentatonic scale forms? Help!

I've been practicing my pentatonic scale positions and have them down pretty well individually. My problem comes when I want to play into adjacent positions above or below the one I'm playing in. I know to use the common note that is shared between two neighboring positions on a given string, but I seem to get lost on the fretboard sometimes when I try. I know the answer is always "practice, practice, practice," but I'd welcome any suggestions from others who may have overcome this issue. Thanks and thanks for this great forum!

One thing I do a lot is take a form and extend it on the B and E strings (treble strings) and the E and A strings (bass strings). Once you get used to using those "extensions" (which is pretty cool in itself), you can use them as a transition to the entire shape that is in that position. It gives you a way of linking 3 shapes together!

Be patient...it will take time.

Originally Posted by: sacamanoI've been practicing my pentatonic scale positions and have them down pretty well individually. My problem comes when I want to play into adjacent positions above or below the one I'm playing in. I know to use the common note that is shared between two neighboring positions on a given string, but I seem to get lost on the fretboard sometimes when I try. I know the answer is always "practice, practice, practice," but I'd welcome any suggestions from others who may have overcome this issue. Thanks and thanks for this great forum!

What do you mean the "common note?" If I understand you correctly, you're doing the right thing, especially if the common note is the root note of the key you're playing in. Using that note would be my first suggestion.

You could also shorten the length of the scales, play only a half or a quarter of each one. But it sounds to me like you've just got to get comfortable shifting frets and strings and being able to get your bearings.

Start by taking one scale shape and repeating it on different frets, then you can try adjacent positions again.

Originally Posted by: sacamanoI've been practicing my pentatonic scale positions and have them down pretty well individually. My problem comes when I want to play into adjacent positions above or below the one I'm playing in.

I did a whole series of tutorials on how to connect the pentatonic boxes.

https://www.guitartricks.com/tutorial.php?input=737
https://www.guitartricks.com/tutorial.php?input=843
https://www.guitartricks.com/tutorial.php?input=914
https://www.guitartricks.com/tutorial.php?input=1277

And these tutorials will give you lots of drills on visualizing & playing each box.

https://www.guitartricks.com/tutorial.php?input=722
https://www.guitartricks.com/tutorial.php?input=185

Ask more if necessary! Best of success with those pentatonic boxes! :)

Be sure to look at the fretboard images below the video player. They will help a great deal. :)

I cant even find these scale lessons other then through the link you posted

Thanks Chris and others.

I guess, to be more clear, my issue comes when I want to go from, say, pattern 1 to pattern 2, and up, or then back down. I think Chris' initial links kind of address that.

I'm pretty good when staying in one pattern or another across the strings, but when I want to smoothly move into the next (or previous pattern) up or down the neck, I guess I'm having a mental block and losing where I am on the fretboard and remembering what the next pattern looks like as I try to move up or down the neck.

Originally Posted by: sacamano
I guess, to be more clear, my issue comes when I want to go from, say, pattern 1 to pattern 2, and up, or then back down. I think Chris' initial links kind of address that.

This skill is built primarily from 2 components.

1. You have to stone cold know the boxes.
2. You have to have something to do with them once you get there.

All of this has to be second nature. You can't be trying to get from one box to another & have to take time to think, "Now how does that next pattern look?" :) This is what all that repetitious pattern practice is for: to make those boxes automatic second nature. When you are playing music, you don't have time to think about how the box looks & where the notes are. You only have time to think, "I'm going to the next box." And all that repetitious practice means that your reflexes (your brain sending the impulses to your hands) take care of the details.

So, step 1: drill the boxes. Step 2: build a repertoire of licks you can play at a moment's notice.

Anders does a great job of showing you basic licks in the style courses. Here's a couple of example licks to show you the kind of thing I mean.

Let's make a lick that combines pentatonic minor boxes 1 & 2.

Box 1 lick:

|-5------------------------------------------|
|----8-5-------------------------------------|
|---------8-7-5------------------------------|
|-----------------7--------------------------|
|--------------------------------------------|
|--------------------------------------------|


Box 2 lick:

|-------------8-10-8-------------------------|
|-------8-10----------10---------------------|
|--7-9---------------------------------------|
|--------------------------------------------|
|--------------------------------------------|
|--------------------------------------------|

Drill those licks! Repeat, repeat, repeat.

Now we need an easy way to get from one to the next, so we'll add a little slide & put them together.

|-5----------------------|---------------8-10-8-----|
|----8-5-----------------|--------8-10-----------10-|
|---------8-7-5----------|-7-/-9--------------------|
|-----------------7------|--------------------------|
|------------------------|--------------------------|
|------------------------|--------------------------|

Start the second lick with your middle or ring finger. Notice that you can stay in place all the way up to that first note of lick 2. Use your middle or ring finger to play that D note on the 7th fret of the G string & slide it up to the 9th fret. That leaves you in place to play the rest of lick 2.

This combines the 2 skills you need:

1. Really knowing where those box patterns are ahead of time.
2. Planning ahead with a little lick so you know what you are going to do with that boxes once you get there.

All lead soloing & even improvisation comes down to this. :) You have to know the patterns, the notes & you have to have a plan of what to do with them. Then you can put these things together in some creative way to make music.

The tutorials I linked above will help you learn & practice all these skills. Hope this helps! Ask more if necessary & have fun.