Joe Bonamassa - How to connect pentatonic boxes to find new ideas

For tabs and text of this video lesson, see the August 2022 issue of Guitar World -
bit.ly/GW2020w
TALES FROM NERDVILLE by Joe Bonamassa
CHAIRMAN OF THE BORED, PART 2
How to “connect the dots” to break out of a rut
In this lesson, Joe Bonamassa continues investigating ways to find new ideas and musical inspiration to help break out of a soloing rut. Many blues and rock players learn how to devise single-note licks by studying the “box” patterns for scales like minor and major pentatonic. One of the best ways to break out of a rut when soloing and mine new musical territory is to move from one box and fretboard position to another as a line progresses, taking advantage along the way of what each new fretboard “destination” will yield.
#JoeBonamassa #TALESFROMNERDVILLE

[@bigJohnnybabyboy]

The B.B. King method to start a solo is great. Think EVH in Jump. Hit that high note first to grab everyone’s attention, then go back down to develop the thing before ending it with another high note. Joe is always right. Listen to Joe.

[@cedricmargo-yi7py]

thanks

[@wayneharrod9363]

I often find his slow is still very fast for a lot of players 😊

[@rowdy3837]

To create such a sophisticated sound with the most un-sophisticated scale is just incredible. The speed is mind boggling. No 3nps legato or locrian diminished nonsense, just pentatonic. It really goes to show, pick one thing and do it really really well, is sage advice. Definitely one of the best alive and a super cool guy. Wish he had more videos like this.

[@sean9881]

cool

[@MrRockNRoll]

Joe B: "How do you connect them all?.....Just do this" ..."I'll slow it down for you"... . Me: "huh??? STILL too fast dood!!!!" lol

[@DMSProduktions]

Hit the 'SLOW' setting!

[@ricknelson8191]

@@DMSProduktions slow setting

[@DMSProduktions]

@@ricknelson8191 I SAID that!

[@coyotepoop4140]

this is gold

[@craigwalker3541]

I use vii° (Mode Seven Diminished) as a transport scale, really connects E and A form Pentatonics (or fast minors) for me. Oh, and Joe, playing a P-90 guitar you signed for my late great bandmate Timmy "Heavy T" Matdies of Kalispell, Montana. Craig

[@wintertime331]

Sounds great ! Just a little MORE slower please 😊👍

[@johnhurd3257]

KZbin has a audio speed control in settings. Its a very useful feature.:)

[@wintertime331]

@@johnhurd3257 thanks ,( not sure if this was sarcasm ) lol

[@johnhurd3257]

@@wintertime331 no sarcasm sir.:)

[@wintertime331]

@@johnhurd3257 awesome thank you 😊👍👍

[@benjack8477]

Joe's a great player but he's got 1 speed maximum overdrive

[@isaiahmarquez9717]

The “widdley widdlies” 😂

[@sergejkrynycky728]

I like the Norm Macdonald reference. Haha

[@jmack619]

I missed that ! What time ? Norm was special.

[@reithstrat30]

Eric johnson he mean.... Jajaja

[@sergejkrynycky728]

It’s right in the beginning. Search for “norm macdonald chairman of the bored” and you’ll find an old CLASSIC interview he had at Conan with Courtney Thorne. Haha

[@jmack619]

@@sergejkrynycky728 yes, à classic norm moment . Gonna miss his unapparent Wisdom. His last sit down stand up is on netflix

[@lawrencedeans1433]

Looks like JB has 2 boxes then the relative minor box to cover all 12 frets. 3 boxes in total think about it. 🎶

[@steveelling9604]

When JB is playing at full speed, his fingers are, literally, a blur.

[@Storm762x39]

I had no idea what was going on.

[@ardiris2715]

If anyone could do a comprehensive lesson on taking the blues sound out of the minor pentatonic, Joe could. (:

[@sirzembla4512]

I guess he only uses the minor pentatonic , now a lesson is useless if you don't work until you can play your own solos .... And no , that's not a good lesson because if you're a beginner it is too fast and he doesn't show the pentatonic scale , he plays it as fast as possible .... If you already know the minor pentatonic , and i do , a minimum , i admit that this is one of the worst lesson on the matter on YT .... He is a good guitarist and a real bad teacher .....

[@sirzembla4512]

( BB played minor AND major pentatonics )

[@bidenbuyersremorse7019]

It would be easier for me to learn if he would speed it up just a little so my mind doesn't wander while I'm trying to wait patiently for the next note.

[@jmack619]

Pretty sure the other joe ...sleepy jo could handle this.. no probs

[@Secretary.of.Education]

We all know the former President's tiny hands couldn't play this

[@RedLion88]

Tells you about pathways and then plays them at light speed.

[@dafunk39]

“So, if you do them slowly…” Oh good, now I’ll be able to learn something……nope, still too fast Joe.

[@Berserker26]

None of this was 'how to connect the pentatonic boxes'

[@da5idnz]

I know, right?

[@monkeyrevolution1964]

Pentatonic iqual FIVE , Lol , kkk, Km

[@superkunk2]

So down a little please.

[@Twobarpsi]

No more Joe!

[@DMSProduktions]

DON'T watch!

[@bullcrap9409]

Don’t get it. If someone can play as fast as these examples? They don’t need them.

[@generalpurpose6517]

A bunch of flavorless notes. Look at how fast I can play a bunch of flavorless notes with no meaning whatsoever.

[@PaulJonesy]

I’m no fan of pointless flurries of notes, but he is just playing examples without context, not playing a song.

[@sixslinger9951]

go listen to BB's one note and shut up already.

[@rowdy3837]

A bunch of flavorless gibberish. Look how fast I reveal my stupidity. Criticizing an instructional video about connecting pentatonic boxes because the notes don’t have “flavor.” Your comment has no “meaning whatsoever.”