This Simple Pattern Changed My Playing | Blues Guitar Soloing Lesson

In this lesson I'll show you a simple pattern that has changed how I play in Boxes 3&4 while soloing. It's an extension of a pattern you probably already know, but since none of my early influences used it, I never really thought about using it. That all changed when I started listening to Chris Cain, who uses it frequently while soloing. Now I can't stop playing it.
#blues #bluesguitar #bluesolo #bluesguitarlessons
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[@5150show]

EC signature Strat!

[@RichardSteele-tl1bu]

Cool and fluid .Scale diagrams could be numbered but it's informative and very useful.

[@matthewcyahoo]

Great lesson. I struggle with chord changes, especially the V chord... Playing over chord changes is always tough as like in the V chord you only have 2 bars..

[@gianlucabattaglia4080]

Wonderfoul lesson from Italy 🇮🇹 thank you!!!!!

[@victoranchondo924]

Nice!

[@jamalabdul2009]

Funny how someone mentioned to Shane on his live stream a couple of days ago about the two of you doing another live q and a! Stepping outside of our influences does help our growth as musicians and shapes our own sound. Joining the Locals and especially studying the Essential Blues boxes is so helpful for me to figure out the fretboard and expand my playing. This is a welcomed addition Anthony!!!🎸🎸🎸🎸

[@gnawbabygnaw]

Very cool! As is Chris Cain. And you of course sir. Great one thanks!

[@hansenmarc]

The back door patterns are sometimes called pentatonic (super-)highways. Because they’re the same small two-string “box” repeated across the fretboard, they’re easy to memorize and play fast. A small variation on back door pattern 2 is to shift the pattern so it starts from the flat 7 instead of the ♭3: [♭7, 1 on the 6th string, then ♭3, 4, 5 on the 5th string], repeat: [♭7, 1 on the 4th string, ♭3, 4, 5 on the 3th string], [♭7, 1 on the 2nd string, ♭3, 4, 5 on the 1st string]. The small 2+3 pattern is sometimes called the frying pan. Stack the frying pans and they form an elevator that takes you through blues boxes 1 and 2 and drops you off at the top of blues box 3. Very cool examples of how to use the back door patterns to connect the 5 blues boxes and mix minor and major pentatonics! 🤩 This is a jam-packed lesson. Thank you!

[@jimsullivan306]

thanks, you make it simple. appreciated

[@JohnMarcell]

Love the grit, nothings more rock and roll then a couple of wrong notes!!!

[@javierlestido3418]

Great lesson. Thanks from Uruguay!

[@Jimmyslim69]

Like the visuals...basically the “back door” pattern is the B major pentatonic scale...cool way to visualize mixing major and minor pentatonic scales.

[@jayseb]

That's where having a bit more music theory is always useful... I kinda laugh when I hear people say, I couldn't see it... Well, you could, if you just knew a few basics scales. That's where visualization becomes a solid barrier. But yeah, not bad for a beginner, but nothing new.

[@EricBgtr09]

this was so helpful man damn. Can really tell how much work you put into this with the visual layout and I'm so grateful for that, makes it so easy to follow

[@rikkikirr8538]

Yoooo anthony you're sporting the clapton look ... thanks for your input

[@kahn265_]

I love that opening solo. Very distinctive

[@WorldsOkayestGuitarPlayer]

I've been looking into this lately, glad you uploaded this today!

[@steveg.3022]

Makes perfect sense. Thanks.

[@dongentry5895]

Fantastic Lesson!! Thank you

[@nickefgen9219]

Great video thank you this helps a bunch

[@druidavey]

Awesome, many thanks for that. Can't wait to get it it al in my head,

[@stormyweather2837]

Thanks I think you explained this really great I hope it works to get me out of my solo ruts. I just gotta wait for my arm to get fixed. Cheers

[@theguitarnoobph]

Enjoying this lesson!!!

[@fleaaaaaa]

They're the top strings of box 5 just before box 1 but the major version. These sounds are found where an A shaped major chord is found. So in C major blues look for the C F G barres on the A string.

[@crate5150]

Great lesson!

[@titi64230]

What a great lesson, i will work on it promise !

[@SticksAandstonesBozo]

Ya know it’s enough the amazing software he’s made but he just so happens to look at playing the same way I do as far as the shapes etc. Wish I found this guy years ago.

[@robertrichter7702]

This is good stuff can’t wait to go home and learn it !

[@carsgunsandguitars]

Good stuff, thanks.

[@SCOTT-ki3ve]

U R awesome!

[@marcsullivan7987]

Frankly, I think this lesson could actually potentially confuse people, bc it involves shifting from minor to major pentatonic WITHOUT CLARIFYING THAT. the upper position is not the same scale as the first position. It’s a cool move to GET from minor to major, but it’s misleading people into thinking that’s where the position one scale extends.

[@homeboyjon4885]

Dude! What a great video! The chord diagram is so dang helpful. I so wish I had seen this a few years ago because it conveys so much info.

[@dalton7145]

your talent is worth every dollar you charge for your (high) lessons! I mean it, it's not a slight. It's just too high for this poor Okie! Keep on keeping the Blues alive Brother! Awesome lesson and your playing is on fire!

[@SchmittycocoPop]

Your just mixing in major pentatonic shapes scales, etc. I find the majors to be much better for melodic soloing. Thx for sharing I'm sure many don't realize how to do it

[@JBG949]

I must have been in the first 25 subs...and I have not visited this site in over 2 years...wow I'm surprised at the difference in guitar choice...Fender Ultra Original...I find it to be a wide gap differential to his original SRV type go to axe..?...great player as always...😊 I guess I'm blown away by The Fender Ultra blues tone...🤔😊

[@RaisonBaby]

Great explanation! Thank you for all the content and inspiration. Been following you since Stevie Snacks

[@wadejennings]

Incredible teacher. Wonderful content. I'm so extremely visual and this is an amazing presentation. Thank you & sub'd!

[@rockers2rockers616]

Reminds me of Clapton's playing

[@lancelotlink6545]

So this is the BB box right? Nice way to mix major and minor.

[@MercutioUK2006]

Good stuff :) What's the super-neat software you're using for the on screen diagrams? Helps a huge amount!

[@joellemaster998]

so,what is the theory behind these boxes? mixing major and minor? mixolydian?

[@bradt.3555]

Interesting, I never learned "boxes" I learned two diagonal patterns that you just move for different keys. Believe I picked it up from watching Alvin Lee when I was just starting. Think I saw a video on TV back in the 70's with him talking about this. Not till utube came along did I hear about boxes. Now I've found at any point when moving diagonally you can find a box. Surprised more people don't discuss this, seems all you hear about is boxes.

[@markthespark6240]

Can you elaborate on what you mean and what your diagonal pattern is? Sounds interesting.

[@jjryan1352]

Yeah i started with a book that has both. Some have called the simple diagonal one a skillet or panhandle or whatever because its a 2 and 3 note shape (or 3 and 2) on adjacent strings

[@bradt.3555]

@@markthespark6240 Check the other post put up after yours. He called it the skillet pattern. Not sure I can explain this well. Take A minor pent. lowest fretted note on low E string . play 4 notes from E string to A string, slide up 2 frets, do again, slide up 2 frets switching to middle finger as you go do again on B and E string. That works for certain keys. Now take E minor. That won't work in the "middle" of the neck. Start on lowest fretted note of E minor scale on low E string. play 2 notes per string on the E, A,& D string, slide up again now index finger on that note then you have a 4 note 2 string pattern at that point you've switched to middle finger again, 2 notes on the B string slide two frets 2 notes on hi E. Now say with A, start on the 10th fret and do the 2nd pattern, with E it's those two patterns inverted. I guess it's playing sections of boxes while sliding up the neck but these two pattern work for any key just move position. You'll start to see how these patterns happen all over the neck interconnecting boxes. When I learned there was no internet, hell no computors, so I knew nothing of what "box" patterns were. That probably sounds very confusing. If you had a picture of the neck with say A minor boxes marked then overlayed these patterns youd see how it all ties together. Same pattern obviously for major pent. Add certain notes you get blues scale ,etc. I'm sure this is nothing unique just when I started we just grabbed a guitar and listened to songs and tried to sound it out.

[@markthespark6240]

@@bradt.3555 Hi Brad. Thanks for replying and trying to explain!! I will grab a guitar in the next couple of days and try to work through! I’ve always learned solos from the songs I liked and played in a covers band but really can’t improvise any more than the basics. Been like this for 20 years!! I’m sure I’ll figure it out one day but I’ve never had lessons. I may have missed a step in joining the dots somewhere!

[@robertoleniton]

Please, I'm Brazilian and I like your classes focused on blues, please allow the possibility to subtitle your lines, please? Obrigado!

[@mrstrat222]

Chris Cain is a tasty Monster!!

[@VanHiti]

Great lesson!! And also the same question from me: is the software available to everyone? Where can we get it or is it your own design?

[@thomasrobinet7545]

at 4'35 the screen is correct but at 4'40, the screen is incorrect

[@shortname3468]

Is it possible to add subtitles to the video?

[@ernieficklin3593]

This is awesome! Thank you! What software is that your using for the patterns?

[@Texasbluesalley]

That is a web application I developed to use in my lessons and courses.

[@ernieficklin3593]

@@Texasbluesalley really cool!

[@doccon74]

Great lesson 10 out of 10. Very addictive & fun once you start it's hard to stop! What software are you using for the visuals of the positions? If you don't mind my asking.

[@Texasbluesalley]

It's a custom tool that I built over several years, and I used it heavily in my last course. I made a video about it: kzbin.info/www/bejne/faOchJd4jK-BrtU

[@doccon74]

@@Texasbluesalley Thanks for the link and your reply 🙏 💙

[@toadjam12000]

That software is great. Where can I get it?

[@geofflee6295]

Seems to me you have discovered B, F# and E major pentatonic scales!

[@HeathWatts]

What fretboard software are you using? This is very useful. Thanks!

[@Texasbluesalley]

It's an interactive fretboard tool I built to use in my lessons and courses.

[@HeathWatts]

@@Texasbluesalley I joined Texas Blues Alley. Looks like a great site so far based on your introductory videos. Thanks for replying.

[@AntonioLopez-bc6qg]

Is this B Major pentatonic? Sorry I am lost.

[@marcsullivan7987]

It is. I just typed a comment that this was gonna confuse some people

[@betosorio]

What software is that?? Someone??

[@Texasbluesalley]

This is a custom web-based interactive fretboard application I built to use in my lessons.

[@bmphil3400]

BB King did ALOT of changing from minor pentatonic to major pentatonic.........

[@simonzaffar349]

i guess not trying to sound like Stevie is a good problem to have.

[@UmVtCg]

This is just the B major pentatonic scale. I don't think in boxes. I like triads, CAGED, intervals, arpeggio's and scales. Focussing on the cord tones of the chords that are playing and mixing major and minor with the Dominant 7 scale. Like you explain in the beginning boxes to me seem equvalent to teaching a monkey a trick. It's the reason people get stuck in the pentatonic scale. This method is a nice shortcut or something to add to an Arsenal of personal knwoledge. But it lacks the understanding of what is actually going on. Which is not that hard to see for yourself when you map out the fretboard with some tool like guitar scientist.

[@frankswildyear]

I must be a bit thick…I can’t figure it out, seems like you’re using major and minor together