INTRODUCTORY LEVEL COURSE

Finding GUITAR SCALES
for a CHORD PROGRESSION
using a single SCALE POSITION

Following are seven lessons but first know all the musical Notes on the high E string to use this simple new method starting with a Box Pentatonic Scale of four Notes.

This Box Pentatonic Scale is shifted up or down the fretboard to the fret with the same Letter Name as the commencing Chord for a piece of music.

More of the Scale is later identified by adding two Notes inside the Box Pentatonic.

There is a YouTube video of this Short Course at the bottom if preferred.

Lesson 1.
BOX PENTATONIC Scales

The name ‘Box’ is used here to describe Scales based on the E and B strings only.

A piece of music usually begins with a Major Chord or Minor Chord and has a melody based on a Scale which is a set of the Notes that are suitable.
Often the Scale does not change throughout a Chord Progression.

Both types of Chord can be approached with the same simple Box Pentatonic Scale Shape, shifted up or down the fretboard to the fret on the high E string with the same Letter Name as the commencing Chord.

SEE HERE the Box Pentatonic Scale for a piece commencing with an A Minor Chord.
Notice it extends up the fretboard from the larger A Note on the high E string.

Try playing this along with the song ‘Like A Hurricane’ by Neil Young.

SEE HERE the relative Box Pentatonic Scale for a piece commencing with a C Major Chord.

Notice it extends down the fretboard from the larger C Note on the high E string.
The Scale Shape is the same as the A Minor Box Pentatonic so described here as ‘relative’.

Try playing this along with the song ‘Like A Rolling Stone’ by Bob Dylan.


PRACTISE will be more effective with Backing Track videos in MEMBERS Section after Sign Up.



Lesson 2.
SPECIAL BOX PENTATONIC Scales
Occasionally in pieces that commence with a Minor Chord its Box Pentatonic Scale will need raising of the upper Note on the B string by one fret during a special Major Chord called a Major V (Major Fifth) particularly found in Classical or Spanish sounding Music.

SEE HERE the slightly modified Box Pentatonic Scale for the special E Major V Chord in a piece with a commencing Chord of A Minor.

Try this along with ‘House Of The Rising Sun’ by The Animals which starts with A Minor then has an E Major V.

Correspondingly in a piece commencing with a Major Chord, its relative Box Pentatonic Scale will also need raising of the upper Note on the B string by one fret during its special Major Chord called a Major III (Major Three) as in the second Chord of ‘Creep’ by Radiohead.

SEE HERE the slightly modified Box Pentatonic Scale for the special E Major III Chord in a piece with a commencing Chord of C Major.

Try this on the chorus of ‘Space Oddity’ by David Bowie which starts in C Major then goes to an E Major III.

PRACTISE will be more effective with Backing Track videos in MEMBERS Section after Sign Up.

Lesson 3.
LIMBO BOX BASIC Scales

The name ‘Limbo’ is an invented name to describe Scales for Major Chords that are very special requiring a modified Scale that can be ambiguous.

Encountering a very special Major Chord becomes obvious while using a Box Pentatonic Scale if the upper Note on the E string sounds wrong for one Major Chord, that needs to be raised one fret for the duration.
Thus it becomes the Major V Limbo Box Basic Scale (and can be used for Major Chords called Secondary Dominants).

SEE HERE the Major V Limbo Box Basic Scale for a very special A Major Chord in a piece with a C Major commencing Chord then the A Major Chord.

Try it over the intro for ‘Proud Mary’ by Creedence Clearwater Revival or chorus of ‘Children Of The Revolution’ by T Rex.
Also be aware that a commencing Major Chord can often be very special for example a piece commencing with an A Major Chord then a C Major Chord as in the chorus of ‘Are You Gonna Be My Girl’ by Jet.

And a piece might sometimes have the less common alternative very special Major Chord requiring correction of wrong sounding upper Notes on both the E and B strings, to be raised one fret for the duration, thus becoming the following alternative Limbo Box Basic Scale.

SEE HERE the Limbo Box Basic Scale for the alternative very special A Major Chord in a piece usually featuring a C Major Chord, or even commencing with an alternative very special A Major Chord then a C Major Chord.


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Lesson 4.
BOX MODE Scales

The full Major Scale and Minor Scale both have seven Notes.
Two more of the important Notes can be easily identified by adding one extra Note to each string on a fret inside the Box Pentatonic Scale by trial and error, based on the Modes.

This is great ear training too.
And the added Notes can usually continue during the modified Scale Shapes from previous lessons.

However, the added Notes inside a Shape can change even for just one Chord, which technically means the Key of the piece has changed.
This new method makes it easy to navigate by moving the inside Notes, and not shift the Scale Position (or know the Music Theory).

Though not very common in popular music these days, extreme Key Changes will need the Scale Position to be shifted.

SEE HERE the Box Minor Modes which are the three versions of possible Notes added to an A Minor Box Pentatonic Scale for a piece commencing with an A Minor Chord.

Try the A Aeolian over ‘Like A Hurricane’ by Neil Young.
Try the A Dorian over most of ‘Oye Como Va’ by Santana.
Try the A Phrygian over a Spanish music style such as the Chords of A Minor to Bb Major.

SEE HERE the Box Major Modes which are three versions of possible Notes added to a C Major relative Box Pentatonic Scale for a piece commencing with a C Major Chord.

Try the C Ionian over ‘Like A Rolling Stone’ by Bob Dylan.
Try the C Lydian over ‘Man On The Moon’ by REM.
Try the C Mixolydian over ‘Rock And Roll’ by The Velvet Underground.

PRACTISE will be more effective with Backing Track videos in MEMBERS Section after Sign Up.

Lesson 5.
BOX MAJOR V and III Scales

As mentioned in previous lesson, extra Notes added on frets inside Box Scales can usually continue during the modified Box Scales for special Major Chords.

SEE HERE the two versions possible for Notes added to the modified Box Pentatonic Scale during special E Major V Chords for pieces commencing with an A Minor Chord.

Try the A Aeolian version over the E Major in ‘House Of The Rising Sun’ by The Animals.
Try the A Dorian version over the E Major in ‘Oye Como Va’ by Santana.

SEE HERE the two versions possible for Notes added to the modified Box Pentatonic Scale during special E MAJOR III Chords for pieces commencing with a C Major Chord.

The C Ionian version suits the E Major in the chorus of ‘Space Oddity’ by David Bowie.
The C Lydian version suits the E Major in the intro of ‘Lola’ by The Kinks.


PRACTISE will be more effective with Backing Track videos in MEMBERS Section after Sign Up.

Lesson 6.
LIMBO BOX MODE Scales

The name ‘Limbo’ was invented to describe Scales for Major Chords that are very special and the correct Scales can be ambiguous depending on taste.

These Scale Diagrams appear similar to conventional Major Modes but are not recommended for commencing Major Chords at first in this new method.

SEE HERE the first two versions possible for Notes added to the Limbo Box Basic Scale for an A Major in pieces including or commencing with a very special A Major Chord and the alternative very special A Major Chord.

The A Mixolydian suits an A Major if it follows a C Major Chord in Lydian Mode, or vice versa as in the A Major chorus of ‘Are You Gonna Be My Girl’ by Jet.
The A Ionian suits an A Major 7 if it follows a C Major Chord in Lydian Mode or vice versa.

SEE HERE the last two versions possible for Notes added to a Limbo Box Basic Scale for an A Major in pieces including or commencing with a very special A Major V or A Major III Chord.

The A Aeolian Dominant suits an A Major if it follows a C Major Chord in Ionian Mode (or vice versa).
The A Phrygian Dominant suits an A Major if it follows a C Major Chord in Mixolydian Mode as in C7 to A7 or vice versa.


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Lesson 7.
BLUES BOX PENTATONIC Scale

FInally, this is another approach if a piece commences with a very special Major Chord.

A guitar player will often play the lead solo using the Blues Pentatonic Scale with string Bends to correct the wrong sounding Notes (but it may sound out of tune with a singer).

SEE HERE the Blues Box Pentatonic Scale in A Major with an arrow showing the Bend.
It is often used for Blues Music that starts with an A7 chord.

Try playing it over solo section at end of ‘La Grange’ by ZZ Top.

FURTHER LEARNING can be achieved by seeing and hearing videos of these Scales available with paid MEMBERSHIP of USD$20 after Sign Up and also includes downloadable Scales Sheets.

Private Online Lessons and coaching for songwriting available also.


Here are INTRODUCTORY COURSE examples of a Scale Demonstration video and Backing Track video for more effective practice.

A AEOLIAN BOX MODE Scale Demonstration video example.

A AEOLIAN BOX MODE Backing Track video example.

MEMBERSHIP after Sign Up and payment of USD$20 provides access to stream individual Scale Demonstration videos of all these 17 scales (as listed below) highlighting Scale Diagrams for the sound and fingering, and the Backing Track videos for practise, as well as downloadable collections of the Scales Sheets for easy reference.

Box Pentatonic for A Minor and C Major (relative)

Box Pentatonic Major V/III for E Major V and E Major III

Limbo Box Basic for A Major V and A Major

Box Minor Modes for A Aeolian, A Dorian and A Phrygian

Box Major Modes for C Ionian, C Lydian and C Mixolydian

Limbo Box Major for A Mixolydian and A Ionian

Limbo Box Major V/III for A Aeolian Dominant and A Phrygian Dominant

Box Pentatonic for Blues in A Major

YouTube video version of Introductory Course