Boxes 2 & 5
Next up, let’s look at box 2 of the minor pentatonic scale:
Fig 1. Am pentatonic box 2
Practice this new shape until you’ve got it under your fingers. Pay particular attention to how this next minor triad shape on the top four strings lies within the box.
RT6b2 • Minor Pentatonic: Box 2
Proficiency test for box 2 in isolation. Don't proceed any further until you have both the box 1 and box 2 shapes mastered.You don’t need to memorize the names of the box shapes, only how to play them and how to connect them to one another. We have to call them something in these pages, though, so boxes 1-5 it is.
It should be obvious that box 2 connects to box 1. It’s just starts three frets higher.
Rather than continuing to box 3, however, let’s look at the other shape that connects to box 1:
Fig 2. Am pentatonic box 5
RT6b3 • Minor Pentatonic: Box 5
Proficiency test for box 5 in isolation. Note how this shape sits below the box 1 shape.In order to gain proficiency on the neck, it’s important to program your fingers to connect the shapes together. In addition to learning each box in isolation, it’s important to practice them in “chunks” of connected groups. The first of these is boxes 5, 1, and 2: