Unlock the Fretboard

So to get started, this is a lesson for the people who've found themselves to be stuck playing through the same pentatonic boxes day-in, day-out, and are looking for a change. This is the most effective way I've found my students to break out of the "box" shell and start spreading things out. Many of these patterns you may find to be reminiscent of Paul Gilbert exercises, but I must admit, if it wasn't for Mr. Gilbert, the fretboard would probably have remained a mystery to me for much longer than it has. I'm staying away from "modes" this time around, as the confusion associated with them can sometimes be extraordinary for little or no reason. Modes are commonly written in scale formula similar to what you may read in this lesson, but be advised, modes are more based around underlying harmony than we'll be experimenting with. Let's focus on filling out the fretboard in any given key before exploring further harmonic possibilities. So enjoy, and remember, this stuff is only as fun as you make it. Be creative, explore these patterns and positions with different techniques and incorporate them into every aspect of your playing!