5 Essential Blues Boxes

You’ll never sound like Stevie Ray Vaughan using blues scales. He didn’t study or play scales to get his sound. He studied and played licks. There’s a big difference.

Many of the licks he played can be captured in 5 simple shapes. They’re not scales, just guidelines. This is a shortcut (and it’s not for everyone), but if you can’t make your scales sound great, you might be working too hard.

Difficulty:

Tuning:

Collections:

Lesson Samples

Lesson 1: Overview (Sample)

Lesson 2: Common Questions (Sample)

Lesson 3: Box 1, The “Root” Box (Sample)

Lesson 4: Box 2, The “Albert King” Box (Sample)

Lesson 5: Box 3, The “B.B.” Box (Sample)

Lesson 6: Box 4, The “Clapton Box” (Sample)

Lesson 7: Box 5, The “Major Root” Box (Sample)

Lesson 8: The “Backdoor” Pattern (Sample)

Course Outline

Lesson 1: The Root Box

This lesson introduces the concept of the 5 Essential Blues Boxes, doing a brief explanation of what each box sounds like.

Lesson 2: Common Questions

Lesson 2 addresses some common questions about this approach to soloing. Specifically how it relates to scales, etc.

Lesson 3: Box 1 - The Albert King Box

Hear the many sounds that come out of Box 1
Most common use for each note in the box
"Hidden" and "Auxiliary" notes that switch the sound of the Box

Lesson 4: Box 2 - The Albert King Box

Learn how Albert King's sound is created in this box.
Where to bend, where to land
Hidden note that changes the sound of the Box

Lesson 5: Box 3, The B.B. King Box

Learn how this box is crucial to capturing B.B. King's sound.
Learn where to bend, where to land licks.
Learn how to use 'Auxiliary' notes to add more tension to licks in Box 3.

Lesson 6: Box 4, The Clapton Box

Learn the primary way that Box 4 is used.
Learn how to play Box 2 licks in Box 4 for a slightly different tone.

Lesson 7: Box 5, The Major Root Box

Learn why I call it the Major root box
Learn how this Box relates to Box 1
Learn why this box has shaped the sound of so many ballads.

Lesson 8: The "Backdoor" Pattern

This lesson introduces a repeating pattern of notes that we can use at 4 different places to ascend the fretboard, landing in a different Box based on where we start.

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