Third Position | Free Online Guitar Lesson

lesson summary

Lesson 14 of 54 in our Rock Series: Third Position

Now it's time to move on to the 3rd pattern of the minor blues and pentatonic scales. Remember, these scales are very important if you wish to play lead.
Chapter 1: (0:34) Introduction Brad switches gears back to the pentatonic and blues scales. He begins by playing some blues scale licks from the third blues scale box. In this lesson, Brad demonstrates how to play both the third position boxes of both the pentatonic and blues scales.

Note: Do not continue with the third box of the minor pentatonic and blues scales until you have memorized the first two boxes. Brad briefly reviews these patterns in the following scene. Chapter 2: (6:02) Third Position of Blues and Pentatonic Scales The third box moves us higher up in the guitar�s register. Pay very close attention to the fingerings used for this box. This particular box features a few position shifts. The scale begins in 10th position. However, the first finger reaches back to play some notes at the 9th fret. Do not deviate from the fingerings that Brad uses when playing through the scale. These fingerings will enable you to play improvised lines with the most ease.

Brad demonstrates this scale pattern by starting with the lowest note on the sixth string. This is for demonstration purposes only. When practicing any scale, always begin and end on the root note. Notice where the position shift occurs within the scale. When you reach the third string in the pattern, your first finger jumps back to play the 9th fret (E). When you reach the B string, return to playing the 10th fret with your first finger.

Make a note of where the blues notes occur within the box. The first blues note occurs on the 11th fret of both the high and low E string. An additional blues note can be added to the pattern that Brad does not discuss. This note is found at the 13th fret of the D string. Fret this note with the pinky finger.

Note: Open the �Supplemental Content� tab for fingerboard patterns of the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd pentatonic/blues boxes.

Practicing Pentatonic Scales

Now that you have learned several scales, it is important to keep them organized. It is very important to devote daily practice time to scales. However, you may not have time every day to practice every single scale you know each day. For this reason, it�s a good idea to maintain a written practice log. On the first day of the week, write down which scales you practiced. This way you�ll know which scales you need to practice throughout the remainder of the week.

Once you have memorized the third box of the blues and pentatonic scale, begin to improvise within this box. Formulate some brand new licks in this position. When you feel comfortable with this new position, begin to combine it with the previous two boxes. Brad briefly demonstrates how a few possible ways to shift from one box to another. Pay careful attention to how he changes the fingering of the scales to accommodate some position shifts. This is also done to make techniques like string bending more comfortable.

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Phase 2, Genre-Based Guitar Lessons

Phase 2 of our teaching method focuses on genre specific techniques and skills. After you have mastered all of the lessons and topics covered in Phase 1, you then move onto your preferred genre of music. Our phase 2 lessons are taught with the overall idea that you are already equipped with a basic understanding of the guitar, how to play notes, read tablature, and position your finger correctly.

about Brad Henecke

Brad Henecke: Performing Classic Rock Guitarist

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