A minor pentatonic box 2, with tab and a bend
The second shape of the A minor pentatonic, from the 7th to the 10th fret, up and down in eighths, with a whole-step bend from C to D and a landing on A to finish. Box 2 sits straight above box 1 and shares its notes at the 7th and 8th frets, so learning it doubles the room you have to move in a solo and leads into the shapes above it.
Opens in the player looped and counted in, with drums playing along, and speeds up 5 % every 2 loops to 120 bpm. No account or microphone needed.
- Goal tempo
- 120 bpm
- Starts at
- 72 bpm
- Length
- 4 bars, looped
- Tuning
- E standard
- Time
- 4/4
- Level
- Intermediate
- Plays with
- Drums
How to play it
The 1st finger takes the 7th and 8th frets, the 3rd and 4th the 9th and 10th; bend the 10th fret of the D string with the 3rd finger.
Box 2 sits from the 7th to the 10th fret. From the low E string: 8 and 10; A string 7 and 10; D string 7 and 10; G string 7 and 9; B string 8 and 10; high E 8 and 10. It's the same five notes as box 1, A, C, D, E and G, but starting from C.
Play up in eighths and hold the top note, then come back down. The last beats bend the C at the 10th fret of the D string up a whole step to D, then land on the A at the 7th: push the string up towards the ceiling with the 3rd finger, the 2nd behind it helping.
The notes at the 7th and 8th frets are also the top of box 1, so the two shapes overlap there. Play box 1 and box 2 one after the other and the join will be obvious.
Mistakes to watch for
- Bending flat, short of the D. Play the D at the 12th fret first and bend until the bent note matches it.
- Holding the 1st finger across two frets: it shifts between the 7th and 8th as the shape needs.
- Losing time on the held top note: it lasts two whole beats.
A speed plan
The player starts at 60 % of the goal and plays each tempo twice before stepping up:
- 72
- 78
- 84
- 90
- 96
- 102
- 108
- 114
- 120
That's 16 loops and about 3 minutes before you're playing at 120 bpm. If it stops being clean on the way, stop the ramp there and loop that tempo until it is. With a microphone or an audio interface you can record while you play instead: Demiurg checks every loop and steps up only after two clean ones in a row, and back down after a poor one.
Questions
How fast should I play A minor pentatonic, box 2?
The goal is 120 bpm in eighth notes, which is 4 notes a second. Start wherever every note is clean: the player begins at 72 bpm. Signed in, you can set a goal of your own, slower or faster, on the Exercises page.
How many pentatonic boxes are there?
Five, one starting on each note of the scale. They join up along the neck, so between them they cover the whole fretboard. The scales page on this site draws all five in any key.
Which box should I learn after box 1?
Box 2, as it shares notes with box 1 and adds the room above it. Then box 5, below box 1, and the others as you need them.
More fundamentals exercises
All 22 fundamentals exercises · Fretboard notes trainer · Scales on the neck · All 107 exercises