All of which is to say: there is life outside the box. And if we’re going to replicate Eric’s famous pentatonic cascade, now would be a good time to experience it.

Pentatonic Position V

 

The fifth position is notable as perhaps the one pentatonic position other than the standard box position that casual players might be familiar with. It is constructed of adjacent pairs of fretboard shapes, so it’s easy to visualize and remember. And it shares its upper notes with the box position. So it’s a convenient occasional detour for box position phrases that need to stretch their legs. In cascade phrases, the fifth position is the very first step outside the box, and it plays this critical role — especially on the middle two strings — in nearly every descending phrase Eric plays.