The Slide That Unlocks the Whole Fretboard

Why does everyone stick to the pentatonic box when the real freedom is just one slide away?

I dropped my pick at the start of this video, but I also dropped something more important: a truth bomb about fluid fretboard movement.

Most rock and metal solos lean heavily on the E minor pentatonic scale – fair enough. But if you want to break out of that boxy feel and actually *sound* like you're moving across the neck, sliding is your best friend. Specifically, sliding from Box 1 into Box 2 opens up a world of new phrasing possibilities – and it’s way easier than you think.

In the riff I demo here, I use a slick little slide from the 15th to the 17th fret on the B string. This not only transports you into a new position, it sneaks in an extra note along the way. And even if your brain doesn't register that sneaky 16th fret – your ear will. That's the magic of sliding.

Technique-wise, here’s a quick PSA: don’t try to slide using just your wrist or finger. You need to move your whole arm – reposition the hand completely. That’s how you maintain control and fluidity, especially when moving up or down larger stretches.

But the trick doesn’t stop there. For maximum smoothness, I use legato – no picking – on the way back down. That means hammer-ons from nowhere and pull-offs, all while keeping the picking hand in place to mute unwanted string noise. It feels weird at first, but once you get it down, it sounds buttery and effortless.

This type of sliding is the gateway to full fretboard freedom. Today we just peeked into position two, but the goal is to learn how to enter, explore, and exit any position fluently. And it starts with small moves like this.

Start small, slide with intention, and before you know it, you'll be flying across the neck with confidence.

Thanks so much for watching – you've been wonderful, and I've been Kristofer. See you next time!