Lesson series

Unlocking The Fretboard Connection

Unlock the Fretboard Connection 2.0 is for guitar players who want to master the fretboard, connect scales and create guitar solos from scratch

Write your awesome label here.

Online guitar course · Pentatonic & fretboard

Unlocking The Fretboard Connection

Connect the pentatonic scale across the whole neck

Unlocking The Fretboard Connection is a guitar fretboard course taught by GuitarZoom Master Instructor Steve Stine. You learn the five positions of the minor pentatonic scale and how to connect them with vertical and horizontal movement and the Treadmill. Then you add the major pentatonic, relative major and minor, metronome practice, and convert the pentatonic into the diatonic scale in five positions. The course has 26 video lessons, about 94 minutes in total, plus a 14-page PDF book. This course is included in GuitarZoom Premium.

26video lessons

1+ hourof step-by-step teaching

Beginner to intermediatelevel

14-page PDF bookincluded

In Premiumwith 15 more core courses

14 days freethen $39/month, cancel any time

Excellent · 4.8 out of 5 on TrustpilotRead our reviews

START FREE 14-DAY TRIAL BUY THIS COURSE · $67

Included in GuitarZoom Premium · course 6 of 16 in the path (Stage 2: First Steps in Lead Guitar)

Free preview

What Unlocking The Fretboard Connection is about

Steve breaks every skill into simple steps you can follow. In this video, he teaches the first position of the minor pentatonic scale.

Free preview lesson: Minor Pentatonic Scale - Position 1 · 4:21

Who it's for

Is Unlocking The Fretboard Connection right for you?

Players stuck in one scale box. Lessons connect all five pentatonic positions across the neck.
Beginning lead players. It starts with what a pentatonic scale is and how position playing works.
Players ready for the full scale. Later lessons convert each pentatonic position into the diatonic scale.

What you'll be able to do

Skills you'll walk away with

Play the five positions of the minor pentatonic scale
Name the notes of the A minor pentatonic
Move vertically and horizontally across the neck
Connect positions with the Treadmill approach
Play the major pentatonic and find relative major and minor
Merge positions using a metronome
Convert the pentatonic into the diatonic scale in five positions
Move the shapes to other keys and visualize triads

What's inside

What the course covers

Every module and every lesson, in the order you learn them.

Module 1

From pentatonic positions to the diatonic scale

What a pentatonic scale is, minor pentatonic positions 1 to 5, the notes of Am pentatonic, vertical and horizontal movement, building and visualizing shapes, the Treadmill, major pentatonic, relative major and minor, metronome practice, converting pentatonic to diatonic in five positions, other keys, visualizing triads and a chord/scale pentatonic shortcut.

26 lessons · 94 min

See all 26 lessons

Introduction 0:25
What is a Pentatonic Scale & Position Playing 1:01
Minor Pentatonic Scale - Position 1 4:21
The Notes of Am Pentatonic 3:11
Vertical and Horizontal Movement 2:29
Building the Shapes 3:07
Minor Pentatonic Scale - Position 2 & Connecting Positions 8:02
Visualizing the Shapes 2:06
Minor Pentatonic Scale - Position 3 & Repetition Trick 5:06
Minor Pentatonic Scale - Position 4 1:36
Minor Pentatonic Scale - Position 5 0:41
Connecting the Fretboard - The Treadmill 4:52
Major Pentatonic Scale 5:24
Relative Major & Relative Minor 5:21
Metronome Practice 7:05
Merging Positions using the Metronome 7:57
Diatonic Scales 4:22
Converting Pentatonic into Diatonic - Position 1 8:56
Position 2 1:40
Position 3 1:11
Position 4 1:05
Position 5 2:58
Moving to Other Keys 1:45
Visualizing Triads 6:12
Chord/Scale Pentatonic Shortcut 1:56
Final Thoughts 1:15

START FREE 14-DAY TRIAL BUY THIS COURSE · $67

How it works

Learn at your own pace

Clear video lessons

Every move is shown up close. Pause, rewind and repeat each lesson as often as you need.

Practice materials

Includes 14-page PDF book. Use them to practice what you learn in each lesson.

Part of a clear path

This is course 6 of 16 in the Premium path, so you always know what to learn next.

Your instructor

Steve Stine

GuitarZoom Master Instructor

Steve has taught guitar for more than 30 years and has helped millions of players in over 100 countries. He has a Music Education degree from Minnesota State University Moorhead and taught guitar at North Dakota State University. He's known for breaking hard things into simple steps you can follow. Read Steve's full story

Student reviews

What students say about Steve's teaching

Excellent · 4.8 out of 5 on TrustpilotRead our reviews

"The lessons are easy to learn. You'll progress quite well. Do it."
David P.United States

"You're gonna be surprised. You're gonna learn a lot very quickly."
Timothy C.Canada

"I think the really positive thing about GuitarZoom is the structure of the lessons."
David C.United States

"Steve does it in a nice, concise way, not too fast, not too slow."
David T.United States

"The content and the video quality are both extremely awesome."
Daryll O.India

"I find that I'm playing faster and with great confidence."
Paul C.Canada

Read 100+ more student reviews

FAQ

Unlocking The Fretboard Connection questions

Is this course good for beginners?

Yes, for players starting lead guitar. It begins with what a pentatonic scale is and how position playing works.

Which scales will I learn?

The minor pentatonic in five positions, the major pentatonic, and the diatonic scale in five positions.

What is the Treadmill?

It is the approach used in the course for connecting the fretboard. It has its own lesson.

Will I learn to play in other keys?

Yes. One lesson shows how to move the shapes to other keys.

How long is the course?

There are 26 video lessons, about 94 minutes in total, plus a 14-page PDF book.

How do I get Unlocking The Fretboard Connection?

Unlocking The Fretboard Connection is one of the 16 core courses in GuitarZoom Premium. Premium costs $39 a month or $299 a year and starts with a 14-day free trial. You can also buy Unlocking The Fretboard Connection on its own for a one-time $67.

What else is included in GuitarZoom Premium?

Premium gives you Steve Stine's 16 core courses in a clear, step-by-step path, from your first chords to improvising your own solos, plus a Jam Tracks library. You get every course from day one.

Can I cancel GuitarZoom Premium?

Yes. You can cancel any time. If you cancel before your 14-day trial ends, you won't be charged.

Can I watch on my phone or tablet?

Yes. You can watch on any computer, tablet or phone with an internet connection, as often as you like.

Next in the Premium path