The Isotonic Scale Boxes

This exercise deepens your knowledge of the boxes and begins to put you into more advanced melodic territory by making you aware of more modal sounds! Instead of spreading the boxes out in a lattice that covers the entire neck, you cycle through the boxes by centering each shape on a single root. For example, instead of starting the G Ionian box on G and then placing the A Dorian box on A in order to stay in the G scale, you play the G Ionian box on G, and then the Dorian box on G, and then the Phrygian box in G, etc.

Doing this over a drone will allow you to begin to become more familiar with modal sounds and prepare you to play in deeper and more complex melodic territory, in addition to strengthening your awareness of the boxes!

  • The Pentatonic Isotonics
  • The Diatonic Isotonics
  • The Harmonic Minor Isotonics
  • The Melodic Minor Isotonics
Isotonic-Pentatonics