Day: September 20, 2019

John Mclaughlin Alternate Picking Jazz Fusion guitar lesson!

Posted on by Modern Music Theory

John Mclaughlin left hand fingering guitar Lesson and fingering technique “Secrets” for fast Jazz fusion guitar lines explained.

 

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JOHN MCLAUGHLIN LEFT HAND FINGERING LESSON MUSIC TAB
Corona short 14th dec

The key to getting fluidity and developing the ability to play long jazz/fusion guitar phrases up tempo relies on good left hand fingering. Most people focus on the right alternate picking hand and then find it impossible to join/link up the improvised line phrasing /rhythm

The phrases and guitar fingering get generally “Un-guitaristic” when weaving in and out of altered [Dominant] harmony on the guitar fingerboard. This is why it is essential to manipulate the “Left fretting hand” fingering. The fingering that John Mclaughlin employs in much of his jazz guitar playing is available to all as is shown in my two guitar tab/notation examples and video. The secret fingering is actually quite simple and logical.

John Mclaughlin talks about fingering a lot in interviews and even said to Larry Coryell that “Fingering is everything”. When the fingers can move effortlessly and weave in and out of the complex harmonic lines it does become natural to articulate musical phrases into improvisation that way.

THE “SECRET” JOHN MCLAUGHLIN ALTERNATE PICKING GUITAR FINGERING! Revealed!

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Above, is a very common John Mclaughlin fingering that he employs to get through fast uptempo phrases. It is actually quite repetitive and very useful for building any scale regardless of that scales intervals or complexity. This is the key to his explosive and effortlessness when alternate picking fluid modern jazz fusion guitar lines. Also, with this fingering it is possible to display excellent chromatic mastery,approach notes and jazz encircling set ups with ease.

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Tremolo Picking Guitar Technique Lesson

Posted on by Modern Music Theory

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WHAT IS TREMOLO GUITAR PICKING?

A Tremelo is a rapid alternating motion [Think of Russian music or spy music]. Tremelo picking comes from a RELAXED wrist and NOT the forearm, elbow or shoulder.

Count 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 & and let your “Wrist” lightly pick down and up on one note. You can then gradually build a rapid alternating speed. Also try “Accenting” the first note in each bar. [Always avoiding tension in the elbow].

1

1 STRING TREMOLO PICKING

Now play it by “Doubling” the speed and INTERNALISE [Feel] the “1e & a” Rhythm. Count it in your mind as you start with a down stroke and pluck down up, down up, down up etc .

2

CROSSING 2 STRINGS WITH GUITAR TREMOLO PICKING: “EVEN GROUPINGS”

First try this with 8th notes and then double the speed with 16th notes. Hear the internalised “1e and a” of the Sixteenth notes and as you tremolo pick across the strings you will always cross with the same “EVEN” stroke. This makes crossing the strings very easy because when you can cross 2 strings then you can SIMPLY REPLICATE this across all 6 strings.

EX.3

3

EX.4 TREMOLO PICKING SCALE ACROSS ALL 6 GUITAR STRINGS:

Just replicate exercise 3 with a scale this time ascending and descending across all 6 guitar strings starting with a down stroke creating “even” tremolo picking. [It will be smooth and musical and simple with even patterns].

4

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