Just another “Quick” fire lick today from legendary guitar great John Mclaughlin!
This is a short lick doubled in unison with strings [or synth] and played in double time. It employs strict alternate picking starting on a down stroke. The lick exploits two “Dominant” chords, D7#9 and D7#9#11.
John Mclaughlin Guitar Lick:
Ascending John employs a simple pentatonic scale that exploits both the #9 [F natural] and the Major 3rd [F#]. Descending he employs the F melodic [jazz] minor scale.This is because the second dominant chord exploits the #11 [Ab]. It also creates an augmented flavour with the #5 [Bb] note]. This finally resolves to GMaj7#11 with an F#m9 arpeggio that finishes on the C# note [#11 of Gmaj7#11].
Although this line follows musical logic it is also slightly ambiguous which in turn creates an interesting and more original sound:
Clifford Martin is a trained classical musician and composer. His 1st study being piano and composition and a deep study into the meticulous world of modern music theory. He also studied jazz piano and jazz drums privately.
Clifford later came back to the guitar and studied in the jazz fusion style of John McLaughlin and Al di Meola. It was at this point that he put all of his years of learning together into one musical form
This website is a sort of cataloging of ideas and musical concepts for exploitation and development in the arts of musical composition and improvisation. What started out as a jazz improvisation site has grown into a full blown, harmony, timbre, pitch and rhythm library. Peace, Enjoy!
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