Master Octave Displacement: A Robert Fripp Style Guitar Lesson

Robert Fripp Octave Displacement Guitar Lesson

Hi Guys!

Today, a quick look at applying octave displacement into your alternate picking guitar technique.

This [12 tone] concept was originally taken from the brilliant 12 chromatic forms by jazz guitar great Pat Martino and then re-developed into a more 20c classical picking Fripp-esque guitar etude.

Sheet music titled '12 Chromatic Forms for Guitar' by Pat Martino, displaying various musical notations and finger placements for guitar.
Sheet music for Pat Martino’s 12 chromatic forms for guitar, illustrating the String Skipping exercise.

I am starting this little etude/exercise on an “Up” stroke with alternate picking guitar technique. [You may prefer to start on a downstroke]

Alternate Picking Guitar technique Icons representing 'DOWN' and 'UP' with bold letters in red.

As an example here is the first part:

Music sheet notation with guitar intervallic string skipping 12 tone Robert Fripp notes and symbols, including slurs and dynamic markings. Alternate Picking guitar lesson.
Notation for the ‘String Skipping’ guitar exercise exploring octave displacement.

The key to be aware of = The exploitation of “Octave displacement”. This creates unique harmonies and S.A.T [B] style 12 tone lines.

Musical notation showing octave displacement Robert Fripp guitar notes E, D, Db, C, Bb, A, and Eb with directional arrows indicating alternate picking guitar technique movement between notes.
Diagram illustrating octave displacement and the chromatic scale in guitar playing.

As you can see in the diagram above, this is just the chromatic scale, but, moving/resolving through the different registers.

This octave displacement technique, offers us a way to create/extract interesting colourful music from the chromatic scale [12 tone], whilst, complimenting our instrument through the high low high or low high low resonances.

A sheet of music notation featuring guitarist Robert Fripp's alternate picking octave displacement guitar technique. There are various notes and tablature for string instruments, arranged in multiple measures.
Musical notation for the ‘String Skipping’ exercise, highlighting octave displacement techniques in guitar playing.

Although, [for this etude] I have employed octave displacement, I have also incorporated some basic scale parts to link it all together and avoid intervallic monotony.

I am starting both of these scale fragments on an“Up” stroke with strict alternate picking once again:

A sheet music excerpt featuring various musical notes and notations by Robert Fripp, including highlighted sections and annotations. Alternate picking guitar technique lesson.
Guitar tab illustrating emphasizing alternate picking guitar technique

Musical notation on sheet music displaying Robert Fripp's guitar tablature and standard notation in 4/4 time signature. Alternate picking guitar technique is employed.
Tab notation for the ‘String Skipping’ exercise inspired by guitarists Robert Fripp and Pat Martino.
string-skipping-guitar-lesson-example
A sheet of music showing Robert Fripp guitar tablature and standard notation, consisting of various notes and rhythms across two staves. Alternate picking guitar technique lesson.
Guitar tablature for the ‘String Skipping’ exercise inspired by Robert Fripp, illustrating techniques of alternate picking and octave displacement.
A section of sheet music featuring a variety of Robert Fripp guitar musical notes and rests, typical for guitar notation, with both standard notation and tablature. Alternate picking guitar technique.
Musical notation for the ‘String Skipping’ exercise inspired by Robert Fripp, illustrating alternate picking techniques and octave displacement.

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