Alternate picking guitar technique for jazz, fusion and heavy metal. Aimed at modern jazz improvisation. Employing the alternate picking technique right hand techniques of John Mclaughlin and Al Di Meola.
FAST ALTERNATE PICKING PLECTRUM GUITAR LINES LESSON:
Performing in the style of the Guitar Trio with the plectrum requires strict ALTERNATE PICKING for the solo lines that are picked at a very high velocity. You need to be able to “Jump” straight into the rhythmic flow.
BELOW ARE SOME CONCEPTS/IDEAS TO BE WORKING ON:
Line 1-“16ths” Alternate Picking starting on a “Down” stroke
Line 2- Extended version of the previous line above, again starting on a “Down” stroke
More Alternate Picking guitar video lessons:
The key to all of this is to "Count Time/Groupings"and "Tap your foot" as you do so. If you count time you will play what you hear. It is the key to performing this guitar trio music.
TRIPLETS:
Line 3-Groups of “4” with strict Alternate Picking but this time starting with an “Upstroke” creating a “Rolling” effect as the plectrum glides across the strings.
Groups of 6 VARIATIONS:
Line 4-This is a “Variation” of our very first pattern but this time played in “Sextuplets” starting on a “Down” stroke.
Line 5-This line can be heard as Triplets or Sextuplets. This time though we are starting on an “Upstroke”. Again, because we are starting our alternate picking on an up stroke there is a fluid rolling effect as we cross the strings.
Line 6-This is a key signature line of Pace de Lucia and Al di Meola. It is an ascending G major scale in double timed triplets [or Sextuplets]. We are starting our picking on an “Upstroke”and ascending passionately up the scale, The better the rhythm of the alternate picking the more clean and powerful this little lick becomes.
Line 7-Here is another variation of the 16th note line. This time we start “Upstroke and roll the line along with tight rhythmical alternate picking. The key as always is to count good time when picking and tap your foot for precision.
Line 8-“Spanish” descending 2 string line. Really it is an ascending “Down” stroke alternate picking pattern followed by an ascending “Up” stroke rolling alternate picking pattern. If you treat it like that then it is easy to play and learn.
For a closer look there is a complete transcription of “Friday Night in San Franscisco” Book available AMAZON
Simple pattern and repeated fingering in the style of “Belo Herozonte” and “Music spoken here” by John Mclaughlin. Like the 3/4 pattern in our last alternate picking lesson this borrows the same fingering but it is in 4/4.
TAB/MUSIC
Click below for free alternate picking ebook
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EXERCISE 1: Repetition alternate picking sextuplet method by counting 1 2 3 4 5 6 to get the “feel” and rhythmic flow with the right hand picking hand.
EXERCISE 2: An alternate picking guitar rhythmic sextuplet extension following on from the first exercise
EXERCISE 2: VARIATION: another extended sextuplet variation for alternate picking. The key again is to get the sextuplet rhythms flowing from the brain/auditory into the right picking hand.
EXERCISE 3: How to use alternate picking for playing sextuplets on the “Off-beat” on guitar by missing the first beat/hearing the silent beat.
EXERCISE 4: Counting “1 and 2 and 3 and” as opposed to 1 2 3 4 5 6. For fluid alternate picking momentum around the 90 to 110 BPM metronome beat.
Today we will look at a John Mclaughlin alternate picking Jazz/Fusion improvisation cadence employing the altered dominant chord! Please watch the video below and then try it out yourself.
As you will see this cadence employs the Altered scale. It is a 2 [minor 7 flat 5] going to 5 [ “Altered Dominant”] 1 [major 7th]. This being Dm7 flat 5 G7 altered resolving to C major7.
I also employ a flat 5 substitution on the Dm7 flat 5. All of this resolves though and slips nicely into the altered dominant 5 chord. I also use pentatonics within the altered scale for rhythmic flow. Please look at the TAB/MUSIC below and play through it yourself to see and feel how it all “Naturally” unfolds. I employ alternate picking the same as John Mclaughlin.
John Mclaughlin alternate picking altered scale line Music/Tab
VARIATION With an A flat Pentatonic shape replacing A flat minor/Major Arpeggio for the flat 5 substitution.
In this Shakti Raga/Fusion Guitar Lesson, we look at how jazz/fusion guitarist John Mclaughlin builds “Raga’s” through the Harmonic minor scale. The key to this style and lesson is to build 4 note groupings of 16th notes called “Tetrachords”. In this lesson we use the A harmonic Minor Scale and employ John Mclaughlin’s specific guitar fingering which turns and propels the Raga forward with strict alternate picking.
A HARMONIC MINOR RAGA STYLE GUITAR SHAKTI LINE
Keep the alternate picking rhythmical and tight as you tap your foot and count in groups of four 16th notes [Tetrachords] for fluency and good timing.
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THE FOUR MAIN ALTERNATE PICKING GUITAR RHYTHMS FOR CREATIVE IMPROVISATION SET-UPS
The first alternate picking rhythmic set-up employs the 8th note and two 16th notes. This is a useful rhythm as it gives your picking right hand a moment to set up the “Up stroke” and fire the phrase forward leading to a smooth alternate picking lick/line.
The next rhythmic set up employs a dotted 8th note and a 16th note. Again this slight delay before the phrase takes off gives your right hand time to flick up and fire off the phrase with confident alternate picking.
This phrase below is the “Off-beat” phrase and is one of the most important because it creates anticipation and syncopation in your alternate picking which is essential for jazz and fusion guitar playing. [As I suggest in the video you will find this a lot in the John Mclaughlin album/CD called “Belo Herozonte].
Finally we have basic alternate picking 16ths starting on the beat. I sat on the down stroke with the plectrum on my guitar for this phrase.
All of these phrases use a simple pentatonic scale because this is the best way to get these rhythms precise when starting out with alternate picking.
Recommended listening:
“Belo Herozonte” John Mclaughlin the Translators
“Music spoken here” John Mclaughlin the Translators
JOHN MCLAUGHLIN LEFT HAND FINGERING LESSON MUSIC TAB
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!
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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