John Mclaughlin Guitar Scale/Concept for left hand fingering and right hand alternate picking
Notice that the scale concept consists of crossing the strings with the “SAME” fingering every time making it easy to remember and play.
Notation and Tab:
Start on a “Down” stroke with the plectrum and alternate pick strictly “Down up Down up” etc.
This fingering for the fretting guitar hand is a repetitive pattern. It’s the same pattern crossing the strings with the same finger ascending and descending. It employs strict alternate picking with the plectrum. It is a concept that John Mclaughlin employs a lot in various forms. It is heard in it’s bare form a lot in the early “Shakti” recordings/live performances.
Although this is just a short lesson, there is wealth of information in that simple scale and fingering. It can easily be employed with fourths and chromaticism.
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