Category: Jazz fusion guitar music theory lessons, guitar technique and improvisation.

How to improvise over altered dominant chords. How to employ chromatic jazz and fusion harmony. Apply twentieth century classical composition techniques to modern jazz music and improv. How to exploit modes of the major. minor and diminished scales. Lesson in alternate picking guitar techniques as used by John Mclaughlin and Al di Meola. How to do metal rock and all styles of alternate picking on the guitar. Plectrum pick technique for electric and acoustic guitarists. alternate guitar style of picking lessons.

My Top 5 music educational books I use!

Posted on by Modern Music Theory and Application

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When it comes to learning music I still love to lean into the old dusty trusted paper. Man, I still really love paper!  

The smell of candle fragrance, coffee and paper makes me want to enter into that private world of knowledge and digest!

I love the feel of a book. the allure and all that awaits like a beautiful women. To enter that secret world where magic happily appears and all that was old and grey is transformed into the fresh and colourful.

Paper always brings with it a sense of peace and stress relief from the distractions of computer learning. A book is a place where texts and messengers and news feeds have no place.

A book is a place where the mind is still and childlike filled with curiosity but all the time knowing  that it will eventually absorb the magic that is presented before it and turn the pages of stardust into living breathing art. Man, I love paper! 

Here are the top 5 music education text books and scores I use at the moment,

5] Twentieth Century Harmony -Vincent Persichetti

51GuXELSvOL

 

4] John Mclaughlin Improvisations [Transcriptions]-Mediastarz

pdt-1367312188-00front

 

3] Exploring Jazz Piano Book 2- Tim Richards

41guC3WxaAL._SX258_BO1,204,203,200_

 

2] Jazz composition theory and practice-Ted Pease [Berklee press]

jazz_comp_hi-res

 

1] A chromatic approach to jazz harmony and melody-Dave Liebman

511-P62qKeL._SX258_BO1,204,203,200_

 

Arnold Schoenberg 12 tone “Concepts” for Jazz Fusion

Posted on by Modern Music Theory and Application

 

A BASIC OVERVIEW OF THE 20 CENTURY CLASSICAL IDEA:

Arnold Schoenberg created a system using all 12 tones in a row. Below is the 12 tone row from OP 25.

Schoenberg 12 tone row suite OP 25

The next idea is to use the notes in reverse order. This is called “Retrograde”

Retrograde 12 tone row Schoenberg

We can also take the original tone row and “Invert” it. This is called “Inversion”. We do this by inverting each interval. For instance if a note goes up a perfect 4th in the original set then it is inverted by coming down a perfect 4th, if it goes up a minor 3rd then it comes down a minor 3rd, etc

Inversion 12 tone row schoenberg

We can also take the Inversion of the original tone row and play the notes in reverse order. This is called “Retrograde Inversion”

Retrograde Inversion schoenberg 12 tone row

These ideas from 12 tone serialism are excellent for Jazz riffs, Composition and Improvisational ideas and concepts.

We will start with a few basic Jazz applications/Ideas

JAZZ APPLICATION; 1

Jazz application moving in minor 3rds in schoenberg 12 tone rows

JAZZ APPLICATION 2:

jazz application using 12 tone rows of Schoenberg

JAZZ APPLICATION 3:

Jazz application in 4ths to 12 tone Schoenberg tone row

JAZZ APPLICATION 4:

jazz improvisation applied to Schoenberg's 12 tone rows

Joining TONE ROWS/12 TONE LINES TOGETHER

Combined 12 tone rows applied to jazz fusion improvisation

combining 12 tone Schoenberg rows to Jazz as heads

Triplets and semiquavers 16ths applied to Schoenberg's 12 tone row musical system

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For other ideas on 12 tone concepts it is a good idea to visit John O’ Gallagher’s website. There is a really interesting book on 12 tone improv.

https://johnogallagher.com/book

A Method for using tone rows in jazz book cover

PDF DOWNLOAD:

12-tone12 tone Download

Alternate Picking 16ths Guitar lesson like John Mclaughlin!

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https://youtu.be/7czdigO7KEY

THE FOUR MAIN ALTERNATE PICKING GUITAR RHYTHMS FOR CREATIVE IMPROVISATION SET-UPS

John Mclaughlin right hand alternate picking rhythms pattersns

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.

John Mclaughlin alternate picking guitar right hand patterns.

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.

John Mclaughlin right hand alternate picking patterns for guitar

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].

John Mclaughlin off beat syncopated alternate picking guitar pattern

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.

John mclaughlin alternate picking on the beat guitar pattern

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

John_McLaughlin_Belo_Horizonte

“Music spoken here” John Mclaughlin the Translators

McLaughlin_Music_Spoken_Here