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.

Alternate Picking John Mclaughlin Style v7 1 EXERCISE.

Posted on April 6, 2023April 11, 2023 by Modern Music Theory and Application

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Alternate Picking John Mclaughlin Style

PLEASE WATCH VIDEO ABOVE FOR DETAILED ANALYSIS:

Hi Guys,

Today we will look at a ii V7 extension in the improvisational style of jazz/fusion guitarist John McLaughlin.

HARMONY/CHORD SEQ

This is a cadential ii V7 I, but before the chord I resolution there is an added chord. This is chord Vii as a Dominant 7th. In this case this is B7:

john-mclaughlin-guitar-improvisation-technique

So, this is the chord sequence/cadence that we will improvise over.

I start this with an up-beat employing strict alternate picking.

I start the phrase on an “Upstroke” so that when I start on the 1st beat of the 1st bar I can start on a “Downstroke”for familiarity.

The first bar is basic pentatonic scale movement. But, notice that the 2nd half of the bar encapsulates the classic McLaughlin guitar fingering signature phrase.

The next part employs pentatonic movement again. The key is in shifting positions in the second half of the bar.

john-mclaughlin-guitar-jazz-improvisation-technique

Lastly, we have the B7 chord. We start with a second inversion F#9 outline and then we establish the 7th with the A natural. We finally cadence by landing on the note G natural the 5th of CMaj7.

FULL LICK:

PDF DOWNLOAD:

mcl-ap Mclaughlin Download

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Al Di Meola Arpeggio Guitar Picking Part

Posted on March 30, 2023April 4, 2023 by Modern Music Theory and Application

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Al Di Meola Arpeggio Guitar Picking Part 2

PLEASE WATCH VIDEO ABOVE FOR DETAILED ANALYSIS:

Hi Guys,

Today we will look at Al Di Meola’s approach to picking chordal arpeggios. He terms it “Chordal Picking”.

I have composed a short riff based on “Meeting of the Spirits” performed by the guitar trio.

This is deliberate in order to show how the picking patterns can be the same but interpreted differently.

In this case it is 3/4 :

al-di-meola-arpeggio-guitarpicking-lesson

Or 6/8 [or 12 3 1 2 3]

What remains the same is the picking pattern which is “Down Down Down Up Up Up”

The next part deliberately employs a different time signature of 2/4

This is just to show how easy it is to fit alternate time signatures with these chordal picking patterns:

It might sound or look complex in words and notation, but, in reality it is quite natural to play, compose with and perform.

The next part employs “Dampening”. This is just simply resting my palm on the guitar strings and plucking the rhythm.

In this case the picking pattern is our old friend “Down Down Up”

For the strumming part please watch video at the top of the page as it is easier to show visually than with diagrams or notation.

Lastly, we finish with the “Down Down Up”pattern once again:

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My Al di Meola Intervallic Picking Style “SHORTS” Explanation:

Posted on March 27, 2023March 30, 2023 by Modern Music Theory and Application

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Al di Meola Intervallic Picking Style Explanation: Right Hand Technique

PLEASE WATCH VIDEO ABOVE FOR DETAILED ANALYSIS:

Hi Guys,

This is a response and explanation to the Youtube “Shorts” video I posted employing Al Di Meola’s wide intervallic string skipping right hand guitar technique.

The first part of the pattern is:

Down Down Up Up Up Down

al-di-meola-intervallic-string-skipping-guitar-explanation

But, why pick like this?

Surely, just stick to strict alternate picking?

In theory yes: But in practice there is a chance with alternate picking that open strings will get plucked/struck by mistake due to the down stroke.

The Upstroke means that this is cancelled out: [please see video above]

The next part employs:

Down Down Up: