Guitar Counterpoint Techniques Using Plectrum/Pick

Posted on by Modern Music Theory and Application

Please watch video above for detailed info:

Hi Guys,

Today, a look at using the guitar pick/plectrum to create contrapuntal/counterpoint ideas.

In this first part, [This lesson] we will look at treble to bass and bass to treble and how to make the non consecutive 3rds, 5ths and octaves and harmony work.

In the next part [next lesson] we will look at how to create “Resonance”, especially in regards to scales.

PART 1: Etude/Prelude

At the beginning of the video above, you will see/hear a little prelude that I composed for the contrapuntal plectrum/picking ideas.

This demonstration concepts piece will be the lesson of today.

SMOOTH “CLEAR” HARMONY=Key

In the first bar we have chord I to Vb. This, could also be seen as, C to G/B or chord I to chord V first inversion: [Landing on the root]

Musical notation showing chords I and Vb with an arrow indicating movement from I to the root of Vb for counterpoint guitar picking techique.
Musical notation for plectrum guitar illustrating the progression from chord I to Vb, emphasizing harmonic structure.

From here we have chord ii and then chords moving up the scale – I ii iii iV

Here, I am also employing the second finger with the pick in order to pluck both strings at once [see video].

Sheet music displaying musical notation for guitar, featuring chord notations 'ii', 'I', 'ii', 'iii', and 'iv' along with corresponding tabs.

In order to keep the harmony ascending with clear movement, we will now take the F natural up a semitone to F# and create a secondary dominant first inversion-II7b

This chord ii [Dm] is now, made Major with the added seventh [D7].

This in turn, resolves up another semitone to G for the dominant chord of G Major.

A musical score showing a 'Secondary Dominant II7b' and 'Chord V', with annotations highlighting specific notes.
Musical notation depicting the secondary dominant II7b and chord V for guitar pick practice.

We will now, exploit a perfect cadence of I V I to complete this section of the composition:

Musical sheet displaying notes and indicators for guitar playing, including directional arrows for phrasing and finger placement.
Musical notation showing guitar tablature and standard notation, with notes and rests for a melody in guitar counterpoint.

PART 2:

Now, to create contrast, we will employ scale movement, double stops and imitation:

Musical notation showing an upbeat/open string along with notes indicating scale movements and major thirds, highlighted for instructional purposes.

The technique to keep this ascending is “Imitation”, using and implying what we have already played up an octave.

Musical notation showing imitation technique for guitar picking counterpoint with labeled sections and highlighted notes.

Finally, the cadence is created with “Contrary Motion” technique. And, once again we will imitate this, but, an octave lower this time, to complete the cadence.

Musical sheet music displaying notes in contrary motion, with labeled sections indicating 'contrary motion' technique for guitar pciking counterpoint
Musical notation illustrating the technique of contrary motion, highlighting specific notes and finger positions and imitation.

PART 3:

In the coming part, we will exploit much string skipping and intervallic movement.

This technique is great for Low High Low with the Bass to Treble or Treble to bass.

This is an amazing way, to perform a contrapuntal effect and map out and perform crystalline clear harmony that resonates beautifully when fretted on the guitar. [See Video Above].

Musical notation displaying a contrpuntal sequence for guitar picking, featuring treble and bass clefs and tab with notes and measures.
Sheet music illustrating plectrum techniques and contrapuntal ideas for guitar.

Second Part:

Sheet music showing a series of notes and a guitar tablature for a prelude, illustrating counterpoint ideas for the plectrum guitar picking techniques
Musical notation showing notes and finger placements for contrapuntal guitar picking.

PART 4: Recapitulation:

The last part employs our original little tune, but will change key at the finale.

Musical notation for a guitar piece featuring notes and tablature, illustrating a series of musical ideas and chord progressions for plectrum guitar techniques.

In order to change the key and “Uplift” the end, we will exploit two secondary dominants: The first being chord ii as II7b [D7 to G].

And the second being Chord iii. So, we have III7b [E7 to A Major]

Musical notation featuring chords D7/F#, II7b, G, V, E7/G#, III7b, A, and V, with arrows indicating movement between notes.
Musical notation illustrating the progression from D7/F# G to E7/G# A, highlighting the transitions in chord structure and secondary dominants for guitar.

This, means that we now have to cadence with D Major as the new tonic key.

A sheet of music notation featuring musical notes, symbols, and markings that indicate rhythm and pitch for a guitar piece.

To wind down the composition we will outline a D Major [13/sus4] arpeggio and cadence with some simple contrary motion emphasising the new key and chord of D Major.

Musical notation showing a piece in D Major for guitar with a highlighted section indicating 'contrary motion again'.

Conclusion:

This, was just a quick look at the fretting side of plectrum contrapuntal guitar writing and playing.

This style, encompasses the no consecutive 3rds, 5ths and octaves approach, taken from the Bach’s chorales.

In the next part, we will look at how to create resonance and a much bigger sound with more colourful plectrum techniques.

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Quick Tips for Jazz Guitar Turnarounds: Martino,Mock,McLaughlin

Posted on by Modern Music Theory and Application

Please watch video above for detailed info:

Hi Guys,

Today, a look at playing through a Vi ii V7 I Turn around/Cadence at a quick pace/tempo.

This is in the style of Don Mock, Pat Martino and John McLaughlin. So, this employs the alternate picking guitar technique.

PART 1:

In order to achieve our goal, we will exploit pentatonic fragments and connect them together in four note groupings.

This also means that we can make use of simple guitar fingering and hence pick quick rapid phrases.

Here, is the chord sequence:

A jazz chord turnaround and cadence featuring Gmaj7, E7, Am7, D7, Gmaj, Gm7, C7, and Fmaj7 in 4/4 time.

Now, we will solo through the first two chords of I VI [Chord VI as a Domoninat 7th]

Musical notation and tab showing GMaj7 and E7 jazz turnaround chords with corresponding notes and finger placements for guitar.

Starting, on a down stroke with alternate picking, we can see how easy it is to connect these simple pentatonic’s together through the two chord changes.

Now, let’s connect the pentatonic’s over the next two chords in the same manner. [Notice the G to F# resolution for Gmaj7]

Musical notation and tablature showing jazz ii V7 I chords Am7, D7, and Gmaj7 with highlighted notes and guitar finger placements.

PART 2:

Having completed our Turnaround, let’s cadence this to a new key: This will be F Major.

To do this, we will make the G Major 7th chord, minor, to G minor 7th.

Musical notation and tab for the Gm7 chord featuring pentatonic scale connections for jazz improvisation

From here, we will carry this pentatonic scale/line along and play it over the next chord.

This will be the Dominant chord of C7 [or chord V leading to/of the new key F Major].

Notice: the use of a few chromatic notes to fill out the pentatonic scale/line.

Sheet music showing a chord progression with annotations for C7 and Fmaj7, highlighting chromatic jazz improvisational movement.

PART 3:

Full Turnaround/Cadence:

Sheet music and tablature displaying chord progression for jazz Vi ii V7 I Gmaj7, E7, Am7, D7, and Gmaj7, with annotations and notes for guitar performance.
Sheet music showing a chord progression for jazz with ii V7 I with Gm7, C7, and FMaj7, highlighting chromatic scale movement and alternate picking guitar techniques.

This, was just a quick look at how easy it is to connect long lines together through very quick chord changes, especially, at the guitar with alternate picking technique.

It’s amazing the amount of chords we can play through fluently and quickly with this simple pentatonic four note [tetrachord] approach when improvising.

This short blog/lesson was just touching the surface. But, it does still give quite a comprehensive view of what can be achieved with this approach.

It’s a good idea to apply this method to any quick chord changes that you can find [e,g “Giant Steps”] and try this.

PDF DOWNLOAD:

john mclaughlin 6251Download

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Understanding the Farben Chord in Music: Schoenberg’s Chord:

Posted on by Modern Music Theory and Application

Please watch video above for detailed info:

Hi Guys,

Today, a look at the mighty “Farben” chord from Arnold Schoenberg’s five pieces for orchestra.

What is the “Farben” Chord?

This a C Augmented chord with a Maj7th and a 13th [or 6th].

The way that the notes are spaced/voiced creates a unique and dramatic flavour.

Below, is a quick piece of orchestration that I composed to display this.

Here, is the Farben chord voicing:

Musical sheet notation illustrating Schoenberg's 'Farben' chord with specific notes highlighted in blue and red.
Diagram illustrating the voicing of the Farben chord, showcasing the unique spacing and dramatic flavour.

Now, let’s play this as an arpeggio outline:

Sheet music showing a musical staff with notated Farben chord above and a tablature section for guitar below.
Arpeggio outline showcasing the Farben chord voicing.

This time we will extend it to two octaves.

Sheet music notation displaying schoenberg's "Farben" chord featuring a C Augmented chord with a Maj7th and 13th. The notes are arranged across multiple staves, showcasing various voicings and articulations.
Sheet music illustrating two-octave arpeggio of the ‘Farben’ chord.

From here, we will create a chordal picking guitar vamp from this chord voicing. [Careful, with your fingers as the intervals require a bit of a stretch]

A guitar tab showing a chord diagram for the C augmented chord with a major 7th and 13th, designed for educational purposes.
‘Farben’ chord guitar voicing

Here, is the vamp.

Sheet music showing musical notes and guitar tablature for a chord progression.
Sheet music representation for a guitar vamp based on the ‘Farben’ chord voicing.

Here, is another vamp idea:

Sheet music depicting a guitar tab and notation for an arpeggio outline of the Farben chord.

RE VOICING:

Another, lovely sound that we get [thinking from the relative minor] is AmMaj7/9.

This voicing works beautifully on the guitar creating a colourful resonance:

Diagram showing the notes and finger positioning for the C Augmented chord with a Maj7th and 13th. Fabern chord as minor

Now, let’s play it as an arpeggio outline:

Sheet music displaying annotations for 'Am', 'Maj7', and '9th' chords, with notes positioned on a staff.

From here, we will extend this to create an ascending line:

Sheet music displaying a musical piece with various notes and rhythms, designed to illustrate the 'Farben' chord by Arnold Schoenberg.

Finally, we will make another voicing.

Musical notation showing the C augmented chord with a major 7th and 13th intervals.
Diagram of chord voicing illustrating the unique structure of the Farben chord variation.

If we take the top part, we can create a nice lick from it. This gives a sort of modal improvised line impression.

[Side thought: Unordered 01348: s Forte number is 5-z17, in the taxonomy of Allen Forte].

PDF DOWNLOAD:

farben chordDownload

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