al di meola – Making Music Theory and Jazz Improvisation work for you

“Al di Meola” Alternate Picking Acoustic Guitar lesson/lick

Posted on April 5, 2020 by Jazz fusion guitar Improvisation lessons and modern music theory

In this video and lesson we look at a basic but very useful repetitive alternate picking 2 string guitar lick.

This is an excellent way to develop the right hand picking technique and get the left hand fretting fingers into synchronisation.

Alternate Picking 2 string “Al di Meola” guitar lick/lesson

al di meola alternate picking lesson — Al Di Meola 2 string alternate picking guitar lick

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Jazz/fusion improvisation Altered scale Theory Lesson

Posted on December 11, 2019December 26, 2019 by Jazz fusion guitar Improvisation lessons and modern music theory

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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

John Mclaughlin Alternate picking Altered scale jazz improviser line

VARIATION With an A flat Pentatonic shape replacing A flat minor/Major Arpeggio for the flat 5 substitution.

Altered scale jazz improvisation, jazz improviser lesson

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Al di Meola Chordal Picking 3/4 Guitar Lesson [Picking Arpeggios]

Posted on November 8, 2019November 8, 2019 by Jazz fusion guitar Improvisation lessons and modern music theory

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In this Lesson we will look at Al Di Meola’s 3/4 Plectrum “Chordal Picking” patterns as used in compositions like “Orient Blue”. This style picks the notes of a chord by employing fluid/specific picking patterns to bring out the arpeggios.

basic 3/4 pattern: “down down down up up up”

Al di meola basic chordal right hand picking pattern

4 bar sequence of basic 3/4 chordal picking pattern

Al di meola 3/4 right hand chordal picking pattern lesson basic

with the addition of a triplet pattern going “down down up”

Al di meola 8ths to triplet chordal picking right hand guitar patterns lesson

chordal picking with melody notes in the treble [1st string]

Al di Meola chordal picking guitar technique lesson

3/4 chordal picking riff

Al di Meola chordal picking guitar patterns lesson right hand guitar technique

Metronome BASIC ideas #1

The keys to start metronome practice. Hear the first Beat of the bar. Hear the difference between 8th notes and double timed 16th notes

Messiaen Modes of limited Transposition

MESSIAEN MODE 4 IMPROVISATION CONCEPT 2. LA TECHNIQUE DE MON LANGAGE MUSICAL “TECHNIQUES OF MY MUSICAL LANGUAGE” MESSIAEN’S TREATISE ON COMPOSITION AND MUSICAL LANGUAGE.

Quick John Mclaughlin Acoustic guitar jazz/fusion Lick#3

Mclaughlin’s main left hand fingerings that he employs when improvising jazz/fusion guitar lines. He ascends and descends using pentatonics, tetrachords, arpeggios and quartal groupings. alternate picking with the right hand for tight rhythmic 4 note [Tetrachord] groupings.