al di meola – Page 5 – Modern Music Theory Improvisation and Application

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

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

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:

Also notice the change in rhythm from 3/4 to 6/8. This is a simple concept that works really well with wide intervallic playing and composing.

BOTH PARTS: 3/4 and 6/8 Rhythmic Feel

Finally we finish with the “Down Down Up” pattern again.

al-di-meola-intervallic-right-hand-guitar-technique

Also an up-beat works well with this sort of playing: Here I pluck the low open E.

FULL PHRASE:

al-di-meola-intervallic-right-hand-guitar-technique-example-lesson

PDF DOWNLOAD:

al-di-meola-intervallic-string-skipping-lesson al di meola Download

IF THESE EXAMPLES WERE OF USE TO YOU THEN PLEASE SUBSCRIBE TO US BELOW ON YOUTUBE, THANKS!

Scale Application for Guitar Improvisation

Posted on February 3, 2023February 14, 2023 by Modern Music Theory and Application

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Guitar scales made easy!

Please watch video above for detailed analysis

Hi Guys,

Many players ask, “How do I apply scales”?????

Many people get shred guitar mixed up with improvisational styles especially in regards to alternate picking.

Then, when improvisational chord changes appear the scalic structure, guitar fingering, rhythm and phrasing go out of the window. Because, the clumpy classical fingering impedes the rhythmic flow needed to weave in and out of rapid chord changes.

So what to do?

The key is to make simple fingerings with pentatonics, triad pairs, arpeggios, and chromatic passing notes and target tone set ups.

In the example for this blog/video we will go to the absolute basics and create a very simple scale. [please watch video above for more detail]

So, let’s look at the example of a simplified scale built from the basic major scale. [This could be seen as Phrygian but it is just exploiting a simple fingering]

This Ascends and Descends starting on a “Downstroke” with strict alternate picking.

For most players the most awkward part is descending on the last 2 strings the A and the E string.

Here is the same scale but with an even easier final 4 notes on the E and A strings:

Next we will apply this concept of breaking up scales and apply it to a bit of John Coltrane’s “Countdown”.

Notice the “Tetrachords” and 2 beat phrases through the rapid changes of harmony.

countdown-guitar-tab-improvisation-example

With the chords moving so quickly and the harmony changing in this manner you can easily hear, see and feel how important it is to be able to improvise with simple broken up scales that inevitably result in simple fluid fingering.

PDF: DOWNLOAD:

scale-fingering Download

“Countdown” Example: PDF DOWNLOAD:

countdown-scales Download

IF THIS LESSON WAS OF USE TO YOU THEN PLEASE SUBSCRIBE TO US BELOW ON YOUTUBE, THANKS!

Al Di Meola/John McLaughlin-Strumming Guitar Lesson

Posted on January 9, 2023January 12, 2023 by Modern Music Theory and Application

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Al Di Meola/John McLaughlin-Strumming Guitar Lesson

Please watch video above for a detailed analysis:

Hi Guys,

The key to learning percussive guitar strumming is to be able to shift through the rhythmic gears. When you can do this then you can double the time and add percussive flourishes [al la Al di Meola] to your right hand strumming.

Start by counting the quarter note and then move to the eighth note and then up to the 16th note.

SEXTUPLETS:

The next grouping to contend with is the group of 6 notes called sextuplets.

You can count 1 2 3 4 5 6

or you could break it up into 16th’s as in,

I prefer to employ Konokol and use this as my count for the rhythm. This is because it is easy to say quickly and will register with my brain and produce lightning reflexes with my right strumming hand

In order to get 16th notes in quick succession it is essential to count them as:

1 e and a 2 e and a 3 e and a 4 e and a

Mixing Rhythmic values:

The next concept is where it all falls into place. This consists of mixing up the rhythms and creating double timing patterns for percussive effect.

Example 1: