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

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:

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

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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

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