Tag: alternate picking

Frank Zappa:Octave Displacement Composition/Improvisation Techniques

Posted on by Modern Music Theory and Application
Frank Zappa Octave Displacement Composition/Improvisation Concepts

Please watch video above for detailed info:

Hi Guys,

Today, a quick look at the way Frank Zappa exploits octave displacement.

This, is a really useful compositional device especially when writing for a string quartet or stringed instruments.

EXAMPLE 1:

In this example we can see the use of the displaced octave [or Maj7th interval].

Musical notation showing a Frank Zappa transition between Maj7th chords, octave displacement with notes and annotations indicating 'O/D' and direction arrows.
Musical notation illustrating Frank Zappa’s octave displacement used in string instrument compositions.

With further analysis, we will notice the employment of the minor 3rd interval as a means of connection and predictive avoidance.

Musical notation displaying a Frank Zappa melody with highlighted minor third intervals, with annotations indicating their locations on the staff with octave displacement.
Musical notation illustrating frank Zappa minor 3rd intervals in a compositional example.

Although, this phrase/motif descends a minor 3rd it is actually, [quite cleverly] copied up a semitone:

Music notation displaying two Frank Zappa motifs with labels indicating connections and copy relationships, by employing octave displacement.
Musical notation illustrating Frank Zappa’s octave displacement and minor 3rd connections

FULL LINE:

Sheet music showing a Frank Zappa guitar piece in 4/4 time signature, including standard notation and tablature for performance with octave displacement.
Musical notation illustrating octave displacement for string instruments, highlighting the use of minor 3rd intervals.

EXAMPLE 2:

This example is the same as that found in Pat Martino’s 12 chromatic forms:

This amazing shape creates a really nice resonance/blend on the guitar. It’s also useful for various inversions and shifting positions around on the fingerboard.

Here, once again we see the exploitation of the minor 3rd interval to move and connect the shape.

A musical notation image displaying Guitarist Frank Zappa's use of octave displacement.
Musical notation demonstrating frank Zappa’s minor 3rd interval and octave displacement

EXAMPLE 3:

This application employs everything that we have looked at so far in one short example.

Notice, the minor 3rd connection, the open string, the shape, etc. It all becomes familiar.

A segment of sheet music displaying Frank Zappa's musical notes in standard notation and tablature, labeled with annotations including 'M3rd' and 'Shape.' The time signature is 4/4.
Example illustrating the application of minor 3rd intervals and octave displacement shape.

EXAMPLE 4:

The final example is similar in concept to our first one.

It has a motif/phrase which is connected by the minor 3rd interval, that, then copies it up a half step.

Sheet music showing Frank Zappa's musical notation with labeled sections indicating a phrase or motif, a minor third connection, and a directive to copy up a step, along with the corresponding tablature for guitar.
Frank Zappa illustrating the connection of phrase/motif using a minor 3rd interval, copied up a half step.

Full Example:

Sheet music featuring musical notes and tablature for guitar octave displacement in 4/4 time signature.
Frank Zappa illustrating a composition example using octave displacement and minor third intervals.

FREE PDF DOWNLOAD:

frank_zappaDownload

If this lesson was of use to you then please SUBSCRIBE to us on YOUTUBE below, Thanks!

Guitar Techniques: Safe Fretting for Better Performance

Posted on by Modern Music Theory and Application

Please watch video above for detailed info:

Hi Guys,

Today, a quick look at the fretting hand and fretting notes “Safely”and easily on the guitar.

This is essential to ensure a relaxed hand, relaxed elbow and relaxed shoulders that are aligned and in sync with the right alternate picking hand at uptempo BPM’s.

PART 1:

To begin with, let’s take a simple 5 note prime number pattern and alternate pick it.

This will be done starting on an upstroke.

Musical notation featuring alternate picking guitar technique notes on a staff, with markings indicating measures and guitar tablature below, highlighting certain fret positions.
A guitar sheet music notation featuring a simple 5 note prime number pattern with for alternate picking.

From this simple 5 note pattern, we can move the fretting hand quickly avoiding pressure on the tendons.

Now that we have this let’s add another 3 note prime number pattern.

When these are connected together we have a “Smooth” little phrase of picking and fretting in sync.

Sheet music showing guitar alternate picking tablature with notes and finger placements, including various symbols and measures.
Standard music notation for a combined 5 note and 3 note alt pick pattern on guitar.

Now, let’s turn the 2 prime number patterns into “Standard” music notation – as 16ths.

Sheet music featuring Shakti McLaughlin guitar tablature with notations and finger positions, including a section labeled '4 + 4'.
Standard music notation for a 5-note prime number pattern as 16ths.

From here, let’s add a chord, so that what we have starts to become/sound like music:

Musical notation with a staff displaying notes, rhythmic values, and a guitar tab indicating specific frets and strings for fretting hand when alternate picking technique is employed.
Shakti/McLaughlin style alternate picking technique on guitar

PART 2: Ascending/Descending:

In this example, we will start with a chord and then comfortably play off of that chord ascending and descending into the next chord.

As you can see we have what looks like a bit of a stretch.

But, it is only a barred 2nd inversion C Major triad, with an F# note in the bass on the 4th finger.

The point here is that from that F# note we will start the alternate picking line from that 4th finger as it is already in position.

This makes it easy to do and connect to the next chord as the 1st finger will be in position to play the next chord.

Sheet music notation showing John McLaughlin style notes with finger positioning instructions, including '1st finger' and '4th finger' indicated on a staff and corresponding tablature for guitar.
Diagram illustrating the finger placements for the C/F# and D/E chords on guitar like John McLaughlin

The second part then descends nicely into the last chord of F#+7

PART 3: Ascending 5

Here, is another group of 5 + 3. Again, this is easy to fret and pick, and as before we will start on an upstroke.

Musical notation with standard staff lines showing notes and tablature for guitar, including finger positions indicated by numbers.

The beauty of this is that when we finish the chord on the downstroke it is natural to then go into the opposite direction and descend into another chord connection.

A sheet of music notation featuring notes on a staff and guitar tab indicating finger positions on the guitar.

PART 3: Sextuplets.

Finally, let’s finish with a much favoured guitar picking pattern that encapsulates 6 notes [Sextuplets]

We will employ our 5 note prime number pattern and add 1 note.

This will give us a nice and quick 6 note sextuplet pattern to execute.

Sheet music showing musical notes, including key signatures and bar lines, along with corresponding tablature for string instruments.

Now, we will shift this up the fretboard as we repeat it.

Sheet music showing John McLaughlin and Al Di Meola guitar tablature and notation with various notes and techniques.
Standard music notation for John McLaughlin/Al Di Meola style alternate picking pattern/exercise

I

FREE PDF DOWNLOAD:

AP safety FrettingDownload

If this lesson was of use to you, then please SUBSCRIBE to us on YOUTUBE below, Thanks!

Exploring John McLaughlin’s Jazz/Fusion Chords [Re/Edit]

Posted on by Modern Music Theory and Application

CLICK SUBSCRIBE!

The Chords of Guitarist John McLaughlin

IMPORTANT: Please watch video above for detailed info:

Hi Guys,

Welcome to part 2 of the John McLaughlin Modern Jazz Chords series.

First we will have a look at making chords from the whole step half step diminished scale:

The Diminished Scale

A sheet of music notation showing the diminished scale, including a combination of clefs, note values, ledger lines, and guitar tablature.
Musical notation displaying the diminished scale starting on the note C, for creating modern jazz chords.

Within this scale are lots of Triads: [for instance]

diminished-scale-guitar-theroy-music

From these Triads we can add different Bass Notes and produce “Slash chords“

Musical score displaying slash chords of the diminished scale, including B/C, Dm7b5, F/F# and Ab/A with corresponding tablature.
Chord progression showcasing slash chords derived from the diminished scale.

Okay, let’s take three triads with different bass notes and join them together:

Sheet music excerpt showing modern guitar slash chords for F/F#, D/Eb, and B/C from the diminished scale in standard notation and tablature.
Triads with different bass notes from the diminished scale, essential for creating ‘slash chords’ in jazz harmony.

It’s important to realise that because we are employing chords form the diminished scale we have minor 3rd movement.

So, let’s add a little melody within the chords: This is the way that John McLaughlin gets that lovely Bluesy feel within the harmony. Again, this is due to the way that the minor 3rd’s work within diminshed scale harmony.

A musical sheet displaying three slash chords from the diminished scale: F/F#, D/Eb, and B/C, with marked notes and a tablature section showing finger placement on a guitar.
Musical notation showing triad slash chords F/F#, D/Eb, and B/C with finger positions on a guitar tab.

Now let’s create a Blues Composition from this diminished scale.

Musical notation sheet displaying various diminished scale slash chords including F#/F#, D/Eb, B/C, Bm7b5, and more, with labeled sections for harmonic rhythm.
Chord sequence with diminished scale harmonies for a blues composition.

For the last 4 bars we will make the Harmonic Rhythm Quicker by adding a new chord sequence that employs minor7 flat 5’s with slash chords.

Sheet music notation featuring various chords from the diminished scale including Bm7b5, B/C, Dm, and others, along with guitar tablature.
Chord progression using diminished scale triads creating slash chords

JOING CHORDS WITH SCALIC FRAGMENTS

It’s a good idea to join chords together with fragments of the diminished scale: This is also extremely useful when creating composition;

Musical sheet showing John McLaughlin's chord scale in a diminished scale context.
Musical notation illustrating John McLaughlin’s chord scale in a diminished scale context.

2x scale to chords:

Musical sheet showing John McLaughlin's chord scale guitar approach to the diminished scale.

All 12 Major Triads over One Note [C]

Here is an excellent exercise for hearing how all 12 major triads sound over the same single note;

Musical sheet displaying the 12 Major music triads over a C pedal note. D/C, E/C, F/C, G/C, A/C, and B/C, including finger positions for various instruments.
Exercise showcasing all 12 major triads over the pedal note of C.

Lastly, here are some misellaneous John McLaughlin guitar chords:

Shakti Chord:

shakti-guitar-chord-john-mclaughlin
Diagram showing guitar tablature and notation for the Open E “Shakti” McLaughlin chord

Harmonic minor scale chords:

Music notation showing John McLaughlin's guitar chords from the Harmonic minor scale.
Example of harmonic minor scale chords for guitar, showcasing the E/A chord.

E/A

Sheet music notation showing John McLaughlin's guitar chords from the Harmonic minor scale.
Guitar chord diagram for slash chord E/A, illustrating finger positioning and fret numbers.

E/C

john-mclaughlin-harmonic-minor-slash-chord
Sheet music notation displaying John McLaughlin's guitar slash chords from the Harmonic minor scale.
Musical notation for slash chord taken from the harmonic minor scale.

Lastly, From the Whole Tone scale [Notice: 1 tone movement]

Sheet music featuring a treble clef, time signature of 4/4 displaying chords from the whole tone scale.
Musical notation example featuring chords from the whole tone scale..
Sheet music featuring a treble clef, time signature of 4/4 displaying John McLaughlin's guitar slash chords from the whole tone scale.
Musical notation demonstrating John McLaughlin’s slash chord sequences

PDF DOWNLOAD:

modern-jazz-chords-examplesDownload

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

#Johnmclaughlinchordslesson #Mclaughlinguitarchords #Mclaughlinslashchordsguitar #JohnMcLaughlinguitarchords #McLaughlinscaleguitarchords