Tag: alternate picking

Alternate Picking Guitar Exercises/Runs 140 bpm ii v7 i

Posted on by Modern Music Theory and Application
Modern Jazz Fusion Chords part 2. Steely Dan, Dan Chord and Slash Chords

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alternate-picking-mechanics-guitar-exercise-fusion-fluidity-lines

Video above demonstrates the exercises below:

Hi Guys,

Today, a couple of alternate picking guitar exercises.

The difference with these is that they are LONG “Fusion” fluidity exercises/lines. The Goal is in “Connecting” the 4 note tetrachords together to produce long liquid lines for jazz/fusion improvisation.

mclaughlin-liquid-lines-fluidity-alternate-picking-exercise

These lines are through a ii V7 I chord sequence/cadence at 140 bpm, so they are not super fast but are at the tipping point of the fusion tempo.

I am starting on a down stroke with the pick and following through with strict alternate picking in double time with 16th notes.

EXERCISE 1:

This first exercise employs some chromaticism ascending with pentatonic movement. The last 2 notes have a big stretch so there’s also a quick moment of detailed finger precision in the fretting hand.

alternate-picking-mechanics-guitar-exercise
alternate-picking-guitar-mechanics

As always with these types of exercises it’s important to count time and feel the pulse.

jazz-fusion-double-time-counting

This will create the “Fluidity” in movement and help connect it all together.

EXERCISE 2 VARIATION:

Next, we have a variation of the exercise above. This time starting with an upbeat and an extension all the way to the top D note.

alternate-picking-mechanics-guitar-exercise-fluidity-lines
alternate-picking-mechanics-guitar-exercise-fluidity-lines

EXERCISE 3:

Lastly, we have another tetrachord exercise and variation going the other way,

alternate-picking-mechanics-guitar-exercise-liquid-lines

CONCLUSION:

As you can see from these short exercises, the only way to get the alternate picking effective with jazz/fusion is through the “Connections”, because the harmony/chord changes have to be dealt with whilst picking.

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Modern Jazz Fusion Chords part 2. Steely Dan, Dan Chord and Slash Chords

Shakti: Indian Raga alternate picking and fretting hand technique[Development]

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Please watch video above for detailed info:

Hi Guys,

Today, a quick look at developing Shakti style Fusion guitar Raga’s from the Mixolydian mode.

Below, is the mode in a Pentatonic form:

shakti-indian-raga-guitar-lesson

Next, we have a phrase that is developed from this mode. In order for it to be smooth and fluid at a “Fast” tempo we will change the fingering:

shakti-indian-raga-guitar-lesson

So, here the 2nd finger comes into play. This makes connecting the phrase easy and smooth to execute with alternate picking.

shakti-indian-raga-guitar-lesson

Notice: I am starting on an upstroke. This is because it is a very smooth “Scalic” and mostly step-wise passage.

shakti-indian-raga-guitar-lesson

Below, we are starting with an anacrusis [Up Beat]. Because of this I am starting on a downstroke.

This means that the actual phrase [1st beat of the bar] will start on the upstroke for smooth step-wise scalic movement.

shakti-indian-raga-guitar-lesson

Below, we have the same thing. This time it starts on the off beat in the bar and employs the same concept:

Start on the down so the up carries the smooth scalic movement:

shakti-indian-raga-guitar-lesson

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UP-STROKE Alternate Picking Concepts

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UP-STROKE Alternate Picking Guitar Concepts

Hi Guys,

Today, a quick look at starting alternate picking runs on an upstroke.

upstroke, alternate, picking, guitar, technique, example

Starting on an upstroke can be useful when playing stepwise scalic patterns/runs. This can be modal, pentatonic or major/minor.

Here, is the first little exercise/idea: [Note that this starts on an upstroke and finishes on a downstroke]

upstroke, alternate, picking, guitar, technique, example

We, will now extend this and complete the bar.

upstroke, alternate, picking, guitar, technique, example

As you can see when starting on an upstroke it is easy to connect together fragments of scale and create extended fluid lines.

Here is another example of extending and varying by employing simple scalic movement starting on the up stroke.

upstroke, alternate, picking, guitar, technique, example

Connecting scale fragments is a bit like taking the first half of the bar and imitating it into 2 phrases.

upstroke, alternate, picking, guitar, technique, example

Employing Rests:

In this next example we have rests. These are useful as they give you a split second to get your fretting hand into position.

upstroke, alternate, picking, guitar, technique, example

Open String Even to Odd:

This time we will employ the open string to create an even pattern to an odd pattern to set up the upstroke for the next phrase.

upstroke, alternate, picking, guitar, technique, example

This time we will use the same concept to ascend with a simple piece of pentatonic/scale:

upstroke, alternate, picking, guitar, technique, example

Now we will descend starting on the up-stroke [no open string]:

upstroke, alternate, picking, guitar, technique, example

Repeated Note:

Finally, we will employ a repeated note with some scale and open string distance.

upstroke, alternate, picking, guitar, technique, example

Notice that the repeated note and the open string are on the off beat:

Counting Time=Essentail

One last thing: When doing these and any exercises it is essential to count time. Below is an example:

upstroke, alternate, picking, guitar, technique, example

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