20 Century Classical Music: Plectrum Guitar Concepts/Patterns

Hi Guys,

Today, a quick look at picking intervals on the guitar in an atonal fashion and creating innovative composition/improvisation.

Our example, exploits uneven/untidy intervals and creates a Stockhausen-esque [in terms of plectrum guitar] way of working and listening whilst placing these intervals.

Here, we will pick 5/4 and 3/8 Rhythmic units, and make the most of the guitars resonances from the bass to the treble.

This works really well, when the bass note is “Sustained” as the treble note is plucked. [The opposite can be applied also, as staccato]

Stockhausen, Guitar, Lesson,  intervals, alternate, time, signatures, composing, improvising, Free, PDF, Download
Stockhausen guitar composing improvising lesson concepts: Alternate Time Signatures

In the next bar, we will again make adventure with our “Atonal Intervals”. We will utilise our wide string skipping and move back to the 5/4 unit.

Stockhausen, Guitar, Lesson,  intervals, alternate, time, signatures, composing, improvising, Free, PDF, Download
Stockhausen guitar composing improvising lesson concepts

The rhythm in this next bar, now employs four “Three” note groupings in 12/8 [or as triplets in 4/4].

This changes the rhythmic effect, and makes the intervals less harsh and more even and interesting to the ear of the listener.

Stockhausen, Guitar, Lesson,  intervals, alternate, time, signatures, composing, improvising, Free, PDF, Download
Stockhausen composing improvising guitar muslesson concepts

To offset this, we now have an irregular feel with 7/8 which will lead us back into a regular 4/4 set up with chords.

Like Boulez, this is all really a play on opposites.

Stockhausen, Guitar, Lesson, alternate, time, signatures  composing, improvising, Free, PDF, Download
Stockhausen composing improvising guitar lesson musical concepts

Finally, we have our chords: But, they too are slightly offset, so that nothing ever feels quite stable and hence, keeps the listener on their toes!

Stockhausen, Guitar, Lesson,   composing, improvising, Free, PDF, Download
Stockhausen composing improvising guitar lesson musical concepts
Musical notation and tablature illustrating uneven intervals and rhythmic units on guitar for atonal composition.
Guitar notation and tablature illustrating atonal intervals and rhythmic complexities for innovative composition.

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Free Messiaen Modes E-Book Download

Hi Guys,

I made an E Book from the collected webpages and blogs from this website that wasn’t needed in the end.

So,

Rather than delete it I have posted it here for anyone who might be interested or find it useful:

Exploring Messiaen’s Mode 1: Musical Concepts and Colorful Creations

Unlocking Messiaen’s Mode 1: Guitar Explorations

Hi Guys,

Today a look at Messiaen’s first mode of limited transposition:

This is the Whole tone scale and has two transpositions and one mode. It is a “Hexatonic” scale that has a dreamy, enigmatic air to it due to lack of resolution as all of the tones are the same distance apart.

The goal of this blog post is to create something interesting out of this scale.

Here is the first bar: This employs a Fripp-esque repetitive picking “Riff”

exploring-messiaen-mode-one-Fripp-guitar-style

From here, let’s make a smooth transition with an ascending whole tone scale:

exploring-messiaen-mode-one

Now, let’s employ some 20c Classical Messiaen style “Intervallic” movement to complete the phrase:

exploring-messiaen-mode-one-intervallic-guitar

From here, we will descend with the whole tone scale and connect it to the augmented arpeggio:

exploring-messiaen-mode-one

Let’s now return to and exploit our intervallic movement as we ascend the guitar fingerboard:

exploring-messiaen-mode-one-intervallic-guitar

Finally, let’s finish with some string skipping whole tone scale and a couple of plucks up high:

exploring-messiaen-mode-one-string-skipping-guitar

This was just an example of playing around with musical concepts and creating something colourful and interesting from Messiaen’s Mode 1.

Although, this is only a six note scale it has plenty to offer due to it’s non resolving/non diatonic nature. It works really well for riffs, motifs and hooks and really draws the listeners ear in. Even when used sparingly it can really add colour and texture to a composition [or part of] .

FREE PDF DOWNLOAD:

Exploring Messiaen’s 5th Mode of limited transposition
Messiaen’s modes of limited transposition: