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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Alternate Picking from Ascending 5’s

Hi Guys,

Today, a quick look at building from the “Ascending group of 5” with alternate picking guitar technique.

This group of 5 exploits the “Up” stroke. It works well as a tool for building longer and longer lines/phrases.

This is NOT shred and is really only for jazz, fusion and world-esque music like John McLaughlin’s super creative outlet Shakti. It is an improvisers tool.

Here is an example of the 5 figure. It consists of an open string and starts on an upstroke.

This 4 note + 1 sets up the upstroke for the string cross.

alternate_picking_guitar_technique_example

Here’s how it would be as a tetrachord to the next beat. [As opposed to a quintuplet or Ta ka di mi Thom.

alternate_picking_guitar_technique_example

Let’s now build off of the ascending 5 figure.

In the example below, we can clearly see the extension from the 5’s to 7’s to two groups of 4 note tetrachords.

alternate_picking_guitar_technique_example

From here, we will add a Dom7th chord to the scale/phrase.

alternate_picking_guitar_technique_example

This sets us up nicely to descend smoothly starting on the upstroke.

alternate_picking_guitar_technique_example

Here, we will do exactly the same thing, except that this time we are moving from G7 to C Major. [Notice the open string and 5 figure extended].

alternate_picking_guitar_technique_example

Once again, the descent is on the upstroke.

alternate_picking_guitar_technique_example

FULL EXAMPLE:

alternate_picking_guitar_technique_example

Here, we see the process in action again. The line building from the 5 figure.

alternate_picking_guitar_technique_example

The descent starts on the upstroke as before, but, this time leads to a perfect V I cadence:

alternate_picking_guitar_technique_example

Here is a variation, but, this time in the key of A Major.

alternate_picking_guitar_technique_example

The same form of descent is employed that once again ends in a V I cadence.

alternate_picking_guitar_technique_example

Mastering John McLaughlin’s Guitar Techniques

Hi Guys,

Today, Part 2 of the alternate picking patterns/numbers for John McLaughlin style guitar playing/picking.

These are all building off of the number 5 and starting on the “Up” stroke for strict alternate picking guitar technique in standard tuning:


john_mclaughlin_guitar_technique_example
john_mclaughlin_guitar_technique_example
john_mclaughlin_guitar_technique_example
john_mclaughlin_guitar_technique_example
john_mclaughlin_guitar_technique_example
john_mclaughlin_guitar_technique_example

These example like those above expand on the number 5 but start on a “Down”stroke this time.

john_mclaughlin_guitar_technique_example
john_mclaughlin_guitar_technique_example
john_mclaughlin_guitar_technique_example
john_mclaughlin_guitar_technique_example
john_mclaughlin_guitar_technique_example

Example 1:

john_mclaughlin_guitar_technique_example

Example 2:

john_mclaughlin_guitar_technique_example

FREE PDF DOWNLOAD: