Tag: Examples

Guitar Imitation: Effective Octave Shifting Exercises with Alternate Picking:

Posted on by Modern Music Theory and Application

PLEASE: Watch video above for detailed info:

Hi Guys,

Today, a quick look at employing imitation, through the registers of the guitar fingerboard.

This is a useful device for imitating bits of scale by shifting the fingering [[the same fingering in a lot of cases] up an octave each time.

EXAMPLE 1:

In the first example we will take a 3 note triplet figure and “Copy/Imitate” it up an octave each time.

The key is to hold the shape/fingering and slide the hand up without taking it off the guitar fingerboard onto the next position [up an octave].

So, here we have the pitches E F G and we take that fingering and slide it up to the next position.

Sheet music notation displaying downstroke and finger positions for alternate picking guitar playing.

Here, is the next position, an octave higher:

Musical notation showing a 3-note triplet figure on the guitar fingerboard.

Now, we copy/imitate it again, up another octave higher:

Sheet music showing guitar fingerings and notes, with a focus on triplet figures and octave transpositions.

Finally, I don’t have enough notes on the guitar to copy it exactly, so, I play something similar to finish the phrase.

EXAMPLE 2: Anacrusis/Up-Beat

Here, is a variation of the above, but, with an upbeat on the open D string. This, also starts on an“Up” stroke.

Sheet music diagram illustrating a guitar lesson with notations for triplet figures and up-beat alternate picking technique sequences.
Musical notation example illustrating an upbeat and open string technique for guitar playing.

Finally, we have another variation but this time we do this by employing 16th notes and two open string connections.

Musical notation example showing 16th notes with arrows pointing to specific notes for alternate picking guitar technique.
Example of 16th note guitar technique, showcasing notes and finger placement.

EXAMPLE 3: High to Low Movement:

In this last example, we will go the other way.

This time, we will start high and descend lowering the phrase.

Guitar sheet music showing a descending phrase notation, with labeled sections indicating 'Descending'.

FREE PDF DOWNLOAD:

GuiatrDownload

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20 Century Classical Music: Plectrum Guitar Concepts/Patterns

Posted on by Modern Music Theory and Application

Hi Guys,

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

EXAMPLE :

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

Full Guitar Notation and Tablature for Guitar 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.

FREE PDF DOWNLOAD:

Stockhausen Composing Improvising Guitar PDF20c Concepts GUITAR pdf Download

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Alternate Picking from Ascending 5’s

Posted on by Modern Music Theory and Application

PLEASE WATCH VIDEO ABOVE FOR DETAILED INFO:

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.

ASCENDING 5:

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

EXAMPLE/EXERCISE 1:

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

EXAMPLE/EXERCISE 2:

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

EXAMPLE/EXERCISE 3:

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

VARIATION:

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

FREE PDF DOWNLOAD:

5-GuitarDownload

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