explained – The Jazz improviser and modern music theory application

altered 2 5 1 short jazz/fusion lick

Posted on January 24, 2023January 26, 2023 by Jazz fusion guitar Improvisation lessons and modern music theory

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Jazz/Fusion quick ii V7 I altered improvised lick lesson

Please watch video above for detailed analysis:

Hi Guys,

Just a short ii V7 I alternate picking guitar lick. [This starts on a down stroke]

The chords are altered:

So, for chord ii Bm we replace it with B augmented with a sharpened 9th. This in turn gives us the Major 3rd and the minor 3rd and so we can apply a simple B minor scale.

Also, notice that I have placed accents on the 3rd note of each 4 note grouping. Accenting like this will help to keep the rhythm in tight tetrachords [4 note] groupings.

In the next bar the “Dominant” chord has the 5th raised to create an Augmented 7th sound:

For this chord we can employ the F melodic minor scale:

Finally we slide the C natural up a semitone to C# to resolve the cadence to the 3rd note of A Major 7 the tonic chord.

PDF DOWNLOAD:

pdf-25-john-mclaughlin pdf Download

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Alternate Picking:Guitar Technique-Part 2- [Fretting Hand]

Posted on December 18, 2022December 22, 2022 by Jazz fusion guitar Improvisation lessons and modern music theory

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Alternate Picking:Guitar Technique-Part 2 [Fretting Hand]

Please watch video above for a detailed analysis:

Hi Guys,

Today we will look at part 2 on alternate picking guitar technique.

The key to these exercises is to “Accent” the third note of each 4 note [Tetrachord] grouping . [You can also accent the first note].

Why do we do this?

This is because the accents push the music along.

This also works like links in a chain that connect the notes together for smooth and rhythmical phrases.

So, before we attempt this sort of phrasing,

We need to make sure that have our basic 8ths to 16 notes rhythmical and really tight.

In the first exercise we will ascend in one position and then descend in another:

We will start on a down stroke and employ strict alternate picking:

alternate-picking-guitar-technique-accents

In the next example we will ascend and descend in one position:

PDF DOWNLOAD:

alternate-picking Download

Finally,

it is a good idea to use a simple pentatonic scale with a simple guitar fingering and play over a 2 5 1 loop to get the accents, rhythm and musical phrasing tight.

Chord II V7 I Example:

Simple 2 finger scale example:

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“Jazz Target Tones”- Alternate Picking Guitar Set-Ups Technique

Posted on October 15, 2022October 19, 2022 by Jazz fusion guitar Improvisation lessons and modern music theory

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Target Tones- Alternate Picking Guitar Set-Ups Technique

Please watch video above for in depth analysis:

Hi Guys!

Today we will have a look at setting up “Jazz Target Tones” with alternate picking guitar technique for fast fluid improvising lines.

target, tones, jazz, guitar, — Target Tones- Alternate Picking Guitar Set-Ups Technique

The example above is the most common and best example of how target tones work and how they are set up. Notice that the weak beat or off beat is the starting note. So, we have [4] e and a as an “Up Beat” [or Anacrusis]. This leads to the strong beat 1 in bar 1.

Now, for alternate picking we need to be aware of what picking stroke we will start on for this weak “Off” beat. Being the “Off” beat and syncopated it will be the “Up Stroke” as in [Down] Up down Up.

In the Exercise below we will now employ Target Tones within the improvised line itself from the second beat. Again, notice that the target tones start on the “Up Stroke” and resolve to the on [1st] beat of the next chord smoothly with the down stroke.

With this method you will always know where you are in the bar rhythmically, when you are on the off beat [Up Stroke] and what stroke you will start the next “On” beat with [Down stroke].

Here’s another example:

It’s also helpful to accent the 1st note in each four note grouping as this will create the jazz feel and thrust the target tones along rhythmically whilst moving your fretting hand into position.