explained – Page 8 – Modern Music Theory Improvisation and Application

“Lotus Feet” Shakti Scale Solo Concepts

Posted on December 12, 2023February 10, 2024 by Modern Music Theory and Application

Please watch video above for in depth analysis:

Hi Guys,

Today, a quick look at exploiting the Em scale for John McLaughlin’s and Shakti’s composition “Lotus Feet”.

The key to making a solo sound interesting is to highlight the prominent notes of the scale: In this case it is the semitones F# G and B and C.

Here are the semitones ascending:

Here, they are descending:

Also, take into consideration that the F# note will make the Cmaj7 Lydian:

Now, let’s add one extra note to the semitones and create an imitated phrase going through the octaves.

Now, we will connect some scale to the semitones ascending:

Here we will connect three tetrachords in 3/4 creating a smooth pentatonic style line:

ARPEGGIOS FROM THE SCALE:

Another key component when improvising is to exploit the arpeggios within the scale:

Two arpeggios that work well for this composition are Em and Bm:

E minor:

Mixing the scale with the arpeggio also works really well.

PENTATONIC’S FROM THE SCALE:

It’s always a good idea to have a few pentatonic’s from the scale at hand:

Here we can manipulate the Em, Bm, and Am to good effect. Again we can make them more unique by adding the semitones:

Em Pentatonic:

Bm Pentatonic:

Am Pentatonic:

Now, lets connect two fragments together:

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E Pedal Note Rhythm Guitar Alternate Time Signatures

Posted on September 26, 2023January 27, 2024 by Modern Music Theory and Application

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Please watch video above for detailed info:

Hi Guys,

Today, a response video to my previous blog in regards to employing a pedal note.

What is the E Pedal Note?

This is just an open E string that can be plucked as the basis for holding time.

john-mclaughlin-pedal-note-guitar-technique-diagram

We can use simple quarter notes as our base and syncopate chords between them or play chords on different beats.

We can also double this with 8th notes

And of course taking it further with 16th notes:

To make this more interesting we can play on the off-beat:

And finally, “Mix” the Pedal note rhythms for rhythmic drive:

This is all good and well and extremely useful, but there is more………..

What makes this really useful is that we can play odd time signatures or uncommon time signatures along with alternate time signatures.

For this I am going to employ Indian “‘Teen Taal” and then break it up.

So, above we see the 16 beat cycle with the accented red numbers 1 5 9 13

Next, count this and accent those numbers and get a feel for the repeated cycle.

Now we will break this up:

We will only count up to 11 and then create a loop with our E pedal holding time in quarter notes. Remember the accents on 1 and 5 and 9.

This now gives us 11/4

From here we can develop and create our own patterns in 11/4 with the E pedal note holding time and our accents of 5 and 9 which tell us where we are in the bar or beat cycle.

Lastly, let’s mix two different time signatures together.

Here we have a group of 5 and a group of 7. Also, notice the rhythm in the bass with the E Pedal note.

From here you can create and develop easily what you want as this concept works really for the guitar and alternate time signatures and uncommon time signatures.

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MINOR TOPIC-EASIER WAY TO IMPROVISE WITH MODES

Posted on June 24, 2023July 9, 2023 by Modern Music Theory and Application

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minor topic-an easier way to improvise with modes of music

IMPORTANT: Please watch video above for detailed info:

Hi Guys,

Today, a quick look at another way of exploiting modes/improvisation on the guitar fingerboard.

We will be creating music via concepts/musical tools based on this minor shape.

Why do this?

Because with this 5 fret shape arpeggio we can easily create:

So, for instance in C Major [Ionian] we can take chord iii and Vi arpeggio shapes as a solid base and create/develop improvisation-as opposed to learning millions of scale/mode shapes/patterns etc.

With this as a base we can develop proper musical lines and rhythmic phrasing

Before we start it’s important to see how easily chords iii and Vi link together:

Example:

The first thing to be aware of is the basic pentatonic’s right under our fingertips with this arpeggio shape:

[These pentatonic’s give us some basic building blocks from the outset]:

QUARTAL SOUNDS

Next let’s add some 4ths for a Quartal jazz/fusion-esque sound:

Descending:

Ascending:

With extension

Basic Quartal fingerboard movement:

CYLE OF 4THS

Another thing to take into consideration is the cycle of 4ths under our fingertips:

Remember that we can also make these, major, minor, diminished or augmented:

For instance all major:

All minor

[This gives us even more colour and choices for chromaticism/chromatic movement right under our fingertips once again]

TARGET TONES/APPROACH NOTES [JAZZ CHROMATICS]

Below, we can see the set-up for target tones with this Em arpeggio shape:

We can also add some chromatic notes to this to create a longer jazzy-esque line:

String Skipping Petnatonic’s

String skipping works well because it removes familiarity/cliches from the ear:

Here are two examples:

Example 2:

PAIRING TRIADS

Lastly pairing triads works really. Here is a Lydian example:

conclusion

This blog has only really touched on this way of thinking, but, you can see how easy it is to make connecting lines and musical phrasing and how to exploit improvisation tools from this simple minor arpeggio shape.

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