Explanation – Modern Music Theory Improvisation and Application

McLaughlin “Belo/Music spoken here” Style Guitar Chord/Scale Techniques

Posted on March 24, 2025September 7, 2025 by Modern Music Theory and Application

Hi Guys,

Today, a quick look at how John McLaughlin moves from chord to scale or scale to chord on the nylon string guitar.

FAST ALTERNATE PICKING LICK!

In this lick we can see John exploit the 3/4 time signature with rapid fire alternate picked tetrachords!

This is classic “Music spoken here” style in regards to the application of pentatonic scale fingerings and melodic arpeggio shapes that connect together to create a fluid improvised line.

john_mclaughlin_acoustic_guitar_techniques_lesson

CLOSER LOOK:

Here, we can view the exploitation of a quick pentatonic fingering that ascends,

Now, we go the opposite way and answer the phrase with a descent. This employs the A Major Arpeggio shape/fingering:

Finally, we have a little melodic rise in the top line over a barred static chord. [Mind the stretch!]

MCLAUGHLIN GUITAR TECHNIQUE 2

In the next example, we will apply the concept of a chord to scale fragment that anticipates to the next chord in 4/4 time.

Technically, I am playing the chords on a downstroke and the scale on an upstroke. [This employs alternate picking guitar technique once more].

What makes it work so well on the guitar is that this concept employs 1st Inversion chord voicing’s- E,g B/D# to E/G# to A/C# to D/F# etc

Also, as a compositional device, this works brilliantly because it employs the cycle of Vb to Ib.

HERE IS THE DESCENDING IDEA:

HERE IS THE ASCENDING IDEA:

Notice: this is the same, but, this time we are ascending with the same concept.

Musical notation and tablature sheet depicting a guitar lesson focusing on chord to scale transitions and alternate picking techniques from John McLaughlin's Belo Herozonte Album. — Musical notation illustrating a John McLaughlin chord to scale technique, demonstrating ascending and descending patterns.

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mclaughlin_belo-Download

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Pat Martino Intervallic Studies: Un-Published Book Lesson

Posted on May 21, 2024May 25, 2024 by Modern Music Theory and Application

Pat Martino Intervallic Studies: Un-Published Book Lesson

PLEASE WATCH VIDEO ABOVE FOR DETAILED INFO:

Hi Guys!

Guitarist Mark Koch one of Pat’s students kindly sent me a copy of Pat’s un-published book on “Intervallic studies“.

pat-martino-intervallic-studies-umpinlished-book

It’s a fascinating look at the imaginative thought process and creative concepts that Pat was investigating for the development of the improvising guitarist.

Also, it’s a real eye opener for the development of scale applications and creating fresh lines form nearly every scale imaginable. This book has around 294 examples.

pat-martino-intervallic-studies-unpublished-book

INTERVALLIC STUDY #1 “Whole Tone Scale”

In this first example we will look at the “Whole Tone Scale” Study:

From a music theory perspective if we take away the intervallic approach and place the notes in order we will get a whole tone scale ascending followed by a whole tone scale descending:

Now, we will put them back into the “Disguised” form with the clever approach of the intervallic design:

The key to playing these studies on the guitar is to decide on a methodical fingering and stick to it. [Below=Pat’s Fingering]

pat-martino's-unpublished-book-intervallic-guitar-studies

Also, it’s a really good idea to play in a staccato manner because there is a tendency for the open strings to resonate sympathetically with the string that has just been plucked.

I am employing strict alternate picking for this study starting on an upstroke:

FULL INTERVALLIC STUDY:

Same Study: From Pat’s book with fingering examples:

pat-martino-intervallic-studies-unpublished-book-whole-tone-scale

INTERVALLIC STUDY #2 “Pentatonic Scale”

Now we will look at how Pat breathes life into the pentatonic scale:

As before we will take this from a music theory perspective and remove the intervallic approach:

pat-martino-pentatonic-scale-guitar-lesson

Here, we again find the same principle as the previous example. But, this time we have the Pentatonic scales ascending and descending:

Now, let’s disguise this with the use of intervallic exploitation and alternate picking starting on a “Downstroke”:

Same Study from Pat’s unpublished book:

INTERVALLIC STUDY APPLICATION with the “Chromatic Scale”

Finally, we will employ these intervallic concepts through a iim7b5 V7 i cadence.

Once again, we see the intervallic set up:

pat-martino-intervallic-improvisation-example

Now, let’s employ our music theory and place the intervallic notes in order. Here we find that we have the exploitation of the chromatic scale.

pat-martinochromatic-scale-guitar-lesson

This clever approach is really effective because in the second bar beats 2 and 3 we have a literal chromatic scale that then anticipates the coming minor tonic chord of Em with an Em arpeggio.

Full Example:

In Conclusion:

This was just a quick look at the creative thought process and unique approach of Pat Martino, resulting in the application of this material into a minor iim7b5 V7 i improvised line to hear how they work and sound.

This approach to scales and improvising [and composing] with them is highly original and extremely useful when there is a need to bust out of cliches and seek colour and creativity in our playing.

FREE PDF DOWNLOAD:

pat-martino-jazz-book Download

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Alternate Picking “Upstroke” Guitar Exercise

Posted on March 21, 2024March 26, 2024 by Modern Music Theory and Application

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Alternate Picking Guitar explained in detail-“The UP STROKE”

Please watch video above for detailed information

Hi Guys,

Today, just a short alternate picking guitar technique exercise starting on an “Upstroke”.

The first part of the exercise employs a scale fragment that starts on an upstroke .

Although, this creates an odd grouping of 5 notes, it works really well because when you cross over the strings you will be starting on a “Down stroke”

This, also works well because this is a simple two finger pentatonic movement.

alternate-picking-guitar-explained-how-to

In the second bar we imitate the first part of the first bar by starting on the “Upstroke” again, creating another 5 note grouping,

In the next part we start on the “Down stroke” again. Also, note the fingering as we cross the strings. This is a favourite of guitarist John McLaughlin. This is crossing with the 2nd finger.