guitar – Page 15 – Modern Music Theory Improvisation and Application

Jazz Fusion Alternate Picking Guitar Exercise Analysis

Posted on July 8, 2024July 8, 2024 by Modern Music Theory and Application

Hi Guys

As requested, here are the two youtube shorts [uploaded horizontal] with the Tab/Notation. [Sorry, some notation is a bit messy]

VIDEO OF THE EXERCISE:

Alternate Picking guitar exercise. Jazz Fusion music mid tempo. Lesson/How to:

EXERCISE ANALYSIS:

PLEASE NOTE: These are only exercises to connect and get familiar with the jazz tools of improvisation in regards to alternate picking:

This exercise starts on a down stroke with strict alternate picking around 130-140 Bpm:

The point of the exercise is to “Connect” lots of jazz improvisation concepts together.

The first being barring 4ths and 3rds with the little finger [or pinkie]. This breaks up the monotony of the scale sound and creates a melodic inflection. It also makes it easy to play quickly as two notes are fretted with the same finger.

alternate-picking-guitar-jazz-fusion-lesson

This exercise is also good for exploiting phrasing on one string:

It’s also good for triad implications or sus 4-3 to lengthen the line.

Lastly, another tool that works really well for both the alternate picking right hand and the sound of the phrase is to employ an arpeggio. In this exercise we have also manipulated the open string to set up the next fragment of scale on the same string.

FULL EXERCISE:

DESCENDING ALTERNATE PICKING EXERCISE:

Alternate Picking mid tempo guitar exercise

This exercise starts on a downstroke once again, but, this time we descend:

The same improvisational tools are applied.

We start the line with some 4ths barred with the little finger into a bit of broken scale.

This leads us nicely into the employment of two arpeggios. These arpeggios create melodic colour over the A7 Dominant chord.

Next we exploit the alternate picking on the same string for two beats over the D Major 7 chord:

As with the previous exercise we exploit the Major 3rd and perfect 4th intervals, which means that we can alternate pick two notes quickly without having to change our fretting fingers.

Finally, we employ the chromatic scale starting on the #5 [Bb] of D7augmented chord:

IN CONCLUSION

In conclusion it’s through exploiting these improvisational devices that we can alternate pick and create long quick fluid lines lines that make improvisational sense.

In terms of jazz fusion this means that we can play smoothly through ambiguous harmony as well as standard chord changes at a quick tempo.

FREE PDF DOWNLOAD:

alternatepicking-lesson Download

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Exploring Messiaen’s Mode 1: Musical Concepts and Colorful Creations

Posted on May 25, 2024June 11, 2024 by Modern Music Theory and Application

Unlocking Messiaen’s Mode 1: Guitar Explorations

Please watch video above for detailed info:

Hi Guys,

Today a look at Messiaen’s first mode of limited transposition:

MODE 1

This is the Whole tone scale and has two transpositions and one mode. It is a “Hexatonic” scale that has a dreamy, enigmatic air to it due to lack of resolution as all of the tones are the same distance apart.

Creating an Etude from Messiaen’s Mode 1

The goal of this blog post is to create something interesting out of this scale.

So, here is my little Etude: I am basing this on the style of Robert Fripp [Plectrum guitar technique] and Olivier Messiaen’s compositional approach.

Here is the first bar: This employs a Fripp-esque repetitive picking “Riff”

exploring-messiaen-mode-one-Fripp-guitar-style

From here, let’s make a smooth transition with an ascending whole tone scale:

Now, let’s employ some 20c Classical Messiaen style “Intervallic” movement to complete the phrase:

exploring-messiaen-mode-one-intervallic-guitar

From here, we will descend with the whole tone scale and connect it to the augmented arpeggio:

Let’s now return to and exploit our intervallic movement as we ascend the guitar fingerboard:

Finally, let’s finish with some string skipping whole tone scale and a couple of plucks up high:

exploring-messiaen-mode-one-string-skipping-guitar

IN CONCLUSION

This was just an example of playing around with musical concepts and creating something colourful and interesting from Messiaen’s Mode 1.

Although, this is only a six note scale it has plenty to offer due to it’s non resolving/non diatonic nature. It works really well for riffs, motifs and hooks and really draws the listeners ear in. Even when used sparingly it can really add colour and texture to a composition [or part of] .

FREE PDF DOWNLOAD:

messiaen-mode-1 Download

For more Blogs on Messiaen’s modes CLICK below:

Messiaen’s 5th Mode.Composition and improvisation lesson

Exploring Messiaen’s 5th Mode of limited transposition

Messiaen Modes and Compositional/Improvisational Technique: Music Theory Lesson

Messiaen’s modes of limited transposition:

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Modern Jazz Fusion Chords:How to create them from scales

Posted on May 10, 2024May 20, 2024 by Modern Music Theory and Application

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Hi Guys,

Today, a look at how to create colourful and interesting jazz/fusion chords:

Because, we are dealing with jazz/fusion we will manipulate a scale in modal form. This will be C Mixolydian:

Now, let’s add one note above each note of the mode and create 3rds. [Here we can hear the mode in double stops].

Now, we will add another note a 5th above the root and create triads.

We have now harmonised the Mixolydian mode.

As you will hear it doesn’t sound very jazzy or have a fusion-esque sound.

So what do we do?

Well, we will add another note and manipulate the chord “Voicing’s”. Let’s exploit 4ths, flattened 5ths and Major 3rds.

Ascending Chord Scale:

Descending chord scale:

THE DORIAN MODE:

Now, we will apply this to the C Dorian Mode which has another flat note, this being Eb.

C Dorian Chord Scale : Harmonisation idea:

CREATING MUSIC:

Now, let’s play these chords in a sequence and make a bit of music from them:

EXAMPLE: Notice-Motifs and melodic movement from the chord voicings:

Melodic minor quartal harmonisation

Finally, to really get that “Fusion” exoticism let’s now exploit the melodic minor scale:

Below, we have the A melodic minor scale: Notice it’s just like the A Major scale but with the 3rd flattened: [In this case C natural]

Again, we will try out some ideas to harmonise the scale with some interesting chord voicing’s:

Here is a really nice set of chords built from from the scale.

jazz-fusion-guitar-chords-lesson-melodic-minor

From here it’s a good idea to play re-harmonised chords from chord scales in sequences like:

ii V7 I

Vi ii V I

iii Vi ii V7 I

IN CONCLUSION:

This was just a basic look at how to create interesting chords from scales and modes and how to create interesting and unique voicing’s.

At the end of the day it really comes down to your own ears and imagination and sense of creativity. But, this is how easy it is to create chords from scales and then put them into sequences for composition and re-harmonisation.

FREE PDF DOWNLOAD:

chord-scale FREE DOWNLOAD

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