Mastering John McLaughlin’s Guitar Motif Techniques Part 2:

Hi Guys,

Here, is the extended version for the 2nd finger John McLaughlin motif:

The motif is a 4 note [Tetrachord] in 16th notes- D C# D E

John McLaughlin shakti guitar lesson with music notation and guitar tab example

Notice that this starts with the 2nd finger on the first note:

Now, let’s extend this and add a “set up” by employing the Mixo-lydian mode to create a more Indian/Shakti flavour to the phrase:

John McLaughlin shakti guitar lesson with music notation and guitar tab example

This time, we will replicate/imitate the 4 note motif and use it as material to create/extend the phrase into a longer line.

John McLaughlin shakti guitar lesson with music notation and guitar tab example for guitar fingering

Below, is the full line/lick:

John McLaughlin shakti guitar motif and fingering lesson with music notation and guitar tab example

Let’s now, extend the motif and descend as far as we can down the fingerboard with the motif:

John McLaughlin shakti guitar lesson with music notation and guitar tab example

Finally, we will add our little set-up and create a full phrase:

John McLaughlin shakti guitar lesson with music notation and guitar tab example

We can also start on a downstroke. This works best and is most natural when picked/phrased in triplets/sextuplets like this:

John McLaughlin alternate picking guitar lesson with music notation and guitar tab example

Full Phrase starting on a downstroke:

John McLaughlin shakti alternate picking guitar lesson with music notation and guitar tab example

This little motif/concept is only a small detail, but, it is a good representation of how a lot of material can be created/repeated or imitated from such a small cell. It is like a little hinge that can swing a big door.

This way of building solid lines is really useful for the alternate picking guitar technique as it means that we can unfold material quite easily and if we ever do get lost we can slot back in with simple motif material and rebuild our phrases and keep our lines going.