E Pedal Note Rhythm Guitar Alternate Time Signatures

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Hi Guys,

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

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

We can also double this with 8th notes

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

And of course taking it further with 16th notes:

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

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

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

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

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

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.

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

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:

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

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

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

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.

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

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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John McLaughlin Rhythm Guitar Riffs/Strumming Techniques

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John McLaughlin rhythm guitar techniques and riffs lesson

Hi Guys,

Today, we will look at some of John McLaughlin’s rhythmic guitar concepts.

Here’s how John makes interesting rhythmic riffs by employing a bar of 7 to a bar of 8:

john-mcluahglin-rhythm-guitar-lesson-tab

This could also be counted as: 15/16 to 16/16 [in groups of 3 to groups of 4 in the next bar]:

john-mcluahglin-rhythm-guitar-lesson-tab

OR: Groups of 4 with the last being a 3 grouping [or one note missing in a 4/4 bar]

john-mcluahglin-rhythm-guitar-lesson-tab

The chords I have employed are from Shakti’s composition “Face to Face”.

john-mcluahglin-rhythm-guitar-face-to-face-chords

In order to turn this around I employ a simple piece of descending bass scale:

john-mcluahglin-rhythm-guitar-lesson-tab

2 Bar Sequence:

john-mcluahglin-rhythm-guitar-face-to-face-chords

Here is a variation with the bass scale played in the treble and the first chord being a quartal voicing for Em:

john-mcluahglin-rhythm-guitar-lesson-tab

In this next example we employ 2 simple chords of A Major and D Major: The key is in the open strings that are played in between these chords at a fast tempo.

john-mcluahglin-rhythm-guitar-lesson-tab

The key to executing this=”Down Up” alternate strumming all the way:

Lastly, we will finish with another of John’s alternate strumming favourites which employs the open strings concept once again: [“Down Up”] etc- all the way.

john-mcluahglin-rhythm-guitar-lesson-tab

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Shakti: Indian Raga alternate picking and fretting hand technique[Development]

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Hi Guys,

Today, a quick look at developing Shakti style Fusion guitar Raga’s from the Mixolydian mode.

Below, is the mode in a Pentatonic form:

shakti-indian-raga-guitar-lesson

Next, we have a phrase that is developed from this mode. In order for it to be smooth and fluid at a “Fast” tempo we will change the fingering:

shakti-indian-raga-guitar-lesson

So, here the 2nd finger comes into play. This makes connecting the phrase easy and smooth to execute with alternate picking.

shakti-indian-raga-guitar-lesson

Notice: I am starting on an upstroke. This is because it is a very smooth “Scalic” and mostly step-wise passage.

shakti-indian-raga-guitar-lesson

Below, we are starting with an anacrusis [Up Beat]. Because of this I am starting on a downstroke.

This means that the actual phrase [1st beat of the bar] will start on the upstroke for smooth step-wise scalic movement.

shakti-indian-raga-guitar-lesson

Below, we have the same thing. This time it starts on the off beat in the bar and employs the same concept:

Start on the down so the up carries the smooth scalic movement:

shakti-indian-raga-guitar-lesson

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