Tag: John Mclaughlin

alternate picking guitar style and jazz fusion improvisation lessons in his style. Looking at Mclaughlins use of altered dominant chords and chromatics in john’s improvisations. Lessons in john mclaughlin’s guitar style and improvised line using altered scales, harmonic minor and melodic minor scales. Mclaughlins use of modes, dorian, phrygian,aeoloean,ludian,mixolydian, locrian. Also the modes of the diminished scale.

John McLaughlin Rhythm Guitar Riffs/Strumming Techniques

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John McLaughlin rhythm guitar techniques and riffs lesson

Please watch video above for detailed info:

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

VARIATION

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

STRUMMING RIFF 2:

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:

STRUMMING RIFF 3:

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

PDF DOWNLOAD:

mclaughlin-rhythm-guitarDownload

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

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Please watch video above for detailed info:

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

PDF DOWNLOAD “SHAKTI”:

shakti-mixolydianDownload

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UP-STROKE Alternate Picking Concepts

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UP-STROKE Alternate Picking Guitar Concepts

Hi Guys,

Today, a quick look at starting alternate picking runs on an upstroke.

upstroke, alternate, picking, guitar, technique, example

Starting on an upstroke can be useful when playing stepwise scalic patterns/runs. This can be modal, pentatonic or major/minor.

Here, is the first little exercise/idea: [Note that this starts on an upstroke and finishes on a downstroke]

upstroke, alternate, picking, guitar, technique, example

We, will now extend this and complete the bar.

upstroke, alternate, picking, guitar, technique, example

As you can see when starting on an upstroke it is easy to connect together fragments of scale and create extended fluid lines.

Here is another example of extending and varying by employing simple scalic movement starting on the up stroke.

upstroke, alternate, picking, guitar, technique, example

Connecting scale fragments is a bit like taking the first half of the bar and imitating it into 2 phrases.

upstroke, alternate, picking, guitar, technique, example

Employing Rests:

In this next example we have rests. These are useful as they give you a split second to get your fretting hand into position.

upstroke, alternate, picking, guitar, technique, example

Open String Even to Odd:

This time we will employ the open string to create an even pattern to an odd pattern to set up the upstroke for the next phrase.

upstroke, alternate, picking, guitar, technique, example

This time we will use the same concept to ascend with a simple piece of pentatonic/scale:

upstroke, alternate, picking, guitar, technique, example

Now we will descend starting on the up-stroke [no open string]:

upstroke, alternate, picking, guitar, technique, example

Repeated Note:

Finally, we will employ a repeated note with some scale and open string distance.

upstroke, alternate, picking, guitar, technique, example

Notice that the repeated note and the open string are on the off beat:

Counting Time=Essentail

One last thing: When doing these and any exercises it is essential to count time. Below is an example:

upstroke, alternate, picking, guitar, technique, example

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