lesson – Page 13 – Modern Music Theory Improvisation and Application

John McLaughlin Rhythm Guitar Techniques: Pedal Notes Revisited.

Posted on December 5, 2024December 5, 2024 by Modern Music Theory and Application

Please watch video above for detailed info:

Hi Guys,

Today, a quick look at how JohnMcLaughlin creates interesting time signatures with his rhythm guitar playing by employing the open E string as a pedal note.

This unique approach to rhythm guitar makes it easy to play in odd time signatures and create alternate time signatures.

Okay, so what is this E Pedal Note?

This is the open E string that is plucked as the time keeper.

mclaughlin-pedal-note-rhythm-guitar-technique-lesson

[It can also play rhythms and add rhythmic drive of its own as we will see later on].

Let’s begin with simple quarter notes: Here, will will add chords on beats 2 and 4.

Now, we will do the same thing but with 8th notes as the pedal bass:

Let’s take this further with 16th notes creating that rhythmic drive:

To create another useful effect we will play the chords on the off-beat:

Now, let’s mix it all together by applying all of the 1/4 1/8th and 16th notes in the E pedal bass!

MANIPULATING THE 16 BEAT CYCLE:

This is really useful because we can play odd/ uncommon time signatures and also alternate time signatures.

Let’s start by exploiting Indian “‘Teen Taal” or a 16 beat cycle and then alter it.

Above, we can see the 16 beat cycle with the accented red numbers/Beats 1 5 9 13

Now, we will count this and accent the numbers/beats 1 5 9 13 and repeat the cycle until it is effortless to do.

Next, we will break this cycle up, and only count to 11. From here, we will create a loop with our E pedal note holding time in quarter notes. So we have, 1 5 9 [11] REPEAT.

This in turn gives us an 11/4 time signature:

john-mclaughlin-pedal-note-rhythm-guitar-technique-lesson

From this point on we can see how easy it is to create interesting odd time signatures and rhythmic patterns with the E pedal as our base and time keeper.

Our understanding of beats 5 and 9 tells us where we are in the bar or beat cycle and hence what might sound complex in theory is actually pretty easy to do and exploit.

ALTERNATE TIME SIGNATURES:

These, are the combing of two or more different time signatures.

Here we employ a bar of 5/4 and a bar of 7/4. We will highlight the E pedal bass note with some quarter and eighth notes for good measure.

CONCLUSION:

This was just a brief look at this concept, but, exploiting just one of these techniques can lead to lots of interesting and useful guitar rhythms and time signature manipulations.

The E Pedal note as the time keeper is so useful because it means that we are in control of the timing/signatures and can accent chords off of it.

Lastly, these techniques are incredible for composition/songwriting. We hear this a lot with John McLaughlin’s Shakti, especially the great albums from the 1970’s where the rhythm of the acoustic guitar is prominent.

FREE PDF DOWNLOAD:

mclaughlin-guitar-pedal Download

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John McLaughlin Alternate Picking Guitar Secrets part 1

Posted on October 31, 2024October 31, 2024 by Modern Music Theory and Application

Please watch video above for detailed info:

Hi Guys,

Today, a quick delve into what makes John McLaughlin’s alternate picking guitar style work so easily and fluidly.

Many, focus on the right hand technique, but, much of it comes from the way the fretting hand works.

So, let’s look at a couple of simple secrets to John’s approach and why it is so fluid and effective

#1 OPEN STRING APPLICATION:

In this example, we will create an effective line that is not tremolo picking on cliche shred scales but a continuous colourful and creative improvised line in a world music style.

Here is the full line. Starting on a “Down stroke”

john-mclaughlin-guitar-secrets-alternate-picking-fast

If we take this apart we will find a couple of reasons why this is fluid and very natural for the alternate picking guitar technique.

First of all notice: The arpeggio that starts the phrase. The last note of this 4 note tetrachord grouping is an open D string!

This open string gives the fretting hand a hundredth of a second to do absolutely nothing as it prepares for the next 4 note grouping to fret.

This gives us time to get into position and so we are NOT rushing about, and, we are in control

CROSSING THE STRING:

We will now employ the use of an open string once again, but, this time for “Crossing” the string:

This makes it easy to cross the string smoothly and connect to the next tetrachord.

From here we will extract a partial John McLaughlin scale/fingering by sliding it into position.

To end this line, we will descend with some simple scale starting on an “Up stroke”. Also, notice the simple 2 finger fingering for the fretting hand.

EXERCISE 2: SEXTUPLETS: 6 NOTE GROUPINGS:

In this exercise we will employ groupings of 6 notes. This is based upon an improvised acoustic jazz fusion line, like that of “Belo Herozonte:

This is played over a ii V7 I of Dm9 G7 CMaj9:

If we take this apart we will notice that we exploit a Bm arpeggio going to a B dim arpeggio that then goes to the 4th and 6th notes of D Dorian: This creates a nice colourful sound.

For the next 6 note hexatonic grouping we employ an E harmonic/melodic minor sound over the Dm9 chord: Notice the Major 3rd interval:

From here, we will “Slide” the fretting hand up to the next position: Notice the use of the Major 3rd interval once again, as this breaks up the monotonous scale sound and creates distance and melodicism.

Finally, we have simple 2 finger pentatonic descending scale application that finally rest on the note C for the CMaj9 chord.

FREE PDF DOWNLOAD:

JML AP Download

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Exploring Pat Martino’s 12 Chromatic Forms for Guitar:

Posted on October 22, 2024October 22, 2024 by Modern Music Theory and Application

Please watch video above for detailed info:

Hi Guys,

Today, a look at the amazing 12 chromatic forms for guitar by jazz legend and music theoretician extrodinaire Pat Martino!

These 12 forms for the chromatic scale were written and I believe taught by Pat Martino in the 70’s and 80’s. They are a unique idea that connect through the concept of octave displacement.

Although they can be employed over dominant alt chords for improv [As covered previously https://jazzimproviser.com/2024/05/21/pat-martino-intervallic-studies-un-published-book-lesson/] I am going to dig at little bit deeper and create a compositional 12 tone approach where extra fresh material can be created from any one form.

But, to begin with:

Here is the first form I:

12-chromatic-forms-for-the-guitar-pat-martino

Notice: The semitones and octave displacement: E to Eb to D to Db [Db to C semitone] etc.

The arrow pointing up or down tells us whether it is an ascending or descending chromatic scale:

So, for instance “Form I” without octave displacement is:

With octave displacement is:

Here, is Form I written by Pat’s own hand showing his fingerings and string preference.

Now, let’s add the second form for guitar and notice Pat’s connection for the two: Eb to E

Also, notice that Form I and II have the same notes but mostly in different octaves.

Lastly, if we look at form III we will see the arrow pointing upwards showing that it is an Ascending chromatic scale:

12-chromatic-forms-for-the-guitar-pat-martino-explained

Here, is the basic ascending chromatic scale:

Here, it is with octave displacement

For all of the other chromatic forms please go to the downloadable Pdf at the bottom of this page for a free download of Pat’s actual notations.

COMPOSITIONAL AND DEVOLPMENTAL IDEAS:

Due to being the chromatic scale and 12 forms we can manipulate this by taking a 12 tone approach:

So let’s take the first Form and make 3 sets of 4 note chords from it.

pat-martino-12-tone-jazz-guitar-lesson-example

Here, we can see and hear how easy it is to create some very original and unique chords from these forms:

12-chromatic-forms-pat-martino-guitar-chords-lesson

We can now make some lovely voicing’s and chords from the following, so, let’s structure some sophisticated composition.

How will we do this?

We will employ, “Retrograde” and “Inversion” and then “Retrograde Inversion”

RETROGRADE IDEA:

INVERSION IDEA:

RETROGRADE INVERSION IDEA:

One last idea is to “Stack” one on top of the other creating a colourful superimposition bi tonal tool.

In this case it is Form I and III:

In conclusion

These 12 Forms offer brilliant possibilities for string writing or 20C classical orchestral style composing.

The octave displacement and the flow of semitones creates a fluid and quite natural way of performing on stringed instruments wether it be the guitar, violin, cello, double bass etc.

As guitar players this gives us some great possibilities for altered dominant lines [https://jazzimproviser.com/2024/05/21/pat-martino-intervallic-studies-un-published-book-lesson/] and original chord voicings. These are also great as rut busters too.

This blog has just touched on the subject but as you can see the possibilities for the 12 forms gives way to unlimited fresh new music, and for the imaginiative and creative guitarist/composer the possibilities are endless.

FREE PDF DOWNLOAD:

Below is a free pdf download of all of Pat’s 12 chromatic forms for guitar written out by Pat himself.

12 Chromatic Forms Download

Forms I and II TAB:

martino-12-tab Download

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