12 Tone Pattern: Scott Collins Guitar Line:

Hi Guys,

Today, a quick look at a Scott Collins 12 tone guitar pattern and applying it to alternate picking guitar technique as an exercise in descending intervallic movement.

First of all, let’s look at the pattern.

I am thinking of these motifs as 3 note “Tri-chords” [as in John ‘O” Gallagher’s book 12 tone improvisation].

Here, are the first 3 pitches as a tri-chord.

What makes this line interesting is that the “Tri- Chords” move in “Tri-Tones”.

You could view this from a diminished perspective but from a picking perspective it is more like tritones and semitones. This gives it that unique angular sound.

If we look at the example below we can see a classic example of a tri-chord pattern/sequence with the same guitar fingering.

scott-collins-12-tone-symmetrical-guitar-patterns

In the next example, we can see the tri-chords, the tritones and the semitone movement.

scott-collins-12-tone-symmetrical-guitar-patterns

I am using strict alternate picking guitar technique for this exercise starting this on a “Downstroke”.

I am counting in groups of three note triplets, although, you could count in sextuplets.

There is a lot of one note per string and two notes per string picking. So, remember when you pluck down to pluck back up equally. This very much Robert Fripp style picking and hence you need to be aligned with the string you wish to pluck.

scott-collins-12-tone-symmetrical-guitar-patterns

scott-collins-12-tone-symmetrical-guitar-patterns

Lastly, we will use half of the patten and play it over a traditional ii V7 I

scott-collins-12-tone-symmetrical-guitar-patterns

scott-collins-12-tone-symmetrical-guitar-patterns

Below, is the original line I took this from. As, you can see from the fingering, this was more of a symmetrical pattern with tapping.

scott-collins-12-tone-guitar-pattern

scott-collins-12-tone-guitar-pattern-book

As Requested: Youtube Shorts and Tab/Notation

Modern Jazz Fusion Chords part 2. Steely Dan, Dan Chord and Slash Chords

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youtube-guitar-shorts-tab-example

Hi Guys,

As requested here are the 5 Youtube Shorts and their Notation/Tab.

Shakti/McLaughlin short lick

Tab/Notation a] Strict alternate picking starting on a down stroke:

youtube-guitar-shorts-tab-example

Tab/Notation b] Strict alternate picking starting on a down stroke:

youtube-guitar-shorts-tab-example

A Harmonic minor idea for E7

Tab/Notation a] A Harmonic minor scale over a Dominant E7 chord. Strict alternate picking starting on a down stroke:

harmonic-minor-scale-guitar-lick

Tab/Notation b] Extension

harmonic-minor-scale-guitar-lick

Tab/Notation c] Longer Extension/Connection

harmonic-minor-scale-guitar-lick

Repeated Scale fragments

Tab/Notation: Repeated Scale/Motif. Strict alternate picking starting on a down stroke:

repeated-guitar-scale-fragments

Alternate Picking guitar technique lick

Tab/Notation: Strict alternate picking starting on a down stroke:

mclaughlin-john-guitar-lick

Tab/Notation: Strict alternate picking starting on a down stroke:

Modern Jazz Fusion Chords part 2. Steely Dan, Dan Chord and Slash Chords

Alternate Picking Guitar Tetrachords Part 2

Modern Jazz Fusion Chords part 2. Steely Dan, Dan Chord and Slash Chords

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alternate-picking-jazz-guitar-tetrachords-example

Hi Guys,

This is a response video to the previous video/blog. This is to explain and demonstrate the application of “Tetrachords” a bit further.

Here, I will add the video examples in Tab/Notation:

RECAP= What are Tetrachords:

“Tetrachords” are 4 note groupings to connect harmony/lines together for improvisation [and composition]

alternate-picking-jazz-guitar-tetrachords-example

When mastered they can be broken up into musical phrasing/punctuation:

Broken up/Shifted: Thus creating an upbeat

alternate-picking-jazz-guitar-tetrachords-example

Notes chopped off in the bar: Creating space and rhythmic interest.

alternate-picking-jazz-guitar-tetrachords-example

Breaking up the tetrachords like this helps to create smooth syncopations, anticipations or go the other way and play on the beat:

Now, let’s follow this through to a short extension of the phrase

tetrachords-guitar-improvising-lesson

As always it’s essential to count the time when doing this so that you know where you are in the phrase.

alternate-picking-jazz-guitar-tetrachords-example

In this video and for these examples I am employing strict alternate picking starting on a “Down Stroke”. Down Up Down Up etc.

alternate-picking-jazz-guitar-tetrachords-example

Practicing ii V7 I’s and iii Vi ii V7 I’s in various guises will really help you connect and nail the changes with your alternate picking: Below is an example with II V7 I:

alternate-picking-jazz-guitar-tetrachords-example

Now, let’s connect the harmony/chords together via tetrachords: This first example is in the style of John McLaughlin.

alternate-picking-jazz-guitar-tetrachords-improvisation-example

Notice, how smoothly the pentatonic 4 note groupings connect together

This time we will take a more basic approach with very simple fretting/fingering:

alternate-picking-jazz-guitar-tetrachords-improvisation-example

So, even through these basic examples it’s easy to see how to exploit these 4 note groupings to nail the changes and then break them up into musical phrasing/punctuation: As a further resource I would recommend John McLaughlin excellent DVD called “This is the way I do it”

PDF DOWNLOAD:

Modern Jazz Fusion Chords part 2. Steely Dan, Dan Chord and Slash Chords