robert fripp – Page 3 – Modern Music Theory Improvisation and Application

Fripp/King Crimson style Guitar Picking Exercise:

Posted on February 6, 2024February 10, 2024 by Modern Music Theory and Application

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Robert Fripp/King Crimson Style Guitar Picking Exercise: Alternate Picking/Cross Picking

Please watch video above for detailed info:

Hi Guys,

Today, a “Quirky” Fripp-esque/Crimson-esque guitar picking exercise.

Here is the first part:

As you can see this is very intervallic and as Robert Fripp might call it, “Finickity” picking pattern.

GUITAR TECHNIQUES:

Alternate picking starting on an upstroke works really:

Also, the pattern “Down Down Down Up” works well: [with a short amount of alternate picking on the C B E notes in the bass]

Fripp-king-crimson-cross-picking-guitartechnqiue-example-lesson

Moving on from this we have chromatic movement: So from here on in we employ strict alternate picking starting on an “Upstroke”:

In this next phrase we have a contrapuntal effect with arpeggio and scale movement put to good use.

We finish the first part with more descending chromatic movement with the last line imitating the phrase before it.

2nd Part “Chordal”

In the 2nd part we exploit whole tone scale movement:

We will decorate this by employing 4ths:

Now we will dismantle the whole tone scale by making a chordal quartal melody and strum this up a semitone and back to create a colourful sound:

This is then repeated up in Major thirds.

Up another Major third:

Finally we descend from the 12th fret with this little motif:

FREE PDF DOWNLOAD:

fripp-revised Download

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UP-STROKE Alternate Picking Concepts

Posted on August 10, 2023August 23, 2023 by Modern Music Theory and Application

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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]

We, will now extend this and complete the bar.

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.

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

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.

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.

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

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

Repeated Note:

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

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:

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Alternate Picking Groups of 6 notes for Jazz/fusion guitar

Posted on July 30, 2023August 10, 2023 by Modern Music Theory and Application

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Alternate Picking Groups of 6 notes for Jazz/Fusion Guitar

IMPORTANT: Please watch the video above for detailed info:

Hi Guys,

Today, a quick look at using groups of 6 notes for double timing in Jazz/Fusion.

Although these are sextuplets I am using them as a double timing musical tool and hence thinking of them slightly differently. This is because I am using a tempo marking of 100Bpm.

Why would I do this?

The reason being – Around this tempo demisemiquavers or 32nd notes might be too quick to play and offset the rhythm too much:

Alternate-Picking-Groups-6 notes-fusion-guitar

and 16th notes [tetrachords] may be too draggy and not pushy enough.

So, grouping 6 notes together over [1 crotchet] or 1 quarter note works really well rhythmically for clear cut phrasing. This is the sort of thing Al Di Meola or John McLaughlin would do.

You can count this how you want. Below are some common examples.

Alternate-Picking-Groups-6 notes-fusion-guitar-counting-time

In order to get forward momentum and shift the grouping along it is a really good idea to “Accent” the third note in each six note grouping: This also gives you a reference point and avoids muddying the groupings of notes.

Alternate-Picking-Groups-6 notes-accents-accenting

EXERCISE 1:

Here is the first exercise starting on a down stroke with strict alternate picking:

Alternate-Picking-Groups-6 notes-fusion-guitar-exercise

EXERCISE 2:

In the next exercise the second part goes the other way on the guitar fingerboard.

EXERCISE 3: EXTENDED LONG LINE:

This is an extended exercise with strict alternate picking : Remember to count the groupings as you play to begin with so that you internalise them.