“Minor-isation”For Backing Track Improvisation:

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

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“Minor-isation”or the minor topic.[Backing Track]

Hi Guys,

Today, a quick look at applying minor-isation for improvisation over a backing track:

This is a very useful way to play over ambiguous harmony or Jazz fusion chord progressions, slash chords and sometimes illogical movement/chord shifts.

ANSWER=Employ the minor key for everything!

minor-topic-pat-martino-minorisation-track

Let’s apply the same principle to DbMaj7#11

If we apply chord iii we have F minor:

minor-topic-pat-martino-minorisation-track

This time we will apply it to B Maj7#11

Chord iii being D#minor [Although I have notated it enharmonically with Eb minor as some people find that easier to visualise on the guitar fingerboard]

minor-topic-pat-martino-minorisation-track

In bars 9 to 12 you will see slash chords. For these we will go to chord Vi. So for instance on Db/Eb we will use Bb minor.

minor-topic-pat-martino-minorisation-track

Bars 9 to 11: Chord Vi:

minor-topic-pat-martino-minorisation-track

And on C/D chord Vi will be A minor:

minor-topic-pat-martino-minorisation-track

We could also use chord iii as we did in the first 8 bars:

Bars 9 to 11: Chord iii Employed:

For the last part we will employ chord iii of Db Major throughout: This of course being F minor:

minor-topic-pat-martino-minorisation-track

Here is the chart for the full backing track and you will see how all of this works:

minor-topic-pat-martino-minorisation-track

This is just a basic example of how “minor-isation” can be exploited to create really fluid improvisation especially on the guitar in a modern smooth jazz fusion context:

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

Jazz Guitar Alternate Picking Exercises: ii V7 i [Double Time]

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

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Jazz Guitar Alternate Picking Exercises: ii v7 I [Double Time]

Hi Guys,

Today, we will look at some alternate picking guitar technique exercises for jazz improvisation when double timing

We will exploit ii V7 I’s as a basis for honing our alternate picking skills whilst employing 4 note tetrachord groupings.

In the first exercise it’s a good idea to accent the third note in each four note grouping. We are also starting on a downstroke:

jazz-guitar-alternate-picking-lesson-exercies

Here is the same exercise but with a variation in the second bar:

jazz-guitar-alternate-picking-lesson-exercies
jazz-guitar-alternate-picking-lesson-exercies

The next exercise will employ groups of 6 notes called sextuplets: As an exercise we will start with an “Upstroke” this time. This will be played over an AmMaj7 pad:

First Part:

jazz-guitar-alternate-picking-lesson-exercies-sextuplets

2nd Part:

jazz-guitar-alternate-picking-lesson-exercies-sextuplets

Full Exercise/Line:

jazz-guitar-alternate-picking-lesson-exercies-sextuplets

The following exercise uses some chromatic movement that smoothly connects to pentatonic movement starting on a downstroke:

jazz-guitar-alternate-picking-lesson-exercies
jazz-guitar-alternate-picking-lesson-exercies

In our final exercise we will join together some of these principles.

jazz-guitar-alternate-picking-lesson-exercies-double-time
jazz-guitar-alternate-picking-lesson-exercies-double-time

This was just a brief look at how to create alternate picking guitar exercises for improvisation through chord changes by applying simple patterns/fingerings that work naturally.

This was only around 140 bpm. But, this is essential before moving onto much quicker tempos with the alternate picking guitar technique.

With the 4 note “Tetrachord” groupings you will get fluidity through the changes. They will give you stability. They can then be broken up to create anticipation and syncopation-which will in turn create the natural expression of musical phrasing.

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

“Lotus Feet” Shakti Scale Solo Concepts

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

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Hi Guys,

Today, a quick look at exploiting the Em scale for John McLaughlin’s and Shakti’s composition “Lotus Feet”.

The key to making a solo sound interesting is to highlight the prominent notes of the scale: In this case it is the semitones F# G and B and C.

lotus-feet-shakti-guitar-solo-how-to

Here are the semitones ascending:

Here, they are descending:

lotus-feet-shakti-guitar-solo-how-to

Also, take into consideration that the F# note will make the Cmaj7 Lydian:

lotus-feet-shakti-guitar-solo-how-to

Now, let’s add one extra note to the semitones and create an imitated phrase going through the octaves.

lotus-feet-shakti-guitar-solo-how-to

Now, we will connect some scale to the semitones ascending:

lotus-feet-shakti-guitar-solo-how-to

Here we will connect three tetrachords in 3/4 creating a smooth pentatonic style line:

lotus-feet-shakti-guitar-solo-how-to

Another key component when improvising is to exploit the arpeggios within the scale:

Two arpeggios that work well for this composition are Em and Bm:

lotus-feet-shakti-guitar-solo-how-to

E minor:

lotus-feet-shakti-guitar-solo-how-to

Mixing the scale with the arpeggio also works really well.

lotus-feet-shakti-guitar-solo-how-to

It’s always a good idea to have a few pentatonic’s from the scale at hand:

Here we can manipulate the Em, Bm, and Am to good effect. Again we can make them more unique by adding the semitones:

Em Pentatonic:

lotus-feet-shakti-guitar-solo-how-to

Bm Pentatonic:

lotus-feet-shakti-guitar-solo-how-to

Am Pentatonic:

lotus-feet-shakti-guitar-solo-how-to

Now, lets connect two fragments together:

lotus-feet-shakti-guitar-solo-how-to

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

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