Counting Rhythms for Alternate Picking Guitar “Right Hand” Technique:

Hi Guys,

Here are a few of the Rhythms that I like to count and/or practice when alternate picking:

These are based around Indian Konokol: But: I am using them to INTERNALISE patterns. This could be Ta ka di mi but felt/internalised as du du du du

These, I find help me enormously with the right hand picking, as I can connect phrases together from the internalised beats/syllables.

These are NOT cast in stone and are only a few ideas that I use personally, and are not aiming at strict Indian classical music technique, but, are employed as reference points/patterns/beats in the way that they are enunciated.

1] Ta ka di mi [1 2 3 4]

2] Ta ki ta Ta [more as 123 1]

1] Ta ka di mi thom [1 2 3 4 5]

2] Ta ka di mi Ta [1 2 3 4+1]

3] Ta ki ta Ta ka [1 2 3 1 2]

1] Ta ka di mi Ta ki ta [4+3]

2] Ta ka di mi thom Ta ka [5+3]

1] Ta ka di mi Ta ka di mi [4+4]

1] Ta ki ta Ta ki ta Ta ki ta [3×3]

2] Ta ka di mi Ta ka di mi Ta [4+4+1]

1] Ta ka di mi Ta ka di mi Ta ki ta [4+4+3]

1] Ta ka di mi Ta ka di mi Ta ka di mi Ta [4+4+4+1]

1] Ta ka di mi Ta ka di mi Ta ka di mi Ta ka di mi [4×4]

These are only ideas that I personally find useful, and, as I say they are not for strict Indian classical music. But, they do function well as reference points and a way of enunciating beats for the picking hand to pluck at a fast [alternate picking] tempo.

Mastering John McLaughlin’s Guitar Techniques

Hi Guys,

Today, Part 2 of the alternate picking patterns/numbers for John McLaughlin style guitar playing/picking.

These are all building off of the number 5 and starting on the “Up” stroke for strict alternate picking guitar technique in standard tuning:


john_mclaughlin_guitar_technique_example
john_mclaughlin_guitar_technique_example
john_mclaughlin_guitar_technique_example
john_mclaughlin_guitar_technique_example
john_mclaughlin_guitar_technique_example
john_mclaughlin_guitar_technique_example

These example like those above expand on the number 5 but start on a “Down”stroke this time.

john_mclaughlin_guitar_technique_example
john_mclaughlin_guitar_technique_example
john_mclaughlin_guitar_technique_example
john_mclaughlin_guitar_technique_example
john_mclaughlin_guitar_technique_example

Example 1:

john_mclaughlin_guitar_technique_example

Example 2:

john_mclaughlin_guitar_technique_example

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McLaughlin: Rhythm Guitar Revisited: Part 2

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Hi Guys,

Today, the second part of the John McLaughlin style rhythmic guitar essentials.

If we look at a composition like “Face to Face” by Shakti, we will find interesting rhythmic strumming patterns:

It’s unique how John creates interesting rhythmic riffs with just a couple of chords by employing a bar of 7 to a bar of 8:

shakti-face-to-face-rhythm-guitar-lesson

You may wish to count this in different ways. For Example, you could count this as: 15/16 to 16/16 [in groups of 3 to groups of 4 in the next bar]:

shakti-face-to-face-rhythm-guitar-lesson

And, also, Groups of 4 with the last being a grouping of 3 [or one note removed in a bar of 4/4 time]

shakti-face-to-face-rhythm-guitar-lesson

Here, are the two chords that I have used.

These being similar to McLaughlin’s “Face to Face” composition with Shakti.

shakti-face-to-face-rhythm-guitar-lesson

To complete this vamp I employ a little “Turn around” in the bass with a 4 note descending scale motif.

shakti-face-to-face-rhythm-guitar-lesson

Here, is the full 2 Bar Sequence with the turn around motif:

shakti-face-to-face-rhythm-guitar-lesson

In this variation we have the previous bass scale notes played in the treble on the first string of the guitar.

We also have changed the first chord with a “Quartal” E minor voicing.

shakti-face-to-face-rhythm-guitar-lesson

John McLaughlin sometimes strums quickly between two chords and the open strings. Here are a couple of examples.

Firstly, we can see how John exploits 2 simple chords of A Major and D Major between the open strings:

john-mclaughlin-strumming-guitar-lesson

[This is strummed at a very quick pace by alternate strumming “Down Up“] etc

To finish, we will look at one last alternate strumming McLaughlin favourite.

This again follows the same principle with the quick “Down Up” fast wrist movement in the strumming hand.

john-mclaughlin-strumming-guitar-lesson