technique – Page 4 – Modern Music Theory Improvisation and Application

Alternate Picking from Ascending 5’s

Posted on April 27, 2025April 27, 2025 by Modern Music Theory and Application

PLEASE WATCH VIDEO ABOVE FOR DETAILED INFO:

Hi Guys,

Today, a quick look at building from the “Ascending group of 5” with alternate picking guitar technique.

This group of 5 exploits the “Up” stroke. It works well as a tool for building longer and longer lines/phrases.

This is NOT shred and is really only for jazz, fusion and world-esque music like John McLaughlin’s super creative outlet Shakti. It is an improvisers tool.

ASCENDING 5:

Here is an example of the 5 figure. It consists of an open string and starts on an upstroke.

This 4 note + 1 sets up the upstroke for the string cross.

alternate_picking_guitar_technique_example

Here’s how it would be as a tetrachord to the next beat. [As opposed to a quintuplet or Ta ka di mi Thom.

EXAMPLE/EXERCISE 1:

Let’s now build off of the ascending 5 figure.

In the example below, we can clearly see the extension from the 5’s to 7’s to two groups of 4 note tetrachords.

From here, we will add a Dom7th chord to the scale/phrase.

This sets us up nicely to descend smoothly starting on the upstroke.

EXAMPLE/EXERCISE 2:

Here, we will do exactly the same thing, except that this time we are moving from G7 to C Major. [Notice the open string and 5 figure extended].

Once again, the descent is on the upstroke.

FULL EXAMPLE:

EXAMPLE/EXERCISE 3:

Here, we see the process in action again. The line building from the 5 figure.

The descent starts on the upstroke as before, but, this time leads to a perfect V I cadence:

VARIATION:

Here is a variation, but, this time in the key of A Major.

The same form of descent is employed that once again ends in a V I cadence.

FREE PDF DOWNLOAD:

5-Guitar Download

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

Posted on April 18, 2025April 18, 2025 by Modern Music Theory and Application

Please watch video above for more detailed info:

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–

WHY is this?

It’s because I am in “Standard” tuning and the syllables of the counting help to “Connect” quick rhythmic patterns together to create “Musical phrasing” for composition and improvisation.

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.

4 note grouping:

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

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

5 note grouping:

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]

7 note grouping:

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

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

8 note grouping:

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

9 note grouping:

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]

11 note grouping:

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

13 note grouping:

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

16 note grouping:

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

IN CONCLUSION:

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.

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Julian Lage’s Approach to Jazz Guitar Improvisation: 2Note Chord Voicing’s

Posted on December 27, 2024January 8, 2025 by Modern Music Theory and Application

Please watch video above for detailed info:

Hi Guys,

Today, a look at how jazz guitar master Julian Lage harmonises, creates and improvises on jazz standards with simple 2 note chord voicing’s:

Many guitarists, and many instructional manuals display what are commonly called jazz chords as big block barre chords with overbearing resonance and no resolution to the movement.

But, the reality is that someone really good at comping in jazz will distill big block chords into simple 2 note voicing’s that don’t intrude and that pierce through the band or ensemble.

2 NOTE VOICING’S PART 1

To begin with, let’s take a ii V I [Example below]. Notice that the C moves down a semitone to the note B and and then back up the semitone to C. The F note is played in both chords and then resolves down a semitone to the note E.

julian_lage_guitar_jazz_chords_lesson_example

Now, let’s apply this to the minor key. Here we have iim7b5 V7 i [note the 1 tone movement from the F to the Eb]

ADDING A SIMPLE MELODY:

Below, is an example of how to add a little melody to our 2 note voicing’s of our ii V I – [notice that it creates a clear and uncluttered sound].

julian-lage-jazz-guitar-chords-melody-example-lesson

We, will now apply this same concept to the minor key.

julian-lage-jazz-chords-chord-melody-example-guitar

Julian Lage: Chord Melody-“All Things” Concept.

Applying, what we have learnt so far let’s look at the first few bars of the standard “All the things you are”

First of all let’s take the basic harmony and see how the chords connect.

julian-lage-jazz-chords-melody-guitar-example

From here, we will now add the melody to this skeletal structure.

SOME MORE 2 NOTE VOICING’S:

Here, is a nice easy way to string some V I’s together on the guitar fingerboard.

julian-lage-jazz-chords-voicings-guitar-example

Below, is a great way to modulate. Here, we have V7 I with I becoming the new V7 [third inversion] that modulates/resolvess to the new I chord [1st inversion] This works so well on the guitar with simple 2 note voicing’s.

julian_lage_jazz_guitar_chords_lesson-tab-

This last example, is super easy and is a great case in point as the same shape just moves down in semitones through the cycle 4ths/5ths.

julian-lage-jazz-chords-voicings-example-cycle-of-5ths

julian-lage-jazz-chords-voicings-example

ADDING COLOUR NOTES:

Although, 2 note voicing’s cut through, it can still be okay to add colour notes. For instance, below we have the use of a Major 3rd and minor 3rd to create a bluesy sound on the dominant chord.