Guitar Techniques: Safe Fretting for Better Performance

Hi Guys,

Today, a quick look at the fretting hand and fretting notes “Safely”and easily on the guitar.

This is essential to ensure a relaxed hand, relaxed elbow and relaxed shoulders that are aligned and in sync with the right alternate picking hand at uptempo BPM’s.

To begin with, let’s take a simple 5 note prime number pattern and alternate pick it.

This will be done starting on an upstroke.

Musical notation featuring alternate picking guitar technique notes on a staff, with markings indicating measures and guitar tablature below, highlighting certain fret positions.
A guitar sheet music notation featuring a simple 5 note prime number pattern with for alternate picking.

From this simple 5 note pattern, we can move the fretting hand quickly avoiding pressure on the tendons.

Now that we have this let’s add another 3 note prime number pattern.

When these are connected together we have a “Smooth” little phrase of picking and fretting in sync.

Sheet music showing guitar alternate picking tablature with notes and finger placements, including various symbols and measures.
Standard music notation for a combined 5 note and 3 note alt pick pattern on guitar.

Now, let’s turn the 2 prime number patterns into “Standard” music notation – as 16ths.

Sheet music featuring Shakti McLaughlin guitar tablature with notations and finger positions, including a section labeled '4 + 4'.
Standard music notation for a 5-note prime number pattern as 16ths.

From here, let’s add a chord, so that what we have starts to become/sound like music:

Musical notation with a staff displaying notes, rhythmic values, and a guitar tab indicating specific frets and strings for fretting hand when alternate picking technique is employed.
Shakti/McLaughlin style alternate picking technique on guitar

In this example, we will start with a chord and then comfortably play off of that chord ascending and descending into the next chord.

As you can see we have what looks like a bit of a stretch.

But, it is only a barred 2nd inversion C Major triad, with an F# note in the bass on the 4th finger.

The point here is that from that F# note we will start the alternate picking line from that 4th finger as it is already in position.

This makes it easy to do and connect to the next chord as the 1st finger will be in position to play the next chord.

The second part then descends nicely into the last chord of F#+7

Here, is another group of 5 + 3. Again, this is easy to fret and pick, and as before we will start on an upstroke.

Musical notation with standard staff lines showing notes and tablature for guitar, including finger positions indicated by numbers.

The beauty of this is that when we finish the chord on the downstroke it is natural to then go into the opposite direction and descend into another chord connection.

A sheet of music notation featuring notes on a staff and guitar tab indicating finger positions on the guitar.

Finally, let’s finish with a much favoured guitar picking pattern that encapsulates 6 notes [Sextuplets]

We will employ our 5 note prime number pattern and add 1 note.

This will give us a nice and quick 6 note sextuplet pattern to execute.

Sheet music showing musical notes, including key signatures and bar lines, along with corresponding tablature for string instruments.

Now, we will shift this up the fretboard as we repeat it.

Sheet music showing John McLaughlin and Al Di Meola guitar tablature and notation with various notes and techniques.
Standard music notation for John McLaughlin/Al Di Meola style alternate picking pattern/exercise

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Schoenberg’s chord of the 15th-Music Examples and Analysis

Hi Guys,

Today, a look at the final chord of Arnold Schoenberg’s “Sechs Kleine Klavierstucke” 2nd movement.  In thirds this reads as: C–E–G–B–D♯–F♯–A♯–Cx.

schoenberg_chord_music_analysis_extended_15th_in_music

This extended chord of a 15th, can also be viewed and heard as a bi-tonal construction of C Major 7th with Eb minorMajor 7th superimposed on top

schoenberg_chord_music_analysis_extended_15th_in_music

This can also, be thought of [especially in terms of the guitar] as an arpeggio of CMaj7 and an Arpeggio of EbmMaj7.

schoenberg_chord_music_analysis_explained_15th_in_music

Due, to the nature of its sound and collection of notes, it can produce some interesting counterpoint. Especially, as the Eb to E natural resolution creates colour and drama. [view video at top of page].

schoenberg_chord_music_analysis_extended_15th_in_music_guitar

Being, a Bi-Tonal chord it is useful as it gives us triad pairs.

schoenberg_chord_music_analysis_extended_15th_in_music_guitar

Ascending Line:

schoenberg_chord_music_analysis_chord_pairs_guitar

Now, we will take this a stage further by adding more chords/triads available.

D+ to C to EbmMaj7 to CmMaj7 to Em7 to Bmaj7

schoenberg_chord_music_analysis_chord_pairs
schoenberg_chord_music_analysis_chord_pairs

Let’s now, re voice the chord. Here we will make the chord of C a minMaj7 and add D Augmented [9th] on top.

schoenberg_chord_music_analysis_extended_15th_in_music

In the video/audio [a quick demo I created] below, we can hear the dramatic sound of this voicing in the orchestra.

Next, we have two guitar voicing’s. Firstly we have a Bsus/C [or plain B/C] as a typical McLaughlin guitar voicing.

schoenberg_chord_music_analysis_extended_15th_in_music_mclaughlin_guitar

Secondly, we have the same voicing but with a changing bass.

schoenberg_chord_music_analysis_extended_15th_in_music_guitar

Lastly, another guitar voicing that is useful for chordal picking:

schoenberg_chord_music_analysis_extended_15th_in_music_guitar

From here, we will add a partial scale descending that is formed from the chord: This chord voicing has a flattened 5th and a sharpened 9th.

schoenberg_chord_music_analysis_extended_15th_in_music_guitar

Lastly, we can create some interesting and colourful passages by exploiting the intervals inherent within this 15th chord.

schoenberg_chord_music_analysis_extended_15th_in_music_intervals
schoenberg_chord_music_analysis_extended_15th_in_music_intervals

Arnold_Schoenberg's_chord-of-the 15th_analysis_music_theory

20 Century Classical Music: Plectrum Guitar Concepts/Patterns

Hi Guys,

Today, a quick look at picking intervals on the guitar in an atonal fashion and creating innovative composition/improvisation.

Our example, exploits uneven/untidy intervals and creates a Stockhausen-esque [in terms of plectrum guitar] way of working and listening whilst placing these intervals.

Here, we will pick 5/4 and 3/8 Rhythmic units, and make the most of the guitars resonances from the bass to the treble.

This works really well, when the bass note is “Sustained” as the treble note is plucked. [The opposite can be applied also, as staccato]

Stockhausen, Guitar, Lesson,  intervals, alternate, time, signatures, composing, improvising, Free, PDF, Download
Stockhausen guitar composing improvising lesson concepts: Alternate Time Signatures

In the next bar, we will again make adventure with our “Atonal Intervals”. We will utilise our wide string skipping and move back to the 5/4 unit.

Stockhausen, Guitar, Lesson,  intervals, alternate, time, signatures, composing, improvising, Free, PDF, Download
Stockhausen guitar composing improvising lesson concepts

The rhythm in this next bar, now employs four “Three” note groupings in 12/8 [or as triplets in 4/4].

This changes the rhythmic effect, and makes the intervals less harsh and more even and interesting to the ear of the listener.

Stockhausen, Guitar, Lesson,  intervals, alternate, time, signatures, composing, improvising, Free, PDF, Download
Stockhausen composing improvising guitar muslesson concepts

To offset this, we now have an irregular feel with 7/8 which will lead us back into a regular 4/4 set up with chords.

Like Boulez, this is all really a play on opposites.

Stockhausen, Guitar, Lesson, alternate, time, signatures  composing, improvising, Free, PDF, Download
Stockhausen composing improvising guitar lesson musical concepts

Finally, we have our chords: But, they too are slightly offset, so that nothing ever feels quite stable and hence, keeps the listener on their toes!

Stockhausen, Guitar, Lesson,   composing, improvising, Free, PDF, Download
Stockhausen composing improvising guitar lesson musical concepts
Musical notation and tablature illustrating uneven intervals and rhythmic units on guitar for atonal composition.
Guitar notation and tablature illustrating atonal intervals and rhythmic complexities for innovative composition.

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