tetrachords – modern music theory and application

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

Posted on April 4, 2024April 6, 2024 by Modern Music Theory

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

Please watch video above for detailed info:

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:

SEXTUPLETS EXERCISE:

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:

Full Exercise/Line:

CHROMATICISM/PENTATONIC

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

PENTATONIC/ARPEGGIO MOVEMENT

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

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

In Conclusion

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.

Free PDF DOWNLOAD:

pdf-jazz-guitar-alternate-picking-exercises-Download

IF THIS LESSON WAS OF USE TO YOU THEN PLEASE SUBSCRIBE TO US BELOW ON YOUTUBE, THANKS!

A Natural Minor Scale/Chords/Arpeggios:

Posted on January 19, 2024February 10, 2024 by Modern Music Theory

CLICK SUBSCRIBE!

A Natural Minor Scale/Arpeggio:Basics

Please watch video above for detailed analysis:

Hi Guys,

Today a quick look at the Chords,Scale and Arpeggios of the A natural minor scale.

To begin with this scale is exactly the same as the C Major scale but starting on the 6th degree:

Chords of Major

Chords of A natural minor

Next we will play through and exploit and “Colour” the arpeggios of the scale:

A minor

B Diminished

C Major 7th

D minor

E minor

F Major

G Major

We will now descend in broken chords in groups of 4 notes.

Exploiting the arpeggios over different chords of the scale:

Here are a few examples of playing a different arpeggio over a different chord of the scale:

arpeggios-c-major-scale-superimpositions

Scale ideas:

Here is a basic way of breaking up the scale by employing triplets:

First we will do this on one string:

Now we will cross all 6 strings:

This time we will employ 16th’s in 4 note groupings of “Tetrachords” creating a double time smooth pentatonic line.

tetrachords-a-natural-minor-scale-example-pentatonic

We can change the Dominant [minor] chord in the A natural minor scale and make it Major:

With this in mind we realise that the G natural is now a G# and so we can employ the A Harmonic minor scale to play over it.

Here is a simple 2 finger fingering:

a-harmonic-minor-scale-dominat-chord-example

Now, let’s extend this:

We could also use the E7 Arpeggio:

Finally, we have a lick with an arpeggio [that also implies a triad pair] going to a pentatonic phrase:

PDF DOWNLOAD:

a-naural-minor-scale Download

IF THESE LESSONS/VIDEOS WERE OF USE TO YOU THEN PLEASE SUBSCRIBE TO US BELOW ON YOUTUBE, THANKS!

CLICK SUBSCRIBE!

Alternate Picking Guitar Tetrachords Part 2

Posted on November 5, 2023November 23, 2023 by Modern Music Theory

CLICK SUBSCRIBE!

alternate-picking-jazz-guitar-tetrachords-example

Please watch video above for detailed info:

Hi Guys,

This is a response video to the previous video/blog. This is to explain and demonstrate the application of “Tetrachords” a bit further.

Here, I will add the video examples in Tab/Notation:

RECAP= What are Tetrachords:

“Tetrachords” are 4 note groupings to connect harmony/lines together for improvisation [and composition]

alternate-picking-jazz-guitar-tetrachords-example

When mastered they can be broken up into musical phrasing/punctuation:

Broken up/Shifted: Thus creating an upbeat

Notes chopped off in the bar: Creating space and rhythmic interest.

Breaking up the tetrachords like this helps to create smooth syncopations, anticipations or go the other way and play on the beat:

Now, let’s follow this through to a short extension of the phrase

Counting Time

As always it’s essential to count the time when doing this so that you know where you are in the phrase.

Alternate Picking Guitar Technique:

In this video and for these examples I am employing strict alternate picking starting on a “Down Stroke”. Down Up Down Up etc.

TETRACHORD EXERCISES EXAMPLES

Practicing ii V7 I’s and iii Vi ii V7 I’s in various guises will really help you connect and nail the changes with your alternate picking: Below is an example with II V7 I:

Connecting the “HARMONY”

Now, let’s connect the harmony/chords together via tetrachords: This first example is in the style of John McLaughlin.

alternate-picking-jazz-guitar-tetrachords-improvisation-example

Notice, how smoothly the pentatonic 4 note groupings connect together

This time we will take a more basic approach with very simple fretting/fingering:

In Conclusion:

So, even through these basic examples it’s easy to see how to exploit these 4 note groupings to nail the changes and then break them up into musical phrasing/punctuation: As a further resource I would recommend John McLaughlin excellent DVD called “This is the way I do it”