A Natural Minor Scale/Chords/Arpeggios:

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A Natural Minor Scale/Arpeggio:Basics

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:

c-major-chords-of-scale-diagram

a-minor-natural-chords-of-scale-diagram

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

a-minor-arpeggio-diagram

b-dim-arpeggio-diagram

c-major-arpeggio-diagram

d-minor-arpeggio-diagram

e-minor-arpeggio-diagram

f-major-arpeggio-diagram

g-major-arpeggio-diagram

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

arpeggios-c-major-scale

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

arpeggios-c-major-scale-superimpositions

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

First we will do this on one string:

a-minor-scale-triplets-example

Now we will cross all 6 strings:

a-minor-scale-triplets-example

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:

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

We could also use the E7 Arpeggio:

e7-dominant-arpeggios-example

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

E-dominat-chord-guitar-lick

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Al Di Meola Arpeggio Guitar Picking Part

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Al Di Meola Arpeggio Guitar Picking Part 2

PLEASE WATCH VIDEO ABOVE FOR DETAILED ANALYSIS:

Hi Guys,

Today we will look at Al Di Meola’s approach to picking chordal arpeggios. He terms it “Chordal Picking”.

I have composed a short riff based on “Meeting of the Spirits” performed by the guitar trio.

This is deliberate in order to show how the picking patterns can be the same but interpreted differently.

In this case it is 3/4 :

al-di-meola-arpeggio-guitarpicking-lesson

Or 6/8 [or 12 3 1 2 3]

al-di-meola-arpeggio-guitarpicking-lesson

What remains the same is the picking pattern which is “Down Down Down Up Up Up”

al-di-meola-arpeggio-guitarpicking-lesson

The next part deliberately employs a different time signature of 2/4

This is just to show how easy it is to fit alternate time signatures with these chordal picking patterns:

al-di-meola-arpeggio-guitarpicking-lesson

It might sound or look complex in words and notation, but, in reality it is quite natural to play, compose with and perform.

The next part employs “Dampening”. This is just simply resting my palm on the guitar strings and plucking the rhythm.

In this case the picking pattern is our old friend “Down Down Up”

al-di-meola-arpeggio-guitarpicking-lesson

For the strumming part please watch video at the top of the page as it is easier to show visually than with diagrams or notation.

Lastly, we finish with the “Down Down Up”pattern once again:

al-di-meola-arpeggio-guitarpicking-lesson

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How to Play “Frevo” intro by Guitar Trio John Mclaughlin and Paco De Lucia:

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How to Play “Frevo” intro by Guitar Trio John Mclaughlin and Paco De Lucia-Alternate Picking Lesson

Please watch video for detailed analysis:

“FREVO” Intro PDF

This is a repeated alternate picking pattern starting on a down stroke.

It consists of rhythmic sextuplets. These can be counted as triplets or as Konokol Ta ki ta Ta ki ta.

sextuplets, alternate, picking Frevo, guitar trio, Mclaughlin, De Lucia, De Meola, lesson
How to Play “Frevo” intro by Guitar Trio John Mclaughlin and Paco De Lucia Guitar Lesson

It is essential to accent the first note of each 6 note grouping in order to get “Rhythmical” picking patterns.

accent, sextuplets, alternate, picking Frevo, guitar trio, Mclaughlin, De Lucia, De Meola, lesson
How to Play “Frevo” intro by Guitar Trio John Mclaughlin and Paco De Lucia Guitar Lesson

After crossing the first two strings the pattern is repetitive

repeated, sextuplets, alternate, picking Frevo, guitar trio, Mclaughlin, De Lucia, De Meola, lesson
How to Play “Frevo” intro by Guitar Trio John Mclaughlin and Paco De Lucia Guitar Lesson

Below, is the whole intro starting on a “Down” stroke for strict alternate picking

Frevo, sextuplets, alternate, picking, guitar trio, Mclaughlin, De Lucia, De Meola, lesson
How to Play “Frevo” intro by Guitar Trio John Mclaughlin and Paco De Lucia Guitar Lesson

sextuplets, alternate, picking Frevo, guitar trio, Mclaughlin, De Lucia, De Meola, lesson
Friday Night in San Francisco by Al Di MeolaJohn McLaughlin and Paco de Lucía

Friday Night in San Francisco is a 1981 live album by Al Di MeolaJohn McLaughlin and Paco de Lucía. It was described by jazz author and critic Walter Kolosky as “a musical event that could be compared to the Benny Goodman Band’s performance at Carnegie Hall in 1938 … [it] may be considered the most influential of all live acoustic guitar albums”.[4]

All the tracks except “Guardian Angel” were recorded live at The Warfield Theatre on 5 December 1980, in San Francisco; “Guardian Angel” was recorded at Minot Sound, in White Plains, New York.

Track listing

No.TitlePerformersLength
1.Mediterranean Sundance/Río Ancho” (Al Di MeolaPaco de Lucía)Paco de Lucía (left channel) and Al Di Meola (right channel)11:25
2.“Short Tales of the Black Forest” (Chick Corea)John McLaughlin (left channel) and Al Di Meola (right channel)8:39
No.TitleLength
3.“Frevo Rasgado” (Egberto Gismonti)John McLaughlin (left channel) and Paco de Lucía (right channel)7:54
4.“Fantasia Suite” (Al Di Meola)Paco de Lucía (left channel), John McLaughlin (middle channel) and Al Di Meola (right channel)8:41
5.“Guardian Angel” (John McLaughlin)Paco de Lucía (left channel), John McLaughlin (middle channel) and Al Di Meola (right channel)4:00

Personnel

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