John McLaughlin's Music Vocabulary

 These files are presented as a guide to the modes,and music chart navigations 
referred to in John McLaughlin's scores for the "Mahavishnu Orchestra". 
 They are presented here for educational purposes.


 {W=whole step} & {H=half step}

 ]Note lower string offers first possibility of scale pitch.
                            ~[1] [C] Ionian Steps 
                            ~ R 2.3.4.5.6.7.Oct^^^
                            [E|-W-W-H-W-W-W-H--^^ ]
                            [B|------------0-1-^^^]
                            [G|--------0-2-4]5-^^ ]
                            [D|--0-2-3-5]------^^^]
                            [A|3-5]------------^^ ]
                            [E|,-------,-------^^^]
~
~ d Dorian       \/e phrygian    \ /   F Lydian       G Mixolydian
~ R 2.3.4.5.6.7.8vR.2.3.4.5.6.7.8v^R.2.3.4.5.6.7.8v^R.2.3.4.5.6.7.8v^
E|-W-H-W-W-W-H-W-]--------------0-]------------0-1-]----------0-1-3-]
B|----------0-1-3]--------0-1-3-5-]------0-1]3-5]--]----0-1-3-5]----]
G|------0-2-4]5--]----0-2-4]5-----]--0-2-4]5]------]0-2-4-5]--------]
D|0-2-3-5]-------]2-3-5]----------]3-5]------------]5]--------------]
A|5--------------]-H-W-W-W-W-W-W--],-------,-------]-W-W-H-W-W-H-W--]
E,-------,-------],-------,-------]-W-W-W-H-W-W-H--],-------,-------]
~          
~

Suppose john  McLaughlin plays AFlat_BNatural_CSharp over a C Natural Minor 7th chord?



E to E string outlay at NUT
~        # b # b # b     # b # b     # b # b # b     # b # b     # b # b # b~
~        | | | | | |     | | | |     | | | | | |     | | | |     | | |\| | |~
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |/| | 
  E   F   G   A   B  [C]  D   E   F   G   A   B   C   D   E   F   G /A440Hz