Nine Studies and a Fugue for Concert Electric Guitar
This collection is conceived as a cyclic work in which each study develops material introduced in the preceding piece. Recurring melodic and rhythmic motifs create continuity across the cycle, while the main thematic idea gradually unfolds through processes of fragmentation, inversion, and variation. In the final fugue the material appears in its complete form, becoming the subject of the composition.
Each study can be performed independently, yet the full cycle forms an integrated composition lasting approximately 30–35 minutes. The work explores a wide range of technical and timbral possibilities of the electric guitar.
The pieces employ a combination of traditional and extended techniques. The notation used in the score clarifies how these techniques should be interpreted, combining established conventions with practical solutions developed for this project.
Study No. 1 (Open strings Harmonics) – This study explores the resonant natural harmonics available on the electric guitar, including those located at the 4th, 5th, 7th, 9th, 12th, 16th, 19th, and 24th frets across all six strings. The notation generally reflects the resulting sounding pitch to maintain visual clarity and facilitate performance. In certain cases, particularly at positions such as the 9th fret where non-tempered partials occur, the notation indicates the physical position on the fingerboard rather than strict pitch accuracy, emphasising the harmonic’s timbral character.
Study No. 2 (Pinched Harmonics) – This study explores pinched harmonics, a technique produced by striking the string with the pick while the edge of the thumb lightly touches the string immediately afterwards. This gesture suppresses the fundamental and emphasizes upper partials, creating a bright and unstable multiphonic in which the fretted pitch and a high overtone resonate together.
To notate this technique, a symbol derived from the diamond used for natural harmonics is introduced. The base of the diamond is truncated to form a triangular notehead, indicating the use of pinched harmonics while preserving the visual logic of harmonic notation.
Study No. 3 (Percussive/Timbre-based composition) – Study No. 3 explores the electric guitar as a percussive and timbral instrument. The piece is built around the interaction between different resonating parts of the instrument, including the body, bridge, pickups, and strings, activated through percussive gestures performed by both hands. A strong distortion and a fast pulse reinforce the physical and rhythmic character of the material.
To notate these gestures, a two-layer notation system is used. The upper staff indicates the position where the strings are stopped on the fingerboard, while the lower staff specifies where the percussive action is applied on the instrument. As illustrated in the examples below, different staff lines correspond to different parts of the guitar, such as the bridge, pickups, strings, and body.
Because muted strings at different fret positions produce different timbral results, the stopping position is indicated with Roman numerals.
Study No. 4 (Tapping) – This study focuses on tapping, a technique in which a note is produced by striking the string directly onto the fretboard with a finger, rather than plucking it with the pick. The gesture can be performed with the right hand, the left hand, or both hands in alternation, allowing rapid patterns and wide intervallic figures that would be difficult to execute through conventional picking.
In the notation used for this study, right-hand tapping is indicated by the symbol T placed above the note. When tapping is performed with the left hand within a two-handed tapping passage, the symbol + is used to distinguish the gesture from right-hand tapping.
Study No. 5 (Sweep Picking) – This study explores sweep picking, a technique in which the plectrum moves in a continuous motion across adjacent strings while the left hand articulates the notes of an arpeggiated chord. Unlike traditional arpeggios, which are often associated with fingerstyle playing, sweep picking allows the performer to execute rapid arpeggiated figures with a smooth and uninterrupted movement of the pick.
In this study the harmonic material is primarily organised in major and minor third relationships. The resulting arpeggiated patterns form extended chord shapes that unfold across neighbouring strings, making sweep picking essential for achieving the required speed and fluidity of the passage.
Study No. 6 (Jack Cable technique) – This study introduces an additional jack cable used as an independent sound source. The cable is connected to a separate amplifier channel or mixer input, allowing its signal to be processed independently from the guitar.Sound is produced by holding the jack connector in the right hand and touching the tip with the thumb. This contact generates electrical interference that is amplified through the loudspeakers, producing a disruptive noise that can be controlled by making or releasing contact with the tip.
A flanger effect is applied to the jack signal, sometimes combined with a volume pedal to shape the resulting sound. The score notates the guitar and the jack on two separate layers to clearly distinguish their dynamics and actions. Since the right hand is occupied with the jack, the guitar material is performed primarily using tapping and legato techniques.
Study No. 7 (E-Bow) – This study is performed using an E-Bow, a handheld device that uses a magnetic field to sustain the vibration of the string, allowing the guitar to produce long, continuous tones similar to those of bowed instruments.The piece alternates between the two operational modes of the device. The standard mode emphasizes the fundamental pitch, while the harmonic mode enhances upper partials, producing a brighter and more overtone-rich sound.
Legato markings indicate passages where the E-Bow remains fixed above the string, creating a continuous sustained tone. In other passages the device is moved along the string to shape articulation and phrasing.The study also explores different timbral possibilities, including sounds reminiscent of woodwind and bowed instruments.
Study No. 8 (Palm Muting) – This study combines palm muting with the expressive use of a wah pedal. Palm muting is produced by lightly resting the side of the right hand on the strings near the bridge while playing. This partially dampens the vibration of the strings, creating a short, controlled, and rhythmically precise sound.
The muted guitar signal is then shaped through a wah pedal, which filters the sound and produces characteristic timbral changes as the pedal is moved. The interaction between palm muting and the wah effect allows subtle variations in articulation and colour while maintaining a clear rhythmic profile.
Study No. 9 (Shredding) – The final study before the fugue brings together the techniques explored in the previous eight studies. It focuses on shredding, a virtuosic approach to electric guitar playing characterised by rapid passages, extended patterns, and technical freedom.
While certain structural elements are written in the score to maintain continuity within the cycle, performers are encouraged to develop and expand the material using patterns derived from earlier studies. Verbal indications in the score suggest the stylistic character of the shredding passages, allowing space for individual interpretation and technical expression.
Fugue for Concert Electric Guitar – The cycle concludes with a fugue for concert electric guitar, exploring the polyphonic possibilities of the instrument through three independent voices. A clean electric sound is used throughout the piece, avoiding additional effects in order to preserve clarity and articulation within the dense contrapuntal texture.
While the composition follows the general structure of a fugue, the approach allows a degree of flexibility in relation to traditional scholastic rules. The interaction between subject and countersubject nevertheless remains central, shaping the musical development and bringing the collection to a coherent conclusion.