• Another Approach To Modes & Improvisation (Advanced)

    in Experienced players,Scales

    Yesterday, we briefly introduced modes.

    We learned that although they have fancy greek names and sound all intricate, they are no more than individual scales that simply start and end on a different tone of the major scale.

    So you literally play ONE scale but you start and end on different notes of that scale, depending on the mode you want to play. It’s that simple.

    What I’ll show you now isn’t quite as simple as yesterday’s concept, but still easy to grasp.

    Consider the single note, “F.”

    As we learned yesterday, F is the 4th tone of C major and thus creates the lydian mode.

    Playing a simple C major scale starting and ending on “F” is known as F Lydian.

    Say you’re on an F chord (in the key of C major), this mode would definitely be something to try.

    But guess what? You don’t have to be confined to F Lydian. And you don’t have to be confined to one key. ANY time you go to any F chord in ANY key, you can think of the various modes with F as starting note.

    Sure, F is the 4th tone of C major and the Lydian mode but what if you got a little creative and incorporated other modes with F as starting note?

    That means, you ask yourself:

    1) In what key is F the first tone of the scale?

    Answer: F major

    Play F major from F to F and you get F Ionian (pretty simple because all Ionian modes are essentially major scales since they start and end on FIRST TONE).

    So F Ionian (a.k.a – “F major scale”) would be one option to try whenever I’m on an F chord.

    Again, I may be in C major (or maybe in any other key) but that doesn’t stop me from venturing outside and playing other F modes.

    2) In what key is F the 2nd tone?

    Answer: Eb

    That means, you could play an Eb major scale starting and ending on F.

    Pop quiz? What’s this called?

    Answer: Whenever you play a scale starting and ending on the 2nd tone of the scale, you’re playing the DORIAN mode. (We learned this yesterday!)

    Now just add “F” to the front of that name and you’d call this “F Dorian.”

    F Dorian is simply playing Eb major from F to F.

    Note: You have to know your modes very well and be able to think backwards a little bit. If the dorian mode is ALWAYS the 2nd tone of the scale and you want to play F dorian, you basically do what we did above and ask yourself, “In what key is F the 2nd tone of the scale?”

    3) In what key is F the 3rd tone?

    Answer: Db major

    That means, you can play F Phrygian by playing the Db major scale from F to F.

    This might also be something you try when on F.

    Note: Each mode carries a different feeling. Some are more associated with major scales. Others are more minor.

    4) In what key is F the 4th tone?

    Answer: C major

    We already know this mode. It’s the first one we did above where we played C major scale from F to F. This is the F Lydian mode.

    5) In what key is F the 5th tone?

    Answer: Bb major

    So you’d simply play a Bb major scale but starting and ending on F. That gives you the F Mixolydian mode.

    6) In what key is F the 6th tone?

    Answer: Ab major

    By now, you should have it. Play an Ab major scale starting and ending on F and you’ve got yourself an F Aeolian scale.

    7) Lastly, in what key is F the 7th tone?

    Answer: Gb major

    Simply play Gb major scale starting and ending on F, the 7th tone of that scale, and you’ve got yourself the F Locrian scale.

    —–

    Wow, you’ve just now learned 7 possibilities. Keep in mind, not all will work. Some are associated with major, some minor, some diminished. They all have alterations that should hint you at what chords they work best with. But at the end of the day, use trial and error and let your ear be the final judge.

    I won’t kid you… this takes some work to get used to.

    #1 – You’ve got to memorize your modes and what scale degrees they fall on.

    #2 – You’ve got to be good at knowing each major scale as numbers (i.e. – “what is the 2nd tone of the scale?”)

    #3 – You’ve got to be able to quickly recall the major scale and play it starting on the appropriate tone.

    This should keep you busy for a while. :-)

    Until next time –

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    Hi, I'm Jermaine Griggs, founder of this site. We teach people how to express themselves through the language of music. Just as you talk and listen freely, music can be enjoyed and played in the same way... if you know the rules of the "language!" I started this site at 17 years old in August 2000 and more than a decade later, we've helped literally millions of musicians along the way. Enjoy!




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