How to Improvise on Piano : The Locrian Mode on Piano

[ivorlottandtonybroke]

Put a few F's in here - in other words emphasise the flat fifth note. That will produce a real taste of Locrian mode.

[MusicGuru12]

I didn't really learn anything in this video. It seems she's just playing Phrygian mode anyway. I'd like to see someone describe the harmonic implications of each note of the locrian mode and how it can be used in perhaps a jazz context. I'll have to thumb down this video, I'm afraid.

[PennyDreadful1]

The fuck is up with these comments?

[r0bz0rly]

ahh pretentious musical snobs.

[andylowings]

Yup Phrygian. Real Lochrian is much tougher than this on the ear.

[MexicanJudge]

Spanish music uses this mode a lot

[TheSki46]

any chance of showing us you panties might be more interesting , cheers and thanks if you do

[benvolio1987]

the only way she's using the Locrean is by resolving the tension into ionion. That's exactly what Locrean is used for - the building up of tension.

Just a shame she seems too stupid to know what exactly she is doing.

[johnrocks2hell]

wow your stupid

[MatsEP]

Just keep bashing her, that's real easy having no musical knowledge.

The locrian mode never(!) sounds good on its own, it's used to create tension... this woman is making the best of it.

[akamarutv]

@MatsEP

Wanna bet? Here's a non-modal progression in the key of B Loc.

Bm7b5 - G6 - Asus2 - Dm7 - (F#major)

F# leads back to the diminished tonic or at least that works best.

Try it and tell me if you think it sounds bad.

[MatsEP]

@akamarutv

That did sound surprisingly good. I still think it might be a bit harsh to the average ear, but I like it.

Thanks for inspiring me to try and write something in the locrian mode. I was always taught it couldn't be done because of the lack of a perfect fifth needed to define the tonal center... I guess we're allowed to borrow the F# for a short while :)

[drone713]

This person is so fucking terrible.

[jamesmykal]

I can't concentrate, you're too cute..are you related to alanis morriset?

[Sobreya]

So if one was to try to compose in this mode key, what would you suggest to help bring a composition written in this mode key to an end? By the way, thanks for this video.

[andylowings]

@Sobreya Stopping playing. There is no other way of resolving it.

[Fusion2222]

and lazy fags like you are too lazy to learn play in such scales;D

[IFulcrum]

I am dumbfounded that you just described literally ALL jazz and rock music as "puerile shit" and then said that rock people are "so fucking dumb".

Jazz musicians are the most theory hot musicians out there, and rock people, whilst maybe some keep it simple, a lot of them know all of their theory. It's not our fault the scales are called what they're called, we just learn and play them to make music, no matter how complex or basic.

[LazlosPlane]

No it's not their fault. Yes, Jazz folks are theory hot. But let's face it, compared with Bach, STravinsky, Josquin, and hundreds of great composers music, this is just child's play. It's fun, yes, but I can't take when they try to elevate to to something it's not: art.

In fact, studies show that rock music inhibits aesthetic growth, maturity. A person exposed exclusively to rock will never move on to HIGHER FORMS.

Childlike.

[slyglen]

Yes, learning basic scales is child's play. Learning anything begins with child's play.

You're an idiot.

[swiftink]

@slyglen true that... i thaut that by watching this i would see something i didnt ever before... turns out i new this in the first month of piano playing...

[swiftink]

@swiftink this video was useless...

[IFulcrum]

I would say that they are equally theory hot but in a different way. If you look at the differences between baroque from bach and jazz from someone like Pat Metheny, it becomes apparent that there is no way to compare their technical musicality.

All music is art, but it is subjective. So no one has any right to say it's not.

I will accept the exposure solely to very basic rock music such as Green Day or the like may well keep you from maturing but that can't be said for all rock. Pink Floyd?

[LazlosPlane]

Oh, pleeze. Pink Floyd? That's the best rock has to offer?!?!?

Maybe it is. Not saying much.

What about Twisted Sister?

[IFulcrum]

As I have already said; it's subjective so I don't really think anyone should say anybody is the best in general terms. I am fine if you don't like Pink Floyd but your argument about musical credibility lacks any kind of mature thought. Yngwie Malmsteen may shred a bit too much a lot of the time but there's no denying he knows his theory, as is the case with Rhandy Rhoads who was a classically trained guitar player who made the transition to playing rock.

[andtherewasblood]

Lazlos, I hope I never become a pretentious musician like yourself. All music is a form of art.

[StarflareLegionaire]

@LazlosPlane Your an Idiot

[SamJames115]

you can use the locrian mode on half diminished chords. (m7 flat5)

[shankpeterman]

She's playing phyrgian for the vast majority of this... those "3 notes" she's playing don't hint at what separates locrian from phrygian... it's lacking the flat 5.

[tyler201020]

@shankpeterman and the lowered 5th is what gives locrian the distict sound!

[jk600]

heyy thanks a lot!!!

im practice on the modes with my guitar

and i was searching to find a video

This is a great video.....i can hear the colours,,behind the melody!!

Thanks a lot

[AlexZyka]

Definitely, E phrygian. The only viable way to play locrian is with nothing but the tonic in the bass. Locrian is void. Void will disappear and fill with homogenous matter as soon as it gets in. No different in music. Locrian and harmony is not gonna work.

[slyglen]

Someone needs to listen to more metal or study their theory.

When moving to the tonic note, just omit the 5 if you want consonance. To establish Locrian tonality, use F as a melodic passing tone.

Harmony in Locrian is difficult, but not impossible. That's what makes it fun.

[xdarrenx]

Only the first thing she plays is locrian.

From 0:34 on it's B phrygian, cause she never uses the b5 note (tritone) so it fits in both modes (locrian and phrygian).

Try too implent that b5 as well there. That's the note that makes it hard too implent.

Now it's just being ambiguous, and I'd put my vote on Phrygian.

[brewcrew01984]

Yea your right. She really like the old I, VI, V stuff. Ha. Most people don't care for the Locrian unless maybe in jazz. Personally it's one of my favs...

[slyglen]

She definitely used the diminished 5, and I don't believe she used ever replaced the d5 with a perfect 5.

Your ear will still subtly remember that flat 5, so I would submit that it her piece still remains Locrian.

It is, however, very hard to harmonize. But sometimes two voices alone still sound good.

[xdarrenx]

Nothing to do with remembering.

She is repeating B and C + their octaves, and plays a melody on top of it without a single b5 added.

She should put that tin the melody.

It isn't about what you remember, but what you hear.

That's like saying you played a blues solo with a b5 in a minor key song, and say it's locrian, because you "remember" the b5 being played.

That doesn't make sense.

[slyglen]

It's rather subjective. I would agree with you if she played another 2 minutes of material without ever returning to the flat 5.

I'm saying that it's that 5th note that differentiates between Phrygian and Locrian (when discussing church modes) and I only heard a diminished 5 throughout. Yes, there were only a few instances of it, but it was never actually replaced with a perfect 5th.

But with such a subjective topic, I suppose you could argue that rather than Locrian, it's both.

[0024681]

Hey Man your cute and nice theory lesson.

What B is it B minor or B flat 7. 5

[NYJOS]

Locrian mode is used on half diminished chords (minor chord, flat 5, normal 7th). the chord you would use for this would have the notes B,D,F,A. In jazz, the second note (C) is often sharpened.

[0024681]

It almost sounds like your playing a gypsy minor or a harmonic minor..

[nimrodcruz]

hi, i'm a songwriter and a composition major student. I'd say that you really have a creative approach on this modes. You've actually open doors for me to explore more of my musicality! thanks for posting this.