Riff Of the Week™ : The Modes: Dorian

[arsehole420]

i was just wondering being a songwriter myself, what's your POV on knowing how to find the exact notes that work over a riff compared to noodling and finding what sounds right to your ear besides the sometimes lengthy search of the right notes. i'm a bit afraid of learning theory in the sense of it trapping me in an non-experimental "this is what works and this is what doesn't" mentality. from your experience would you say that learning theory has expanded your creativity or boxed it a bit?

[DAVEWEINER]

@arsehole420 - theory is a shortcut, it leaps you past noodling, but isn't the basis of songwriting.

[juancarv]

Dude absolutely beautiful playing style you have there. I was trying to find out a little more about your coming Master Class at PRS. Is that an actual class or just a full blown Jamming session?

PS: Glad you kept your guitar passion right after school. You are a really good musician.

[DAVEWEINER]

@juancarv - it's a class.. I'm sure I'll do some jamming too.

[guitarguy12345678901]

wouldnt it be g7, not gm7 for the first progression?

[suprovobhattacharya]

hey, just got a couple of questions: when playing the dorian mode, do i have accentuate the maj6 cause that interval defines the scale? and can i use dominant 6th chords like Gmin6maj instead of G7/G dom7. and btw the videos are awsome!

[et7waage1]

Great style! Thanks for posting!

[dashfront21]

these are incredibly helpful. thanks for all these lessons!

[legatotechniques]

super

[pudster181]

wow did not know that there are modes after my name cool

[cosmogang]

I love how every resource on the internet about "modes" never really tells people the real necessary things they need to know about modes.

[DAVEWEINER]

@cosmogang - If this doesn't make sense, that's a comprehension/lack of application problem. I'll be happy to clear it up. Just take a look at daveweiner . com / lessonssessions / lessons

[soaring138]

Excellent virdeo. I'm going to understand a little bit more about thiese modes ! :-))

[lamofbodom]

im confused why you chose to use the minor over the minor7th in the 2nd demonstration? didn't you just use the same minor7th chord in the first demonstration using dorian over it? how does it make musical sense, doesn't the two scales have the difference in 7th notes? im just a confused trying to learn by himself guitarist, not trying to sound like a snob here!

[TheDeamontool]

6:07 - 6:13

haven

[JoluBadBoy]

A Great Lesson man, very usefull

[xMetalUpYourA55x]

Ok, Im trying to learn guitar by myself, but theres something I don't really get at all, How do I memorize all the scales an their different positions?? Im actually learning scales with the Guitar Pro program, and I really want to get some experience and start to making my own music. Hope you can help Dave(or anyone else reading this comment). You're awesome!!!

[DAVEWEINER]

@xMetalUpYourA55x - daveweiner . com / lessons

[johndawson420]

@xMetalUpYourA55x just keep playing. the more time you spend with your guitar the easier everything will get. you really gotta play until its second nature and your hands remember where to be without much thought. All in all, keep playin and itll happen.

[Sayduhzuoh]

@xMetalUpYourA55x u just gotta memorize all the shapes of the scales and the root notes of those shapes. It's quite simple actually, all you gotta do when you wanna play a certain scale in a different key, u just match the root note with the key. For different modes, the root notes change, but the shapes still stay the same. It's alot of memorization but you can do it. I suggest mapping out the C major scale (it's just all the natural notes on the fretboard), then use that same pattern.

[BlikeNave]

@xMetalUpYourA55x I say look into the modes. It totally mapped out my fretboard for me. Start with the major scale (aka the first mode, ionian). Learn the major scale inside and out and then the modes will come very easily to you. If you want some advice from a young and learning guitarist send me a message and I'll try and point you in the right direction!

[crisDAwog]

@xMetalUpYourA55x well ide say repittion and using whats familiar in scales too identify also a good fretboard vocabulary so u gotta know the notes all over the neck like a b c d etc and when u look at the neck look at it in notes not frets u know but hey im still in the prosess of learning scales im 15 been playiong for a yea these tips ive given u is just genaral observation in memorzing anything

[MaestrosounD]

Dave, seriously, this is great stuff, very clear explanation of the diatonic harmony, really appreciate it!

[MerryChristmas1988]

Dave, is it necessary to learn different fingerings for the dorian mode or can i just stick to using my major scale box patterns im used to from playing ionian? Or will that sound too much like ionian?

[THEDARPONE]

I am confused. To quote Wikipedia, "The D Dorian mode contains all notes the same as the C major scale starting on D. " There is no Bb in the dorian scale. Gm 7th has a Bb in it. Where did that come from? Should it not be GM 7th?

[AhYaOk]

@THEDARPONE he switches back and forth over each chord. he is meaning to do that. you don't always have to play strictly within a certain key or mode (diatonically) its like a certain jazz approach where each chord is treated as a separate event. this gives you a lot more options.

[thisispissnmeoff]

Im so confused!

so so so so confused!?

[riffoftheweek]

@thisispissnmeoff - take 1 lesson with me, you'll get it definitely. daveweiner . com / lessons

[pmasta333]

whatt about this idea D harmonic minor scale. over a G7 as the root. Thats dorian #4 if im not mistaken and it sounds crazy

[pmasta333]

so if i use chords that are shared beetween both those scales i can switch up the lead. Nice work i always thought of that but i figured it would confuse the listener

[waax3]

damn i don't understand anything =P

[pmasta333]

dont focus on all the symbols they are intimidating and confusing. but they really all make sense and are more obvious than you think. just play a cmajor on the piano, then you can move onto this stuff cuz all his mode videos are modes of that scale.

[shredderwannabe]

can you still play a D dorian scaling over the Dm7-Gm7 progression?

[DAVEWEINER]

D dorian would give you a B... Gm7 has a Bb.

[sonico73]

Dave also can I play dorian over Dm7, as the second degree of C major or it sound to obvious? what do you think about it ?and why you didn't choose that approach?

[DAVEWEINER]

sure you can. I chose not to so that when i play it over the G it sounds fresher.

[sonico73]

Great ; )

[trailblazer225]

Until I watched these videos, I never used the modes cuz they intimidated me. Now I get it. : )

[pmasta333]

they never intimidated me i just thought the book was lying cuz it was showing me scales i thought i already knew and not explaining that you have to change the root.

[paulignacius]

Thank you Dave! Your the best!

[gtrfrk477]

good jb man i even learned a little...and i want ur guitar!!

[RenickFamily]

this is sweet! thanks Dave u rule!

[Ornithus]

dude, this guys knows his stuff. i gotta check out his website.

[N4o4N]

he should, he plays with Steve Vai.

[pur33z]

amazing video

[ahmadnraja]

Great video .. learnt a lot ..

[snaredrumdude2]

haha funny shit. i thought i was retarded for the first 4 mintues of the lesson. i watched the beginning like 5 times till i finally got it. it was so stupid. i was like why are you playing G dorian when your in D minor. i thought it would be E dorian. =D

[joesatriani1200rulez]

hey dave Fmajor with a A# on it is F4 isnt it?

[snaredrumdude2]

wouldnt that be F aug4 ??? wouldnt the A need to me natural for it to be a normal F4

[GuitarraLiderProducc]

hey dude!!, i have a question. If i have this progression: C- B/C- Am- G i can use the dorian, i know that, but,, why??? cause the dorian it´s a minor mode, and that progresion it´s for mayor

( I ii iii IV V vi °) right??

[DAVEWEINER]

You can play D dorian over that. Or A dorian if you wanted a more lydian sound. Why? because daveweiner . com / lessons

[snaredrumdude2]

my brain is officially fried. how the hell am i going to practice tonight when im temporally retarded!!! do you have a copy of all the notes in each scale. i understand theory i just need to know what notes are in which scale.

[xiozthunderplums]

Thanks for your theory explenations. They really help

[ozzy9691]

o never mind...6th haha

[ozzy9691]

so a Dorian scale is a minor scale with a raised 7th? isnt that harmonic minor?

[whoosoo]

I have a question sir..Can I use A minor scale and G dorian mode at the same time?

[DAVEWEINER]

Do you have 2 guitars, 4 arms and 4 hands?

[whoosoo]

Oh Im sorry Its not A minor..but its D minor scale..sorry for that..

So can I use D minor scale and G dorian at the same time?

[Anonymousmuffin]

Can I just ask a question?

In Am, can you play A phrygian over a C7?

[SimonKaos]

thx for the lesson dave, but i have a question. if i play d minor (aoelian) mode and then focus on g dorian, am i not in fact playing the same scale? d aoelian = g dorian? they are diatonic to each other ( i thought). so, how is there a transition, modally here? what if we played d dorian and then g dorian over the respective m7 chords?

[DAVEWEINER]

It's a shift of focus to the notes and intervals with the most potential to pull out the color of the mode.

[mdlagreca]

You really have the best lessons. Thanks!

[5amuu]

thank you so much for this lesson, you answered so many questions i've not been sure about for a long time.

[ckleinespel]

Let me know if I understood that:

If I play a D minor progression, I can solo with a D scale that has a minor tonality. But I can also play a diffenrent scale for each chord (as long as it's the current chords' scale with a minor tonality). Right?

So here I could play with D minor, D blues (?), D minor pentatonic (?).

But also with the G Dorian (which has a minor tonality) over the G chord only.

[beartard1]

I don't even play guitar, but I love this treatment of the modes. Thanks!

[ckleinespel]

I think music theory stays the same for each instrument anyway ;) lol

(I mean it does! ^^)

[vhpetrucci]

That's the real music.... thank's !!

[Zotoaster]

This guy is a genius. It's not that I dont understand most of what he is saying, it's that it will be a long time before I am able to compose with this stuff in mind.

I want to be able to confuse my friends with all that music language, heheh.

Great video of course!

[mikechavez75]

Thanks a lot Dave, I love playing modes, especially dorian and phrygian, they`re very exciting to play

[Achtelnote]

everybody plays dorian.

[Roger17drummer]

So this the man playing together with mr Vai. Dave, I can see why Steve chose you;) great playing. Next to Santana, Joe Satriani plays lots of Dorian too right?

[OlviMasta77]

doesnt like, Eric Johnson play alotta dorian mode too?

[hansgrock]

Good job as always, Dave. Love the second improv in the video. You're a really good player, you know?!

Keep Rock Alive

Hans G

[roryrockssocks]

I'm anticipating Lydian :D

And lovin' the videos.

I can't believe I forgot to watch it yesterday! :P

[Elmancho02]

Great as always, can't wiat foir the next one !!!! When is youre new cd coming out? I want it now :p

Hugo

P.S. The text in the video is soooo useful, good job!

P.P.S. What are the talkies doing in the backround ? :)

[juancamposfernandez]

genial dave, thank, gracias, obrigado, merci

[tapiakenny]

hey Dave a personal cuestion: Why you always use a 7 string Guitar? I hope that soon you explain us some riff or advantages of having an extra string... saludos desde venezuela. sorry my english...:D

[FRETPICK]

Daves the man!

[zjingo]

saw ur vid two weeks ago..since then i asked my guitar teacher to teach me about modes too..actually pretty cool..u can add new colours and diversify your playing without having to learn "new" scales ;-) looking forward to "phrygian";) thx dave

[soulofhendrix]

Me too. Phrygian rocks!

[sdmf1982]

Wow, that was awesome. You're great at making this sound so simple. This series is already opening up so many creative doors for me. Thanks a million mate :)

[aklaasofitsown]

Great Video, as always!

But where is the difference between D minor scale and G dorian scale? The notes are the same, aren't they?

Did you practice every scale for itsself (e.g. d dorian), or do you "calculate" it according to the particular ionian scale?

Could you also call the "Santana-progression" you play, call a II-V, no?

Wanted to write you an e-mail, but didn't found your adress anymore.

Thank you for all your vids!

[wildchild247]

Hey dave do you teach at the MI? you are such a kick ass teacher

If not could you come here to perform a clinic?

That would be so awesome

[Neoworry]

This is some good stuff thanks for every riff :D

[omarzinho3]

dude you always find the words and the way to make it easy and understandable!! thanks a lot dave!

[zero2kx]

Finally after 3 years its starting to make sense. Modes have eluded me the whole time, well other than Ionian and Aeolian but as for the others I just never knew how to use them.

Thanks Dave I look forward to your lessons every week.

[Kmh5494]

Santana! Very cool. Great video; very helpful, once again. See you next week!

Kelly

[junka22]

The dorian sounds very cool, you can really get funky with it, I love bending a half step from the natural sixth :P. Thx for another great vid Dave!

[wimpy77]

you're the first person who hasn't made theory sound like a foreign lanuage. you put into words that i finally understand.

[bluefingaz]

maybe u should post these videos on monday.i feel so blue after a sunday,tht the only thing tht might cheer me up is one of ur videos..thx

[chrisdswitzer]

I love these episodes

[ScreamingSolo]

definitely, i look forward to every Wednesday

[HarmonicMinorJ]

That was great Dave

Are you playing through a blues junior amp?

[DAVEWEINER]

59 Bassman.

[RichCrisler]

Cool stuff your the man!

[mindfulmusic78]

that was very insightful,thank you!!

[lanemergess]

Dave, You are speaking of things most should all know, but in this simplicity lays the foundations of phrasing. Nice work, once again. I've said it 100 times before sir. 5 Starz apb

[DAVEWEINER]

Thx brutha!

[lanemergess]

Anytime

[darealmasta]

nice, these videos are the best thing about Wednesday.