Understanding Modes on Guitar - Guitar Modes Lesson - Part 2

[fhussain44]

THanks, now it makes sense . The mistake I was making was playing the modes over the same I-IV-V chord progression. (C-F-G) I now realize each mode has their own chord progression based on the tonic note.

[vanight]

Thanks so much, I have been trying to figure this out for over 20 years!

[weblogik]

part 1 was ace, part confused me :(

[vampiricsplendour]

is modes the tonal centres you play around to sound right?

[fretjamdotcom]

@vampiricsplendour If you're playing over a sequence of chords, then yes there may (not always) be a modal center implied, but remember that tonal center could also be established through a single chord. Dorian would sound right, for example, over a minor chord if there are no chord changes just as it would sound right over chord changes with Dorian's associated chord (e.g. Dm in a C major scale) as the tonal center.

[CRAIGARRR]

I listened to this, and I think I went back in time trying to understand it!

[shankaraist]

Misunderstanding about difference between dorian and melodic minor is connected with keys not positions. You were referring to same key, while I was talking about different key - that is a-melodic minor one runs on same frets as

d-minor dorian.

The standard chord types are: diminished, augumented, major, minor. Dorian type chord is a rare concept.

[shankaraist]

You don't have to know modes to play improvisation well.

There is no dorian group of chords in standard concept of chords. They group into tonic, subdominant, dominant and 9th.

The dorian mode sounds the same as the melodic minor but is played over different frets.

[fretjamdotcom]

@shankaraist No of course you don't have to know them, but it might help. And calling the chord group Dorian just helps some people visualise a chord progression compatible with Dorian more easily. I think Dorian sounds the same as melodic minor because of the 6th, but it has a flat 7th unlike melodic minor's major 7th.

[JamesBirdCHANNEL13]

Brilliant vids, - MY question is;

I understand the "maj, min, min, maj, maj, min, dim" and the modes, "ionian, dorian etc" being attached to them.

But what I am not to sure of is if thats the major scale, for example, if it was to change to Dorian being the main scale, would the above structure just chaneg around lightly or are their actual positions of the dorian scale.

Eg, the pentatonic scale has 5positions, does each mode have 5 individual positions?

[fretjamdotcom]

@JamesBirdCHANNEL13 Think of Dorian as simply the major scale starting on the 2nd degree. So Dorian will still have 7 positions, but its 1st position will be the 2nd position of the major scale. So all you're doing is shifting the tonal center of the major scale to its 2nd degree minor mode.

[corporacionmonstruo]

why you need to know modes?

[Lukaz1strat]

the intro scares the shit out of me D:

[moeandhisguitar]

IF a particular song is in the key of D and the progression was (I vi7 III I, and V vi7 IV I) what mode would i use to solo over it? I have tried D ionian and it doesnt quite sound right, then again G lydian doesnt sound right either? FYI the song is : waiting on the world to change by john mayer. any input would be appreciated

[fretjamdotcom]

@moeandhisguitar Not sure why it doesn't sound right to you because that's a classic example of a major/Ionian sequence. What you do have to watch out for are the passing tones within D Ionian as the chords change. You still have to navigate the scale in a way that highlights the chord tones. Start with D major pentatonic and slowly work in the major 7th and 4th of Ionian, experimenting with note placement and phrasing. There really is no other scale that will fit that song.

[nilla003]

So if I will solo over a IV (C maj for example), using the Lydian, do I base the pattern beginning on the C or the F?

[fretjamdotcom]

@nilla003 If you mean based on the C major chord scale, as per the example in the video, then playing both C Ionian and F Lydian will produce the same sound as they are both relative modes in that diatonic key. However, if you mean Cmaj is the IV chord, that means Gmaj is Ionian's root position and therefore C would naturally be your Lydian root.

[jwalsh8]

@fretjamdotcom only thing i wanna no is if we r playing the dorian progression in the vid is that a ii iii ii v or a i ii i v. Does the tonic become the i or r we still playing in c major? hope thats clear :-)

thanks

[fretjamdotcom]

@jwalsh8 You could write it either way. The first way (ii iii ii V) highlights the fact that you are playing from the 2nd degree of the parent scale (C major). The second way (i ii i IV) tells us that you are using Dorian as the modal tonic in that sequence of chords.

[ericsbuds]

sweet vids dudes awesome visuals this helped me A LOT

[canadianwahine]

thanks a lot dude. that was a really simple way for me to get some stuff sorted out.

[Stringyheads]

Cool, Im getting the piture now. Ive read lots on this subject and i think your video's here probably helped the most. A bit hard for someone who's not farmilar with all the music terms but im still going in the right direction thats the main thing. I suppose a combination of this type of learning and reading with practical is the only real way to grasp it from all directions. I know i'll do some prac then come back and revise from time to time. Cheers.

[fretjamdotcom]

@Stringyheads Glad they helped! A bit boring though aren't they? Haha. Yes these videos aren't for beginners. I always encourage people to learn the major scale before delving into theory. The main thing is understanding that the modes and their related chord progressions are all based on those parent major scale intervals. This concept can then be used for learning modes and chords of other scales, like harmonic and melodic minor.