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From: Wallimann
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  • end part, easy isnt it?.... aahhhhhh not quite mate.... fucking hell.

  • Plus, I learned about the modal scales from loving all the early Miles Davis electric era with Mclaughlin and the entire family tree of fusion and found much to my surprise that the Dorian was my favorite and how much it was used in that period, sounding very complimentary to the blues. So it turns out the "minor" modes" are the bluesier scales, and the only other mode I really love to use is the mixolydian, for acceleration and ascending. Thanx for the insight.

    outstanding info.

  • Ever since I learned the Minor Pentatonic boxes positioned the length of the fretboard, I've been looking for instruction using this as the starting point and not the Major scale which always turns me off. these lessons are going to make my playing and learning much more enjoyable and constructive.

    thanx a ton!

  • I liked your free lesson but at times it was a bit difficult to follow ...it would be better if there were some thinkness in the strings of we would know which way is the 6th to the 1st string shown in the diagram, also if the notes that you were playing where highlited on the diagram while you were playing so we can follow along with you...if thos things were in your lesson, I would buy...your method is inventive...I like it

  • @guitarsinheat Thanks buddy!

    That one is old, you should take a look at my Applied Theory For Guitar Players on my site guitarplayback(dot)com :-)

  • thanks for the post WILLIMAN!! ur ch rocks!!! love Ur patience, and ur clear way of explaining to new players about the real deal on guitar... i been playing for 35 yrs,, and still finding new things ,, thanks for being part of it, blesses.. all the best!!!

  • Comment removed

  • hey wallimann, great videos by the way, but i have a question, i'm nearly understanding the concept of modes now, but I'm unsure why you don't talk about locrian? I've heard its not very nice sounding? because i know that the shapes are say C Ionian then D Dorian, E Phrygian, F Lydian, G Mixolydian, A Aeolian then B Locrian. So if i wanted to move down a position/pitch from the 'C Ionian' 1st position backwards to the 7th postion (The B Locrian 1st scale shape) would it make sense in practice?

  • @BucketheadCleary Thanks! I left that one out because you don't find the minor pentatonic scale inside. If you liked this you might enjoy my "Applied Theory For Guitar Players" package on my site guitarplayback(dot)com

    It explains everything from intervals to modes and will answer all your questions. :-)

  • Thanks!!!

  • He has a parker fly, he must know what he's doing.

  • i can hear a real heavy gate/compression on the dialog, seems like the attack or the release is turn up to much, really informative vids, cheers

  • @jimadrummer Thanks a lot! Yeah, those old videos lacked good microphones hence the gate. New ones are better though! :-)

  • Roger Federer playing modes!

  • @marooki10 I've been called that before. Haha!

  • Good job , nice dude , great guitar player and he reminds me to benny Hill

  • Dude thank you so much for your videos, I find them essential in the expansion of my arsenal.

  • @Hittman67 Thanks for the feedback! You might also enjoy the material found on guiarplayback(dot)com if you want to go further. :-)

  • You really understood the way our (guitarists) mind is working and having the Penta as baseline for all the others simplifies it... thanks a lot

  • @YaacovRoniCohen Thanks for the comment!

  • Thank you SOO MUCH!!

  • @bradlaypamp Glad you liked it!

  • Hey, this is a great little demonstration. I'm always trying to explain this stuff to people and I never thought about how you can use the minor pentatonic as a pillar to build the 3 minor modes on. Especially since it shows how you can use that knowledge to combine the pentatonic and modal worlds seamlessly.

  • Hey David! Just subscribed to your channel! Great stuff, really!

    I'm a self taught musician and I doodle around the guitar a little so excuse my lack of proficiency in theory, but I've got a question: what is the correlation between a straight up minor scale and the aeolian scale? I discovered the aeolian scale on my own and I just can't get enough of it! thanks!

  • Really cool, helped me a lot. Simple perspective that i can apply to my playing.

  • David this is fantastic and thank you! However one thing I worked out is why when you play E Phrygian mode over C major it sounds correct and it seems to work? Why is this? any help would be fantastic :)

  • @TomPandolfino It sounds good because you're not playing E Phrygian, but C Major. The scale position looks like E Phrygian, but the scale is indeed C Major. It's not the note you start from that determines the key but the chords you play over. I hope that makes sense?

  • @Wallimann Yeah it does thanks again!

  • @TomPandolfino Tom. The simplest way to answer your question is this: You know the key signature of E major. F# C# G# D#. In the Phrygian mode, the 2nd, 3rd, 6th and 7th are flattened. So, the original E major (or "Ionian") is this: E F# G# A B C# D# E. Phrygian is E F (natural) G (natural) A B C (natural) D (natural) E. Yes, it is true. They are the same notes as C major but DO NOT confuse C major with E Phrygian. You *are not* resolving to C... but to E. E equals HOME.

  • good vid dude.. really well explained. im from a pent background and have been trying to get my head around modes.. this is really usefull cheers. Guess i now need to go and try and put them into a playing situation.. !.. its just knowing the correct and approriate paces to use them ..

  • @darrenswm I'm glad this was useful!

    You also might enjoy my "Applied Theory for Guitar Players" on my site guitarplayback(dot)com

  • @darrenswm I wish music terminology was simpler. The term "modes" really just refers to the modes of the major scale. But each one of those modes is a scale. Any scale could be thought of as a mode of some other scale (as long as it uses all of the same notes). So the two words are essentially synonymous but the term 'mode' is just telling you that a particular scale uses the exact same notes as another scale but uses some other note of that scale as the tonic.

  • U R really good...

  • @moonshack965 Thanks!

  • Now its just a matter of commiting to memory. There's only so many notes per scale, only so many patterns. Its not like you're trying to memorize the dictionary or the phonebook.

  • thank you, you have know idea how helpful this is.

  • @thehoboman1000 Glad it did!

  • HOW BOUT TALK TO YOURSELF IN THE MIRROR,AND SHOW US SOME STUFF.THANX TIGER JUST A SUGGESTION.THANX 3MIN OF BLA BLA

  • LOL my name is Dorian, and always when someone explains the Dorian mode im like MUHAHA ii got my own mode!

  • @RockahD91 What a cool name!

  • @Wallimann Thankyou! Haha

  • how bout on the maj and minor theory modes.. with mal chords,, how to use maj and nim modes over the maj or min chord progression i think thats a great lesson to explain, as well.. i dont have the patiance ,, but u might

  • @Yahmanjim0077 Yeah, for sure! Eventually you should know both. In the end, you won't think in terms of positions but rather sounds. What happens is that you subconsciously associate muscle movements with sounds...

  • VERY EFFECTIVE SIR , VERY WELL DONE MAN THANKS A BILLION!:)

  • @MrVoodoochild9 Thanks for watching!

  • You have the coolest looking guitar ever Dude!

  • @pskerries Thanks man!

  • Great lessons on the modes of the major scale ! You helped clear up some confusion I had regarding modes and it all makes sense to me now. Thanks !

  • @MrJimBBQ Glad you enjoyed this, thank you very much!

  • Aeolian is exactly how I play the minor scale... it is confusing...

  • @Teque86 They are the same scale, Aeolian is just another name for minor scale. :-)

  • @Wallimann A question for you mate.When you learn modes you just learn them parallel as new scales or you incorporate tricks like....if you wanna play D dorian you count a major second down and just play the Cmajor scale(targeting the important tones)?

  • @Dreamdancer11 Great question! I see them as new unique scales.

  • would the locrian mode also have a minor tendencies/function? even though it is hardly used.

  • @bonzoandzoso Yes, because it has a minor 3rd. :-)

  • @penrosation666 Yes, keep it in key. What you read about has to do with the origins of the modes but I would not worry about it. That approach is often confusing and doesn't really help you play modal.

  • Added to favourites!

  • "Easy, isn't it?" - It certainly is when you put it like that - you've just dispelled many years of confusion in 6 minutes. Thank you!!

  • @HandyBendyGandhi Awesome!

  • A very, very useful lesson. Seeing how the different modes fit in with the Pentatonic helps a great deal - thanks.

  • @nicedog1 I'm glad you liked this!

  • A very, very useful lesson. Seeing how the different modes fit in with the Pentatonic helps a great deal - thanks.

  • Ahh just did I, wanted some major scale chord realation thing too,i'll hopefully buy that bundle soon....what!? Im a teenager,so always broke. But soon as soon as I buy myself an electric :)

    thanks.

  • where can I find A Aeolian mode 5 patterns?

  • @iamgreyhoundCheck my "applied theory for guitar players" package on guitarplayback(dot)com

  • AHH THANK YOU!! Needed this!

  • @iamgreyhound It's my pleasure!

  • @iamgreyhound It's my pleasure!

  • Hey David,

    Just wanted to say thank you for making these videos. This was the first one I saw from you and it really marked the point where I was able to advance my playing by a lot. Before I only knew about the minor pentatonic and major scales. I was about tired of the sounds I had. But then your vids came along and introduced me to the world of music theory. I was amazed at how my guitar playing suddenly became more interesting. You are the best music teacher I've had. Thank you David

  • @StratmanHSS Thank you sooo much for that!!!

  • that's great Wallimann  ... good vid ... what do you think of Scott Henderson ... have you made any other recordings than the 321 vids ... as said before, very impressive

  • @skysense Thanks! Yeah, I really love Scott's musicality. Some videos are also on my site guitarplayback(dot)com

  • why you need to know modes? really

  • @corporacionmonstruo You don't, but it just gives you more options...

  • @Wallimann fastes reply of my life! i posted 12 minutes ago!

  • @corporacionmonstruo I live in Youtube... :-D

  • wait so you can mix all these scales together?casuse when i try improving with them mixed together it does not sound as good as yours?

  • @guitar0124 You can't mix them together, no. Unless you are playing over a single bass note.

    The notes of your chord(s) direct you in your choice of scale. :-)

  • 4:39 thats the FRICKEN scale haha

  • wow, I'm actually learning something! that's a change, noone else does video' slike yours man, be proud and thanks so much! :)

    am I right in thinking that I have descovered that the solo in the intro to Fade to black by Metallica uses the Dorian scale? I was playing it over a looper and playing what sounded right, then saw this video and realised that everything I was doing fit into this Dorian scale :O strange :) thanks again!

  • @ravenshield56 Thanks man! Glad you like these!

    Fade to Black is actually in Aeolian, But Dorian and Aeolian are super close! Only one note differs between them. :-)

  • @Wallimann Damnit! :P and one other question whilst your here, are all scales based on the Pentatonic? or are all scales just relative of eachother?

  • @ravenshield56 You find "hidden" pentatonic scales in a lot of scales, but not all of them. :-)

    You should try to see scales as unique and individual scales from each other. Check my video "Music Theory for Dummies" if you haven't already. :-)

  • @Wallimann Thanks again for everything mate :)

  • great video!

    I'm always confused tho when people call that minor pentatonic position 1. Surely its position 4, since its based off of "Em shape" CAGED, the forth letter? Pedantic i know but its quite confusing when people keep talking about different positions and meaning different things.

  • @chronoisworking Thanks man, glad you like the video!

    The position has to do with the placement of the root.

    For the pentatonic system, there are 5 position (1 for each of the pentatonic's note). If the first note of the penta is found on the left side 6th string, that's the 1st position.

  • I discover the important thing to share with all. All Pentatonic Minor can be used as Pentatonic Major. For example, Pentatonic Am = Pentatonic C, Pentatonic A = Pentatonic F#m. So, in this case, I found that these all modes have the same pair (minor and major) and the pattern is also same. Example, Dorian Am = Lydian C, Phrygian Am = Mixolydian C, Aeolian Am = Ionian C. And this pattern can be use to all note. From basic pentatonic, you can get the full package of 6 modes.

  • @moufyiedarz Well done!!!!

  • nice tutorial. with the dorian, i tend to memorise it through the root note from the bass string, so in your example i would go from G major scale. but then its not really dorian anymore.

    would i still need to learn these modes, despite knowing most of the notes and position on the guitar anyway through self teaching?

  • @soapywater Even if you started with the G note, you would still be in Dorian because it's not the note you start from that determines the key but the chord you are playing over.

    You don't necessarily need to learn those shapes, the idea is that eventually you won't think in terms of shapes. You will associate the sound of the modes to finger movements which is the most important...

  • hahahahha, I just realized I have used the A minor Dorian mode scale in a song without knowing ^^

    Soooo, the Aeolian scale is basically a minor scale? nothing fancy about that one?

  • hahahahha, I just realized I have used the A minor Dorian mode scale in a song without knowing ^^

  • I've been playing guitar since I was 4. I'm now 38 and this was the first time I really GOT modes in a way I can internalize. I always had the chops and know all the modes and scales bu never really could just get the sound of the modes till I saw this and heard your improve to each THANK YOU so much!

  • @Evolveweb Thanks so much for your comment!

  • @Wallimann dude you're an awesome teacher. Many thanks for uploading this video, greatly appreciated.

  • @Hertsman50 Thanks so much!

  • @Wallimann I am having some trouble here. I have been playing guitar for about 6 years, and I can play just about anything that is put in front of me. Thing is, I can't improvise at all. I understand the basic idea. Link scales together. But to be honest, I don't really understand where these scales can go on the fretboard. For example, how can I improvise using the minor scale in A without it sounding repetitive? I am just lost. I figure if anyone can make me understand it, it's you.

  • @OrgodemirDQ7 That's a great question!

    It all has to do with creating a stronger connection between what you hear and what your fingers do. Approach a new lead like a singer would. Just sing over the track (using imaginary lyrics help)... Then reproduce the cool ideas on your instrument. This will really help. It takes time at first, but after a while you will automatically associate sounds with finger movements and your improv will be fresh and musical.

  • @Wallimann Thank you! I am actually sitting down to play right now. Are there any particular scales or techniques that may help me? I have trouble doing scalar runs with alternate picking. This is likely because I have always learned by ear, so I have little to know knowledge of musical theory or true practice drils.

  • @OrgodemirDQ7 I wouldn't worry too much about scales. Just work on singing over the track and reproduce what you did on your instrument. It will really help you find your own voice.

    But if you need a starting point, I would say minor pentatonic scales, then Major pentatonic scales. I hope that helps! :-)

  • Your clips contribute a lot to me and surely to the other.

    Thank you so rock'n much!!

  • @floggymosco13 Thanks man! I'm glad the videos are useful!

  • Comment removed

  • you are very helpful, thank you so much you have opened many doors for me

  • @nelanenalen Thanks for your support!

  • Does anyone else hear the Mixolydian as a halfway between a minor and major mode? Is it just me?

  • PLEASE HELP! are there any other positions that acend up the neck in phrgian?, or is there just 1 basic scale?

  • @JoshGoldie There are as many as guitar players. :-)

    The reason is that you can play the same exact note on different strings, different frets.

    After a while, you will associate sounds to finger movements and not worry about positions. The key is to anticipate the sound of the notes you play.

    I hope that helps!

  • Using just the Phrygian scale from your example, I made some of my own cool riffs, and thanks again, you are the one doing all the work for us.

  • @chickabuka Thanks for the comment! I'm glad this helped!

  • nice easy instruction, thanks, time for more practice.

  • @chickabuka Thanks a lot for watching!

  • Brilliant, Brilliant, Brilliant. Thanks for teaching the Dorian scale IN CONTEXT with the minor Pentatonic because it makes it so much easier to remember. Thank you very much for this lesson.

  • @ezekielthemack Glad you like this! :-)

  • Really nice video!

    Is it dumb to ask you when to use them, and where they fit? Is that something I got to find out myself? o:

    I know what "emotion" the modes got, but I don't think I can solo over the same scale all the time =/

  • @ThaThing1337x Thanks a lot! Glad you enjoy this!

    The song or backing track will direct which scale/mode to use...

    The more notes/chords, the less options you will have.

    The idea is to match the notes of the chords with the notes of the scale you use. :-)

  • i have been playing these scales for long time and i love it....but i never knew what dorian/ aeolian/ phrygian scales are like...now i know that what i play are these famous scales and i'm so proud of it :P....lol!!...thanks ...ur video rocks \m/

  • @surana87s Thanks for watching them! :-)

  • That's brilliant. One of the most useful lesson I've seen.

  • @Dudepepi Thanks a lot!

  • I have a question, would the mode be used in every postion of the Am penatonic scale? and do these modes work for..lets say E major penatonic? thank you once again.

  • @warsaw391 Yeah can be used in any position and any key. :-)

  • Thanks alot Wallimann, I am super impressed with this. Thanks once again.

  • @Konakola Thanks a lot for the nice comment! I'm glad you like this! :-)

  • I've been looking for something like this for a long time (and I mean years). This is THE best visualization method for applying these modes that I've ever found. Relating them to the pent box by simply adding two notes, well, that's like finding gold, and the instant ability to apply these without working them out through some kind of tab is like a gift from God (and from you of course). I bow to you bro...thanks!

  • @Sweeper5 I'm thrilled you like this and find it helpful!

    Don't bow to me buddy, bow to him. :-D

  • oooh my god ....

    hello friend, I'm from Argentina ...

    imagine, here you also see ...

    're very good, I admire you!

    speak very well English and Portuguese

    anytime we talk good??

    we bye ....

  • Thanks a lot mate, really helped me loads, my head has stopped hurting, your a legend.

  • @TheDipDabManATST Awesome!

  • Hi,i find ur approach to these three modes is as similar as remembering the A minor pentatonic in a boxed form.It really helps me a lot as i'm quite forgetfull and thus the reason why modes aren't my fav until now.Hey,guess what,u got me subscribed to u.Do post more of these helpful lessons.Thanks a whole bunch.

  • @avantgarde120 Thank you so much!

  • Thank you so much for this lesson! I've been looking at it as if I'd have to start my playing all over again. Now it makes EVEN MORE sense. I'm subscribing!

  • @CDP110 Thanks a lot for watching! :-)

  • this video really helped me blend both worlds together

  • @Redping2020 Thanks! I'm glad it was useful buddy. :-)

  • Sir , may I ask you Lydian, Aeolian etc..mode , is that the other name of major scale / minar scale ?

    Because I see the above video ' you are in A minar key

    and you play the Phrygian scale on 4:30 , that is same with C major scale / A minor scale ????

    And abt the Dorian scale , is that mean at the two notes 2nd and 6th on any pentationic scale ??

    Thx , you are helpful

  • @foreverjimmy Those are all different scale names...

    They are related to each other, but for now don't worry about it.

    It seems like it might be a shortcut, but in the long run it won't help you target specific notes.

    Just see them as new unique individual scales and learn them.

    Most of these scales can be seen as pentatonic scales with additional 2ns and 6th...

  • Hi there,I've just noticed how the descending intervallic relation of each mode reflects an other mode:ionian is an upside down phrygian,lydian is an upsidedown locrian and mixolydian is an upside down aeolian...except for dorian which reflects it self....! does this have any practical aplication or is it just coincidence?

    thanx for your lessons

  • @cyberflea07 What a great observation!

    I never thought about that!

    Unfortunately I don't think there would be any explanation or application to this.. :-/

  • @cyberflea07 There are 7 notes to a period any mode. so we can expect a point of symmetry since every periodic odd numbered ordered set does. Look at a piano, take note of how the black and white keys relate. Try to find a "middle" so the left side is reflected by the right side. Your answers? D and Ab Dorian. Coincidence really.

  • ha! cool! sometimes the simplest things can help...i've been trying to blend these 2 things and this approach seems to be the way to go!

  • THANKS!!!!!

  • I was wondering... I play a lot of metal, and have been working on writing more modal solos. In one of my songs, I have a bridge section where the chord progression is C5, Eb5, G5. I currently play Major 7 sharp 11 arpeggios over each of the chords. I was wondering what this theoretical/modal concept is called: playing the "lydian" arpeggio over a chord, moving up the notes of the Tonic Minor chord.

  • @TheMetalGuitar123 I can't think of any name, but yeah, it does work! :-)

  • @Wallimann Yeah, it's driving me nuts! lol I love the sound though. Once I have my camera fixed I'll have to upload a video of me playing the song. It's kinda cool... moving from the GM7#11 arpeggio into some C Hungarian minor licks lol. LOVE IT! :P

  • Oh wow I play everything very differently (sounds the same though).

    Is that bad?

  • @PanndaKat No, t's fine. You mean the positions? :-)

  • @Wallimann Yes, not the frets.

    Say I play an Ionian scale the same way if I start it on the 5th fret etc.

    Just started learning scales though, don't understand it really well, just a bit.

    I want to be able to improvise lead guitar, so that's why :9

  • @PanndaKat Yeah, thats ok. As long as the notes are the same. :-)

  • I am sooooo glad I found you. IMO, you're a GREAT teacher. Thanks for posting your vids.

  • @Nyxrayman Thank you very much!!! :-)

  • if i were improvising over a backing track in the key of Am, would it be a good idea to use like a few riffs from the pentatonic then a few from dorian then a few from phridgian, then a few from aeolian or would that just be using to many notes for one track? sorry to ask so many questions dave man i bet i do your head in at times.

  • @cjkeegan100 No problem, I love getting questions. Don't hesitate to ask man!

    If I understand your question right, you are asking me if you can mix the Aeolian, Dorian and Phrygian on the same track, right?

    Do you mean that it's in A Aeolian? If so, using the Phrygian and Dorian will rub too much on the Aeolian key.

    If however you meant that your backing track is just made of the chord A minor (Root, minor 3rd and 5th), then yes. You are allowed to mix all these modes. Just do it tastefully. ;-)

  • @Wallimann awsome thanks dave.

  • Thanks to you, i started learning more theory. modes, infact.. so there's 7 modes to every scale? what about superlocrian? o_O but i found a cool info site which teaches me those modes :) hey, can you tell, which is the mode that sounds excactly like a spanish mode? PS: (posted bulletin') :D

  • @TommittajaFIN Hi Tom!

    Yeah, there are 7 modes. The superlocrian is not part of the church mode family mentioned here but is from a different family: the harmonic minor family.

    Try the Phrygian Dominant for a nice spanish sound. That's just like a Phrygian mode with a Major 3rd instead of minor 3rd. :-)

    I'll check your post!

  • @Wallimann

    what does the "dominant" in front of the thing mean?

  • @TommittajaFIN Great question!

    Dominant means that you have a Major 3rd and minor 7th. :-)

  • @Wallimann

    umh :D how can a single note be major or minor? :D do you mean sharp or flat?

  • @TommittajaFIN No, I mean the interval. That's the distance between the reference note (root) and the other note. :-)

  • Just excellent. Thank you very much. You're totally right, with a "pentatonic scales formation" it's sometimes difficult to learn the modes . Thank you so much.

  • @chokicou Thanks! It's my pleasure to help! :-)

  • Learning modes is the only way to improve your playing.

    Thanks David : this video is very "geniale :) "

  • @razorimages Thanks a lot!

  • This may sound pretty newb, but obviously you can move these mode shapes anywhere on the fretboard right? And the key would be whatever note you start on?

  • @MrApocalyte Yep! :)

  • Great lesson. A lot easier to comprehend than many of the other teachers on YT. Thanks huge times!

  • @MrApocalyte Thanks! :-)

  • Thanks!

    So for example, if i want to do a solo over a song at my church, and the whole singers are singing in a key of G, can i do a solo with A Dorian?

    But wouldn't it sound different since if i use the A root and the singers are singing in the G root?

    I know i can play in the key of G with the dorian SHAPE, but im not quite sure how i can solo in the key of A Dorian