Hello, I see you have come back to fill your brain with more music know how. Well here is
some know how on improvising. What all guitarists really want to know about.
There are things in music known as the church modes. They were created by the church when
gregorian chant was the music for 1500 years. They are reffered to now mostly as the modes.
Well what am i waiting for here it is.
The 1st mode- Ionian
The ionian mode is the major scale of the tonic.(tonic your starting tone)So if your tonic
is a C (3rd fret on A) you would have a C Ionian mode spelled out like this.
I---------------------------I
I---------------------0--1--I
I---------------0--2--------I
I------0--2--3--------------I
I---3-----------------------I
I---------------------------I
C D E F G A B C
That is the C Ionion mode.
Now moving on The second mode. The Dorian mode.
The second mode starts on the second note of your ionian mode (or major scale). So a C ionian
mode is spelled out C-D-E-F-G-A-B-C with the key signature of 0 sharps or flats. So the next
mode will start on D and scale up to D with no sharps and no flats. This is the D Dorian
mode. This is how is looks.
I----------------------------I
I------------------0--1--3---I
I-----------0--2-------------I
I--0--2--3-------------------I
I----------------------------I
I----------------------------I
D E F G A B C D
Cool now you have 2 modes mastered i hope. Well now it is time for number 3 Phrygian. This
is a cool mode to improvise in as well. as dorian is. But as you might have already guessed
Phrygian starts on the 3rd note of the ionian mode and takes the key signature of the Tonic.
and i will stick with C because it is easy for everyone to understand. So as the Dorian Mode
started on D and went to D with C`s Key Signature. Phrygian will start in E and go to E
with C`s key signature. (C being the tonic, modes can be used in any key you just have to
figure them out). Heres what it looks like.
I---------------------------0-I
I------------------0--1--3-(5)I
I-----------0--2--------------I
I-----2--3--------------------I
I-----------------------------I
I-----------------------------I
E F G A B C D E
Number 4= Lydian F to F with C`s key signature spelled out like this.
this is a F lydian
I---------------------------0--1I
I------------------0--1--3------I
I-----------0--2----------------I
I--------3----------------------I
I-------------------------------I
I-------------------------------I
F G A B C D E F
Mode number 5 Mixolydian in the key of C it goes from G to G with C`s key signature.It looks
like this.
I----------------0--1--3I
I-------0--1--3---------I
I-0--2------------------I
I(5)--------------------I
I-----------------------I
I-----------------------I
Mode Number 6 Aeolian in the key of C it goes from A to A with C`s key signature. It looks
like this.
I---------------0-1-3-5-I
I-----0--1--3-----------I
I--2--------------------I
I-----------------------I
I-----------------------I
I-----------------------I
Mode number 7 Locrian well i think you have got the picture by now if you have been reading
through this lesson. it looks like this
I-----------0--1-3-5-7I
I--0--1--3------------I
I---------------------I
I---------------------I
I---------------------I
I---------------------I
Well you can use those modes to improvise over chords and play changes. for example you have
a D minor chord you head should think hey cool a D minor chord that means i can use my minor
sounding D dorian mode to goof around over that guy. Do stuff like this and you will get
where you want to be in no time. Well i will be back with Pentatonics and more later. See ya
Dan Bergeron
