• Forum Index
• New Message
• Search FretBuzz
• List of Forums
|
|
|
FretBuzz: Theory Forum Message |
Applying modes........please help.
Dusty Wood
(22)
Theory Forum
9/6/2006 7:19:36 PM · 41 Views
[Respond to this Message]
I've been having a lot of troulble trying to find out how to apply modes. For example in the key of C i know that C is the ionian, Am is the Aeolian, D dorian, E phrygian ect... but i dont really seem to understand how i apply them when trying to solo. (what mode to solo in over certain chords.) I read some magazines and thought i was understanding till i saw a transcription for sweet home alabama, and saw that D mixolydian would have been the "correct" scale to use but that didnt make sense to me since the songs in the key of G i would think G major would be right or Em, That didn't really make sense to me. So basically if anyone can explain how i use modes it would really help a lot. thanx.
|
Re: Applying modes........please help.
9/6/2006 7:49:13 PM
Obee Obier
(4521) wrote:
Hi Dusty,
Play the Modes from the same note,
or better over a "specific degree" chord.
A-Dorian over Am7/13, A-Lydian over Amaj7/#11
and so on... focus the difference of the modes.
obee |
|
Re: Applying modes........please help.
9/6/2006 9:45:57 PM
Matt Wood
(2327) wrote:
Hey Dusty
D mix,G major ,E minor its the same notes . The difference is the tonal center , home,root whatever you want to call it .
Search the forums here you will find thousands of posts asking the same question and you know what it really doesnt matter all that much . |
|
| |
Re: Applying modes........please help.
9/7/2006 2:16:57 PM
Jon Riley
(9692) wrote:
This is the eternal question that comes around every so often!
The short answer is you DON'T "apply" modes at all, in the sense you're describing.
If you want a long answer....
When a song is in a KEY - as most (but not all) are - then only one mode matters: Ionian (if it's a major key).
"Ionian mode" is really the same thing as "the major key".
It's true that each chord in the song (other than the tonic) will induce a passing modal effect, in combination with the scale.
E.g., if you get an Am chord in a tune in key of C, you will get a passing A aeolian effect on that chord.
BUT...
(1) you get this effect whatever pattern or configuration of the C major scale you play. (You can "apply" D dorian mode if you want, it will still sound like A aeolian. The mode, IOW, is written into the song. Nothing you can - or should - do about it.)
(2) In the average chord progression, no chord lasts long enough for its individual mode to matter. Every chord serves the overall "mode" of the key.
IOW, an Am chord will only be a real "A aeolian mode" chord if it's the tonic chord - the "i" chord - in A aeolian mode (A natural minor). In the key of C, it's the "vi chord in C ionian." Its own mode has no relevance.
In Sweet Home Alabama, you're right the key is G major. So the G major scale is the correct scale.
That happens to work as D mixolydian on the D chord - but it's only 2 beats, so it's not relevant. G is the home chord (I, or tonic), so the D is only the V. (IOW, it doesn't actually sound like D mixolydian at all, because D isn't the tonic, G is. It just sounds like a V7 (dom7) in G major.)
(In fact, in Sweet Home, they use G major pentatonic most of the way.)
IOW, modes are a terminology for describing certain effects in music; for analysing music. Or also a system (style or genre) for composing music.
They are NOT a way of improvising over existing music - except in very rare circumstances.
Of course, it's true that different chords in a progression DO matter. Ideally, you need to vary what you do for each chord in a sequence, to reflect the progression. But - while you can speak of the differences in modal terms - modal concepts are not necessary (or are just distracting) for improvisation.
You should approach each chord (at least in thinking about it) starting with its arpeggio.
Say you are in the key of G, and you hit a D7 chord. This means the 4 notes D-F#-A-C. That's like a foundation for any solo phrase. Those notes are there in the chord, so obviously you can play any of them and they will fit.
The other 3 notes you have are the remaining 3 from the G major scale: E, G, B.
OK, you might say, that makes D mixolydian mode in all - which is true. But that phrase has no bearing on what you play. (Maybe you know a pattern for D mixolydian - fine. But any G major pattern will give you the same 7 notes, you just have to know which is which.)
What you need to know is: what effect does each of those 3 notes have on the D7 chord?
E = 9th; G = 11th; B = 13th.
You need to acquaint yourself with the sound of a 9th, 11th and 13th. Play each of these notes over the D7 and see if you like it.
As I say, you can call this a "mixolydian" effect if you want - it's a handy term. But you can play those 7 notes anywhere on the neck. In practical terms, the word "mixolydian" is of no help. |
|
| |
Re: Applying modes........please help.
9/7/2006 9:08:03 PM
Dusty Wood
(22) wrote:
Man guys thanks a lot for the feedback. I really appreciate it and I understand a lot better. Special thanks to Jon for the really in depth explanation, it really helped a lot. Thanks again. |
|
|
Re: Applying modes........please help.
9/9/2006 8:46:52 AM
Adrian Dupree
(6318) wrote:
Dusty,
You can view my chord compatibility table. I know that modes are less important, but notice that the modes correspond with each note of the major scale.
Adrian |
|
|
