Guitar Scales Trick Part 3

Here is the chart summarizing the positions of the major scale

Modal ScalesModal Scales Simbols

(CLICK HERE FOR THE 7 MODES PRINTABLE)

But if this is a major scale, why all these 7 different names?

Consider the red pattern. It’s a scale which starts from the low G, the 3th fret. G Dorian scale. It’s not a major scale, than it needs a different name.

Each pattern has a different sequence of intervals, sounds different, then must have a different name.

The 7 modes sound as:

Ionian

1 – 1 – 1/2 – 1 – 1 – 1 – 1/2
Mood: Happy / upbeat.
Chord type = Maj or Maj7.

Dorian

1 – 1/2 – 1 – 1 – 1 – 1/2 – 1
Mood: Minor Jazzy feel.
Chord type = min or min7

Phrygian

1/2 – 1 – 1- 1- 1/2 – 1 – 1
Mood: Spanish, Flamenco.
Chord type = min or min7

Lydian

1 – 1 – 1 – 1/2 – 1 – 1 – 1/2
Mood: Dreamy, floating.
Chord type = Maj or Maj7

Mixolydian

1 – 1 – 1/2 – 1 – 1 – 1/2 – 1
Mood: Bluesy
Chord type = Maj or Maj7

Aeolian

1 – 1/2 – 1 – 1 – 1/2 – 1 – 1
Mood: Sad, somber, unhappy.
Chord type = min or min7

Locrian

1/2 – 1 – 1 – 1/2 – 1 – 1 – 1
Mood: Dark, sinister, metal
Chord type = dim or m7b5

 

This chart summarizes the modal scales

N = Note (Root Note), example:

N = F, we get F Ionian, G Dorian (F+2), A Phrygian (F+4)…etc

N = A, we get A Ionian, B Dorian (A+2), C# Phrygian (A+4)…etc

 

The table shows the correspondence between the root (N) of the scale and the fret on the guitar where a certain scale should be played. For instance, if you want to play in the root of A, you should start at the 5th fret.  For the root of C, you should start at the 8th fret, etc.

7 modes Guitar Scales

Let’s suppose you want to play notes in a song at a Major key.
You can choose the Ionian mode (Major).
If the song key is in F, you can use N = F (Ionian mode starting from the F fret)
If the song key is  A, you can use   N = A (Ionian mode starting from the A fret)

Let’s suppose you want to play notes in a song at a Minor key.
You can choose the Aeolian mode.
If the tone of the song is in Am , you can use N = A  (Eolian mode starting from the A fret).
If the tone of the song is in Dm, you can use N = D  (Eolian mode starting from the D fret).

Now this is important: Let’s suppose you want to play notes in A Minor key but you’d know it’s possible to chose A Aeolian from the 5th fret. If you want to switch to a different mode, for example the Dorian, you will read ” N+2 ” on the chart under the Dorian Mode. In this case, A + 2 = B, allowing you to play the Dorian mode B (B Dorian) on your A Minor song.

During improvisation you will be able to use all the scales simultaneously, with practice you’ll recognize them by ear.

Example:

Let’s suppose you want to play notes in a song on F.
You can choose the Ionian mode staring form F (F Ionian), but also G Dorian match perfectly and so on for all the modal scales.
If the key of the song is G, you can use G Ionian, A Dorian (G+2) and so on.

Let’s suppose you want to play notes on Am.

If the key of the song is Am, you can use  A Eolian. N = A (Eolian mode starting from the A fret), but also B Locrian (A+2, Locrian mode starting from B fret) match perfectly and so on for all the modal scales.
If the tone of the song is in Dm, you can use N = D  (Eolian mode starting from the D fret). Etc.

Don’t remember a modal scale?

Solution:

Repeat the F major exercise (The 7 Modes of the Major scale of the fretboard chart) until you get to the forgotten mode.

In the next Chapter some guitar backing track made with Band in a Box to practice.

Content:

Part 1 The 7 Modes of the Major scale
Part 2  How to Improvise
Part 3  Fretboard and mood of the Modes
Part 4  Backing Tracks to practice

 

(continue to the Part 4)

 

 

 

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6 thoughts on “Guitar Scales Trick Part 3”

  1. ciao , dovresti correggere la scala mixolidium corda sol di questa pagina (parte 3).
    cmq grazie per i trucchi.
    ciao.

    1. Ciao, grazie per la segnalazione.
      Nella corda sol, immagine in alto, i pallini blu della misolidia sono su: mi, fa, sol.
      Mi indicheresti meglio la posizione dell’errore per facilitarmi la ricerca, grazie.
      La scala misolidia l’ho scritta come 1 – 1 – 1/2 – 1 – 1 – 1/2 – 1
      Nel caso della scala di do avrei
      do – (1T) – re – (1T) – mi – (1/2T) – fa – (1T) – sol – (1T) – la – (1/2 T) – sib – (1T) – do
      Nel caso della scala di do avrei
      sol – (1T) – la – (1T) – si – (1/2T) – do – (1T) – re – (1T) – mi – (1/2 T) – fa – (1T) – sol
      ecc.

  2. hi.Im confused by the Mixolydian diagram..shouldnt the fourth degree of the scale in the octave be a fret lower?

    1. The fourth degree of the Mixolydian scale is half tone after the third degree (as the major scale).

      The Mixolydian scale is the scale that appears when a major scale is played with the fifth note (fifth scale-degree) as the root.
      Thus, a C major scale played from “G” is a G Mixolydian scale (G A B C D E F G)
      The G Mixolydian mode is the same as a C major.
      Major scale: T – T – ST – T – T – T – ST
      Mixolydian scale: T – T – ST – T – T – ST – T

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