Modal Madness

Teetonetal

So I was helping a student last night get to grips with modes, thought I'd share my method.

• Make a backing track, using say a B5 powerchord. IT MUST BE A POWERCHORD. Do not use major or minor. It should only be one chord. I use logic with drummer to get me something, Garage band or a looper would be equally good.
• Pick your mode. Let's do B Dorian. And let's take a 6th string root.
• Work put the interval: Dorian is R-2-b3-4-5-6-b7-O
• Notes would be B, C#, D, E, F#, G#, A, B
• Work put the scale shape (either using 3 note/string or 3/2 per string shapes)
• Play these notes over your backing track. Using 6th string root (B ath 7th Fret)
• Focus on the sound, it may sound a bit odd at first. Always, always land on the B
• Jam using the scale shape for as long as possible. Get the sound of the scale in your head.

Now pick a 2nd mode, let's keep it minor and do B phrygian

• It's important to use the same backing track and the same root note, in the same place
• Work put the interval: Phrigian is R-♭2-♭3-4-5-♭6-♭7-O
• Notes would be B, C, D, E, F#, G, A, B
• Look at the difference to Phrygian vs Dorian ♭2 vs 2, ♭6 vs 6 or C vs C# and G vs G# 
• Work put the scale shape (either using 3 note/string or 3/2 per string shapesbut same type as you did for Dorian)
• Play these notes over your backing track. Using 6th string route (B ath 7th Fret)
• Focus on the sound, it may sound a bit odd at first. Always, always land on the B
• Jam using the scale shape for as long as possible. Get the sound of the scale in your head.

Now you should hear a clear difference between the two. In the underlying theory we have changed Key from A (B Dorian) to G (B Phrygian) because of this we have also changed the interval patterns. The scales have very different and very distinct sounds.

The final step of this exercise is to now Jam 8 Bars on Dorian, then 8 bars on Phriygian, repeating until bored. But always, focusing on how each scale produces it's own sound.

Using a Powerchord backing is crucial for this exercise. By taking away the Major/minor tonality it gives you a blank pallet over which it's really easy to hear the sounds the different modes make. the idea here is to get the sounds in your head - that for me then makes it easier to put it into your own playing. the backing track is akin to using a drone note.

As you get better, stop landing on the root and try landing on the "different notes" these are the ones that give the mode it's flavour... target these notes in your licks.

You can repeat this exercise for any pair of modes, just make sure to always keep the root note the same and in the same place. If you get adventurous you can of course use the backing track and swap between all 7 modes. (for Locrian B with a (for Locrian B with a ♭5 or ♭6 )

hope this helps and I will try to put up an example backing track and some playing over the next couple of days

EDIT: To fix the locrian backing.

matt1973

Perhaps some examples of mode changes in popular songs would help the student understand their applied use? Hey Jude - Beatles, Runaway - the Corrs.

What I am very curious about however, is how on earth did you type a flat sign?

Teetonetal

Well real life examples come later for me, once the student is confident they can hear the different sounds of each scale. 

This method is purely designed as a building block to get the sound of the modes. I think people get really confused by Modes because they are told to look at them in relation to major scales - and practice over way too complex backing, which makes everything kind of sound the same.

Character map for the ♭ 

kin

Thanks for that, i'll give it a go

GuyBoden

Teetonetal said:

So I was helping a student last night get to grips with modes, thought I'd share my method.

• Make a backing track, using say a B5 powerchord. IT MUST BE A POWERCHORD. Do not use major or minor. It should only be one chord. I use logic with drummer to get me something, Garage band or a looper would be equally good.
• Pick your mode. Let's do B Dorian. And let's take a 6th string root.
• Work put the interval: Dorian is R-2-b3-4-5-6-b7-O
• Notes would be B, C#, D, E, F#, G#, A, B
• Work put the scale shape (either using 3 note/string or 3/2 per string shapes)
• Play these notes over your backing track. Using 6th string root (B ath 7th Fret)
• Focus on the sound, it may sound a bit odd at first. Always, always land on the B
• Jam using the scale shape for as long as possible. Get the sound of the scale in your head.

Now pick a 2nd mode, let's keep it minor and do B phrygian

• It's important to use the same backing track and the same root note, in the same place
• Work put the interval: Phrigian is R-♭2-♭3-4-5-♭6-♭7-O
• Notes would be B, C, D, E, F#, G, A, B
• Look at the difference to Phrygian vs Dorian ♭2 vs 2, ♭6 vs 6 or C vs C# and G vs G# 
• Work put the scale shape (either using 3 note/string or 3/2 per string shapesbut same type as you did for Dorian)
• Play these notes over your backing track. Using 6th string route (B ath 7th Fret)
• Focus on the sound, it may sound a bit odd at first. Always, always land on the B
• Jam using the scale shape for as long as possible. Get the sound of the scale in your head.

Now you should hear a clear difference between the two. In the underlying theory we have changed Key from A (B Dorian) to G (B Phrygian) because of this we have also changed the interval patterns. The scales have very different and very distinct sounds.

The final step of this exercise is to now Jam 8 Bars on Dorian, then 8 bars on Phriygian, repeating until bored. But always, focusing on how each scale produces it's own sound.

Using a Powerchord backing is crucial for this exercise. By taking away the Major/minor tonality it gives you a blank pallet over which it's really easy to hear the sounds the different modes make. the idea here is to get the sounds in your head - that for me then makes it easier to put it into your own playing. the backing track is akin to using a drone note.

As you get better, stop landing on the root and try landing on the "different notes" these are the ones that give the mode it's flavour... target these notes in your licks.

You can repeat this exercise for any pair of modes, just make sure to always keep the root note the same and in the same place. If you get adventurous you can of course use the backing track and swap between all 7 modes.

hope this helps and I will try to put up an example backing track and some playing over the next couple of days

Good stuff.

B locrian over a B5, B and F# backing?

Teetonetal

Lol nice spot, ok - locrian is going to clash - so yeah, raise that fifth up a semi tone if you want it to fit 100%.

I do use the B5 backing track anyway as a bit of dissonance is not always a bad thing  and learning how it sounds and how to get in and out of it is good

I guess as you practice locrian with other modes, ideally you want say 4 bars of B5 followed by 4 bars of B #5... etc

Roland

I like this practical approach. It helps the ear recognise the relevant notes, and understand in what situations they will work. It also shows how the #5th fits in sonically. The theoretical approach of: "this is the finger pattern, and you start on note x then you get scale y" is nice from a mathematical point of view, but not immediately useful in the middle of a song.

GuyBoden

Teetonetal said:

Lol nice spot, ok - locrian is going to clash - so yeah, raise that fifth up a semi tone if you want it to fit 100%.

I do use the B5 backing track anyway as a bit of dissonance is not always a bad thing  and learning how it sounds and how to get in and out of it is good

No, I don't really think that playing B Locrian with a 'F' over a B5 vamp with a 'F#' is a good idea, especially if you're training your ears to hear modes. I agree with the old cliche "Learn the rules, before you break them".

Teetonetal

GuyBoden said:

Teetonetal said:

Lol nice spot, ok - locrian is going to clash - so yeah, raise that fifth up a semi tone if you want it to fit 100%.

I do use the B5 backing track anyway as a bit of dissonance is not always a bad thing  and learning how it sounds and how to get in and out of it is good

No, I don't really think that playing B Locrian with a 'F' over a B5 vamp with a 'F#' is a good idea, especially if you're training your ears to hear modes. I agree with the old cliche "Learn the rules, before you break them".

Yes. you are right. I edited my top post to be 100% clear.

viz

For a locrian backing track I'd be more inclined play B with a diminished 5th, not a minor 6th, to accentuate what is distinctive about locrian, ie that the 5 is flattened, so for example 7 8 9 x x x.

Teetonetal

edited again...