Demonstrating All 7 Modes in Parallel [MODAL MUSIC THEORY]

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Building the modes in parallel (starting from the same root) allows you to see and hear the differences. Learn each mode's unique identity , so you can easily identify it when you hear it, and be able to employ its characteristics when composing.
Learning the modes of the major scale is very important, but the topic is often difficult to fully grasp. There are many ways to look at modes, and this video explores each mode in parallel, meaning each mode is played from an unchanging root (in this case, G).
Normally modes are taught as being related- C major is the same thing as D dorian is the same thing as E Phrygian, etc. But looking at the modes in parallel like demonstrated here allows a different perspective of why the concept of modes is important.
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Free online guitar lessons for beginners, intermediate, and advanced players. Located in Crystal Lake, Jake Lizzio provides free jam tracks and video lessons for guitar players, as well as music theory videos and other music education content.
00:00 Intro
01:08 Theory
04:20 Begin the Tour with Major
05:33 Dorian
06:49 Phrygian
07:57 Lydian
08:56 Mixolydian
10:26 Minor/Aeolian
11:44 Locrian
13:16 Related Theory

[@SignalsMusicStudio]

Never in a million years would have thought my lesson on modes would get a million views! THANKS!!!!

[@Ivan4n09]

KZbin algorithm is at it again!

[@MartinKrijgsmanMusic]

Probably because you are one of the only ones explaining it in a relatable fashion. I have been playing for 35 years and am quite proficient. I know the modes, but they always give me a headache. Usually they are explained the other way around: 'C ionian is A aeolian. So now we go from C to A aeolian and play. Listen, i sounds different'. And all I hear is C ionian with an Am chord. I guess for most people it makes more sense not to change the root, but the mode. But the gap between the two is almost never fully bridged. The only persons I saw doing that are you and Rick Beato. But your video is way shorter, so I revert back to it a lot. Thanks man!

[@DingleberryPie]

3rd time watching as a refresher. Good stuff demands views.

[@Gbhbbgvsbnjhhdchhb]

You deserve all your success sir!

[@afrosymphony8207]

dude, u r fucking awesome, i cant play to save my life but i use your lessons to make beats in flstudio. its frustrating not being able to play but its good to know some of this stuff

[@insertanynameyouwant5311]

I think somewhere in the Middle East guitar teachers say: Well, this is Phrygian, sounds the most generic and traditional. And those are other modes, they`re kinda exotic

[@ashtarbalynestjar8000]

The most common mode in Arabic music is Maqam Bayati, which is kind of between minor and Phrygian in that it has a half flat second degree. (Yes, half flat, so if you start on G, the second note of the scale is between A♭ and A.) Maqam Rast is the basic mode in Persian music, and it’s between major and Dorian, so the third and seventh are half flattened.

[@insertanynameyouwant5311]

So it`s kind of microtonal stuff? Got it

[@ashtarbalynestjar8000]

Yeah, Middle Eastern music is microtonal... The major, minor, Dorian and Phrygian scales are also common though; there are literally dozens of maqams

[@keiromultiverse3608]

Jordan Botelho323 Exotic is relative.

[@ALTDOK667]

@MansaMusa Muliano Haven't heard too much, but I always got a pentatonic minor "feel"

[@grahamhicok1204]

This man even gives the different modes background colors to emphasize his points. 10/10 class right there

[@mike-ue4wy]

And the haters have no class. No video, either.

[@NorthTexasEagle1989]

Ohhhhh

[@JimmyDeLocke]

He's great.

[@blackcitadel37]

And the colors go crazy when he plays the locrian scale. Pure art

[@GROOVEBLENDER]

Graham Hicok c ma Ce

[@storm3380]

Ionian - Prozac commercial Dorian - dating your ex again Phrygian - trailer to Desperado movie Lydian - Superman vs Boba Fett Mixolydian - Summer Camp Aeolian - Occupational Therapy Locrian - Divorce and Family Law

[@crieverytim]

😅👌

[@z.mauricio9821]

best comment since the start of youtube !!! hahajaja

[@reinortega23]

How can you even know Boba fett a year ago lol

[@Jazz350]

LOL Bravo Dude

[@The_Lord_has_it]

Yes sir. Bravo! God bless you

[@garretts283]

Oh my god this man just explained like 5 years worth of questions I’ve had in about 15 minutes

[@zackyfirmansyah2448]

Lmaoooo

[@roymylchreest5628]

Think he just answered 30 years of questions for me

[@SuperExio]

For mobile viewers Major: 4:20 Dorian: 5:33 Phrygian: 6:49 Lydian: 7:57 Mixolydian: 8:56 Minor/Aeolian: 10:26 Locrian: 11:44

[@keepyourshoesathedoor]

THANK YOU

[@DANIEL-ls5ku]

Thank you... I'm about to fall 💤.

[@FernandoKovalchuk]

i'm hitting a Major 4:20 here, hahahahaha...hue...hue... *COUGHING*

[@johnmcminn9455]

This is more like what joe satriani uses Pitch Axis parallel means something else on the street It's okay cuz you ain't know When you are major I V When you did dorian ii vi also i v in melodic minor Phgrigian iii vii You were using locrian also :-) Lydian IV I. Would sound more lydian if you did not cadence to the I and played anything but the I especially The vii ( f# min 7b5) Mixolydian Your playing a ii V in c major Aeolian vi iii Really just G vi because D root and fifth with G is basically G 9 Locrian over G and D D is not in G locrian But. If you played G min 7b5 and played the 1/2 whole diminished scale on concurrence , you would find the note D This is VERY important You get the diminished principal on the vii chord You can study possibilities for the vii chord and diminished virtually 4 eva

[@dudenega1424]

Dorian, Phrygian, Lydian, and Locrian are sick.

[@shaolin1derpalm]

This is literally one of the best videos on the internet

[@molimba]

indeed.

[@sublimetrance]

Yeah Jake's vids are awesome. He's taught me more about music theory in just a few weeks than I ever thought possible.

[@josesbox9555]

Well. Two girls one cup was a classic.

[@lunadra6625]

Yep but most people will be unable to absorb this. Being a musician as opposed to a player takes real work with modes, scales understanding roots and basic theory.

[@meredithinserra4670]

I have 2 music degrees and I sat through confusing lectures on these things trying to figure out how these modes worked. I finally "got" it but if my professors has simply explained it like THIS I would have understood it the FIRST TIME!! Now I TEACH music theory at the local college. I am using this video for my class!!! THANK YOU!!! I too am a guitarist, but improvising a lead isn't my strength. I am a folk/classical guitarist.

[@kronothethird]

Everybody ask "What is Locrian mode?", but they never ask "How is Locrian mode?"

[@robin-gu6uy]

But why is lociran mode

[@Sandarpan]

I'll do you one better.. Who is Locrian mode?

[@teguhadw]

And.. Where is Locrian mode?

[@Kuroi733]

@@Sandarpan *Whom* .

[@josephyagappan1896]

Locrian mode is the only mode not used ..as it does not sound good..

[@sabre0461]

I tried to work with Locrian, but I was getting diminished returns from my practice...

[@Sakaki98]

I’m so stealing this.

[@snogglemonkey]

you need to augment your practice - and scale up your work in a major way,,,heheheheh

[@sabre0461]

@@snogglemonkey I would but I'm not too sharp...

[@southplaya5768]

It’s only a minor pun nothing to major

[@allenbrininstool7558]

:)

[@jdw1066]

Phrygian sounds like the music in every desert level of every video game ever

[@robinchesterfield42]

Indeed, as I read that the "Sandopolis" music in Sonic and Knuckles wandered into my head. (Although I'm not sure if it's in Phrygian or minor; I'm not good at that yet. It _is_ "generic middle-eastern/Egyptiany" music, though.) And if it wasn't that it would've been Oil Ocean from Sonic 2. :P

[@stephenclarke3990]

Hmmm...I wonder why ❓🤔......🤣

[@Monsieurlemon2]

Hijazi scale

[@trfp]

LOL! True.

[@kevin_kevinson]

@@robinchesterfield42 my brain went to sandopolis as well

[@pierredelange4077]

It's honestly the first video that I've seen where a teacher makes reference to the modes in the same key, playing the different modes in that key, so you can hear the differences. Very well done.

[@TheProjectoinist]

Not the same key, the same starting note. This highlights the differences between them. In a single key the starting note will ascend per scale degree. C Major example: C Ionian - D Dorian - E Phrygian - F Lydian - G Mixolydian - A Aeolian - B Locrian

[@mesolithicman164]

I think he created confusion by playing all those modes over a two note power chord. I can't see how you could play a Dorian scale starting on G over an A minor chord. I would have thought that you would have to use one of a number of minor modes starting on A. And the various features of each scale mode would give a slightly different flavor to your solo ie a minor scale with a flat 2 or a major 6. That was my take on it, maybe I have it wrong. But I don't think playing everything over a power chord helped clarify things.

[@davidemura4444]

Yo what did Locrian mode even do stop cyberbullying

[@user-pp3bf3he1c]

Davide Mura It's just shitty and uneducated musicians who don't know what to play on vii-dim.

[@ruatdikac736]

😂😂😂

[@KevinWard992]

@@user-pp3bf3he1c let's hear what you've done...

[@johnmcminn9455]

Um ... I have played a ii v In a minor key using locrian harmonic minor , superlocrian and lorian natural 2 I have also read ii v mastery by scott alexander. Which actually explains how to utilize scales by combining them in parallel with other scales Parallel keys is what parallel means in improv This guy shows a lack of knowledge BIG TIME Don't mistake lack of talent for genius my friends

[@EpicTetsu]

@@johnmcminn9455 you read a book by a magician then, because the book your talking about is by Joseph Alexander 🤣

[@Cestariarts]

The doctor recommendation of mixolydian is HILARIOUS

[@marendenison3550]

Lol true, that made me laugh too hard 😆

[@refl3ktor]

Mai favorite!

[@markmabalot4545]

AHHAHHAHA

[@deathbastardable]

It's a pretty good analogy too, to be fair to the guy.

[@nirmalnyau]

Yea

[@robinchesterfield42]

With all these descriptions of the modes' different emotions and "personalities", it's kinda making me want to draw a picture of the seven of them standing together as characters. Nobody I personally know would get it, but it'd still be fun. :)

[@shirinsitara6250]

I wanna see it now! haha!

[@whyyeseyec]

The Magnificent Seven

[@lucarinaldichini324]

That's beautiful! How are you gonna render locrian? Like some kind of shiny sci-fi guy, with some dissonant details in his look? Like, idk, Dali's mustache?

[@lebronjesus172]

That sounds cool

[@robinchesterfield42]

@@lucarinaldichini324 I'm amazed (and flattered) anybody even likes my silly idea! Actually I already did it. As Sims. :) I'd post a picture here but I can't, so... --Lydian: Dreamy and optmistic with a sci-fi flair. (Star-Warsesque white robes and a SPACE BUNS hairstyle. ;) ) Ionian: Major is the cheerful, common mode, so she's like, a happy basic b, yaknow? Pink sweater, Ugg boots, happy Popular Girl personality. Mixolydian: is ready to RAWK! (throws up the horns) Aka leather jacket, ripped denim, mohawk, etc. Dorian: Don't bother me, I'm writing my beat poetry. Or maybe a medieval ballad. I dunno. (In Sims 4 each Sim has *8* outfits, so I can explore different sides of a mode that way.) Aeolian: CRAWLING IN MY SKIIINNNN...aka goth/emo. Ebony Dark'ness Dementia Raven Way meets intellectual music discussion. :P (Although some of her outfits are elegant.) Phrygian: I could've gone with like, dark metal, but it's ALSO the scale most associated in the west with "exotic" Eastern style music. So I went with Middle-Eastern and Indian looking clothes. Locrian: CRAY. Like, I literally used the "erratic" personality trait, assigned the wrong types of clothes for different situations (a tuxedo as swimsuit for example) random face paint to sleep in because why not, etc. Not a BAD person, though. Just weird. They're all girls (female Sims have ALWAYS had more choice in fashions, it's been true since 2000) and I left each Sim as they randomised in except for changing clothes, hairstyle, makeup and accessories, so they're a mixture of body types and skintones. Sorry this is so long, but hey, I had seven characters to describe. If you have Sims 4 on PC, you can find them in the Gallery. (I actually made TWO versions--one where I used whatever DLC's I needed to in order to tweak them more accurately, and another with just basegame content 'cos not many people have a lot of DLCs. The basegame version is the one in the gallery.) The household is just called "Mode" and my name there is Queen_Zelynda. So, IF there are any other crossover Sims AND music fans here, that's where you can see them. :)

[@MD37428]

Dude, I know this vid is old but dude, 20 years of trying to understand the application of modes was answered in 3.5 minutes. Dude, thanks

[@burbanpoison2494]

I am definitely the Locrian mode of my family.

[@matthewcattermole504]

Lol me too. Nice one

[@chrisdaviesguitar]

Loci? The Norse god of mischief

[@fernandojimenez5206]

Looooooool

[@b_r_i_a_nm_u_s_i_c6931]

I know what you mean and that's a great comment.

[@MICKEYISLOWD]

Da Black sheep has been born:)

[@SignalsMusicStudio]

My humble apologies to Scots for not crediting them for bagpipe music.

[@georgeaye7535]

I'm Scottish and the bagpipes give me a headache man, no need to apologise lol

[@zacharygh]

You should watch Adam Neely's video on why major sounds happy. It explains why some modes sound dark and why some sound bright.

[@georgeaye7535]

Got a link?

[@zacharygh]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/b6OooqWGrLt8irs

[@georgeaye7535]

Thanks man, will give it a go

[@jonathan_roe]

Ionian: 4:44 Dorian: 5:33 Phrygian: 6:50 Lydian: 8:01 Mixolydian: 9:00 Aeolian: 10:30 Locrian: 11:45

[@Amadeos-Salvadore]

I've struggled with understanding modes for years, not being musically trained and being self taught, I've never found a better tutorial. Thanks !

[@dhpbear2]

Light to Dark: Lydian, Ionian, Mixolydian, Dorian, Aolian, Phrygian, Lochrian

[@williamnathanael412]

And at each step, you're lowering one note by a semitone. Just saying.

[@mike-ue4wy]

LIMDAPL needs a good mnemonic phrase

[@sublimetrance]

@@williamnathanael412 Wow that's a very inciteful way to look at it.

[@Andrew-vj7gw]

@@mike-ue4wy It may be odd but I've been using: Lilly is Mainly Damp And Pale Lately.

[@sdeleon28]

Shouldn't Ionian be considered lighter than Lydian?

[@toratora9994]

Makes me feel sad for Locrian. He just wants to be loved. His pattern is super easy to play but he does sound weird.

[@Bacony_Cakes]

I wouldn't love a guy who screws up a village with money and happy boxes.

[@tteerabeats9116]

Bro i was actually able to use that mode, idk how lol i was just freestyling then accidentally used it

[@user-.--.-]

Would be a cool plot for a novel, imagine having the odd man out named "locrius" or something

[@imacommentator]

@@Bacony_Cakes what a nice reference! .. At least he cared about his mouse

[@Bacony_Cakes]

@@imacommentator I'm the reference sniper.

[@archdiangelo7930]

I'm doing research for some characters for a D&D campaign I'm part of, and I wanted to name a group of characters after the modes, give them a music theme. But I didn't know which vibes each mode had and how to apply them, and wikipedia was *frustratingly* analytical about it and didn't give me any help with mood or symbolism or anything like that. In 15 minutes you have solved my entire issue, you're a legend

[@Baka_Crazy]

I'm sorry for this comment but that video helps me out understanding some characters in a game. And now I know why Locria betrayed the other one and teamed up with the antagonist in the game. Many thanks! Each of these characters in the game have also a color Ionia's color is green and they have a really good mood all the time. Doria's color is purple. They look a bit "darker" also their proportion is different from the others and they have sunglasses on. Phrygia's color is orange. They are sleeping all the time but they say that they are more serious than the other. They are also living near a volcano hits the sound color Phrygian makes. Lydia's color is yellow and they live really outpaced on a cold area. They take care of little cute snow bunnies and the snow area looks really dreamy and floaty. Mixolydia's (or Missy or Mixo) color is cyan. They also have an upbeat personality but they really have style. They protect something important with... You guess it: With three giant rock golems. Aeolia's color is red and they really don't understand the human's short life span of a human (yes these species are not human even though they look alike with a special clothing taste I really love!). A boy came to Aeolia and they gave him a special ability not knowing which tragicty is about to happen to him and they are also the first of the species who's gonna disappear. Sounds a bit tragic but for these species it's... Romantic however. Locria doesn't have a color because white isn't technically a color. Yeah Locria is a douchebag. He helps to put an innocent world in an "utopia" for someone else, eats bananas and drops the peels on the floor, so everyone is stumbling over them. And he is mean to a poor monkey. So don't hang out with Locria.

[@miketheperformer5972]

What game is that?

[@Baka_Crazy]

@@miketheperformer5972 It's Mother 3. It never got a release outside Japan. But there is a Rom Hack with a very good English translation

[@AshishLimbu]

This is the best lesson on modes “PERIOD”

[@clxwn3597]

*periodt

[@siguardvolsung]

It's pretty good but makes a poor choice by calling the Ionian scale the "major scale" and the Aeolian scale the "minor scale." Still, I don't see other videos this good at showing the feel of each mode. I liked his descriptions and choice of colors for each mode.

[@chisathot750]

@@siguardvolsung explain

[@siguardvolsung]

@@chisathot750 Because there are two other major diatonic scales and three other minor diatonic scales. Calling one "the minor scale" implies the others aren't minor, and it's the same with major scales. Call them what they are: the Ionian and Aeolian scales. The lesson is on music theory, so anyone learning about the Mixolydian, Dorian, etc. scales can handle another two odd names.

[@chisathot750]

@@siguardvolsung could you link some videos explaining this qith more detail?

[@sancho316]

you have such a radio talk host voice every single time i think the radio is on somewhere

[@carltaylor4942]

Aleksandr - I could listen to that voice all day long!

[@fuzzywumble]

Carl Taylor, ditto. I should be doing other things but his voice is so relaxing I can't help but learn about more theory.

[@avedic]

lol...he really does. His voice kinda sorta doesn't fit with how he looks. Definitely has that deep resonant clear radio voice.

[@mypronounismaster4450]

avedic... I thought the same thing. I'm guessing he's probably in his early 20s, but he looks 15 and sounds 34.

[@nickienok9643]

Fully agree, he should be a DJ or new broadcaster with FOX news!

[@TheTalkWalk]

Learned more about music theory on this video than I have playing music as a hobby for a decade and a half. Thank you!

[@HubLocationSound]

Wow, great video. I've always heard people explain the modes like "you just start from the next note in the scale", but (at least in my brain) that would still lead playing the exact same scale. Your explanation (of moving the intervals down one) is so simple and easy to grasp. Thanks!

[@bryandoyle7055]

You're thinking of a key Relative mode, which I'm used to as well. The intervals are different, when with a different tonic tone. He's explaining Parallel mode, which is new to me. In Relative mode all the modes share the same notes in a key as you said, but they start from a different degree so they're built with different pattern of intervals from the Tonic Tone of that mode. Ionian: Tonic tone is G W H W W W H W G A B C D E F# Dorian Key of G, Tonic tone is A H W W W H W H A B C D E F# G and so on... I was confused by this video but found out that the key different in these modes are that they are Parallel, not relative. He has a great video about 'Relative Modes' that explains how the change of tonic tone can change the mood and feel of music.

[@princekc8405]

@@bryandoyle7055 thanks for this comment.i was confused about the same thing. Do you know of any videos that can explain this to me clearer and go in more depth?the difference between the relative modes and the parallel modes?.

[@alex-vukov]

@@bryandoyle7055 Relative and parallel are just two ways of looking at the same thing. The whole step/half step sequence and the first (tonic) note are all that matters to determine a mode. The two methods are just used for a different purpose. The parallel method helps you find all modes of a fixed key (G in this case) while the relative method helps you find which modes of different keys share the same notes.

[@gentrifried]

Your video is the only explanation of modes I've seen that made sense to me thanks

[@dunr3170]

gentrifried prufrock watch claus Levin his is the best and while your at it watch all of his videos on music theory kzbin.info/www/bejne/m2fCY6B-n6yIiqM

[@damnation1928]

also watch Vinnie Moore's explanation

[@YouTw1tFace]

mark heyne He’s just showing how each mode sounds different by using the same root note/chord.

[@bxp_bass]

Mark, he's just explains the difference between modes, but he's so rude and disgusting... If he prefers not to use the word "scale" doesn't mean that all people around the world are stupid and don't know the modes...

[@laurahenke]

@@bxp_bass just watched the Claus Levin guy, and besides the fact that his vid starts with 3 mins of "buy my shit", litterally before anything else, he then moves on to yelling at his audience. I don't have to put up with this. Appreciate the friendly attitude of this channel here so much more!

[@SquareWaveHeaven]

Locrian is kinda useful for conveying that mixture of monotony and dread we all know and love. Army of Me by Bjork uses it well.

[@brunilda]

Yup. I was going to say "Army of me" is a VERY DECENT use of Locrian. Many would say extraordinarily beautiful. Certainly not boring.

[@andersjjensen]

If something works well for Björk we have a fairly good indicator that it doesn't work for mostly everyone else :P Also, for some strange reason, I feel an irrational urge to object to putting "we all know and love" next to "monotony and dread". That combination, in and of itself, feels kinda Locrian: "Yes, you can do that. It's semantically perfectly valid, yes. But why would you?" :P

[@DerpDerp3001_plays]

Also, Doom is in Locrian.

[@Bingbangboompowwham]

Bands like Korn played around with “alternative power chords” like half diminished triads and perfect fourths, and I used these for a while. Half Dim triads bring a lot of shock value to heavy music, and root/4 power chords have a crunchiness that you don’t get with 5ths. I personally find locrian pretty pleasing with plenty of distortion and an erratic strumming pattern

[@apothecurio]

Switching from a minor 7 shell to a maj7 shell in locrian. (Such as Bmin7 shell to Fmaj7 shell) gives you a good ground work as well. Locrian gives you access to the 4 and b4 which can sound bluesy if done right.

[@veerchasm1]

You missed the most important one: Depeche

[@Tlahuiltezcatl]

For real!?!

[@lilyhudock4630]

Lmao

[@JamesJones-rx5mn]

I was gonna say lol there are only 7 and he covered them

[@miloslavbritovic1012]

Brilliant. 😎

[@anessenator]

this post was very unnecessary

[@viktoriafrei8338]

Your vids on modes changed my life. Ok it didn't change my life, but it SERIOUSLY changed my guitar playing.

[@brettschultz7430]

Viktoria Frei which in turn, changed your life

[@joebermuda6452]

I’ve been preaching people learn modes like crazy. I’ve been playing for 17 years and it’s so important to soloing and being able To shred

[@osaze61]

Life Changing....yes

[@LeftHandedGuitarist]

One of the best explained mode videos I've ever seen - I'm linking and promoting you through my own channel. Keep making good stuff!

[@SignalsMusicStudio]

I just saw your channel now and think it's fantastic- I have an idea for a collaboration down the line that would fit both of our styles... when I put the idea together I'll contact you, until then I'll be sharing your videos with my students, they're great with ZERO fluff!

[@LeftHandedGuitarist]

Sounds great! Thanks so much for that. Yep, I like to get to the point :p

[@rutilomendoza]

Extraordinary! Well explained! Thank you so much!

[@erockromulan9329]

Same.

[@iamvillainmo]

Question. Asking now but I haven't finished the video. Is there are reason you demonstrate with the key of G? Is this for guitar adaption to teaching this technique?

[@MrMichaelk997]

This truly makes modes not only comprehensible, but enjoyable. I'm still a relative beginner at music theory, but I can follow the lessons if I pause to think about them. THANK YOU!

[@bryceoverstreet1048]

Locrian sounds like you’re trying to find the scale to a new chord progression

[@KevinRoddy]

Great video, Jake! What might help out your viewers understand the modes a bit more - a very popular Dorian song is “Scarborough Faire.” Phrygian may sound familiar to some as the scale often used in Flamenco music. Lydian can be playful, and goofy, like a kitten walking on piano keys. Mixolydian is definitely a mode used a lot in Irish and Scottish music. An Aeolian tune everyone knows is “Greensleeves.” Regarding Locrian, some Harp Therapy practitioners who work with people in hospice use Locrian at the very end of life when a person is transitioning to the beyond. The mode is played improvisationally, and sparingly. The reason for using Locrian is that it does not resolve, so the person is not rooted, as s/he might be with the other modes, but encouraged to move on.

[@OneDrunkWizard]

That's the most interesting thing I've read all day

[@themelnibonean7017]

Excellent job of teaching. In Jazz we encounter the diminished 7th chord making Locrian an option. It is also great in heavy metal where you also encounter the diminished triad. I think a better description of Phrygian is 'Spanish' flavored it is often used in flamenco, not so much in traditional middle eastern music. You are a good teacher, I hope you are working in the community college system. Your approach has the kind of clarity our students need.

[@stevesobot5372]

Indeed, Phrygian reminded me of Ravel's "Bolero". Excellent video, thanks.

[@macvena]

Spanish music is heavily influenced by Middle Eastern music, because the Moors occupied the Iberian peninsula for centuries after the fall of the Roman and Byzantine Empires when Islam was spreading, thus Spanish sounds part western and part eastern.

[@jaywisniewski735]

Highest regards to you! I’ve been playing 30+ years, at would most would consider very high to elite level. I’ve never had a more complete and total grasp and understanding of using modes in improv and soloing over changes that I gained in watching 30 min of your videos. It was always made to seem so complicated and you just broke it down in minutes. I’ve literally doubled my usable improv vocabulary on 30 years of chops in a few hours! I understood modes, but you made them all readily available to improv without overthinking structure. Any self taught player, beginner or advanced, who wants to understand theory, and put it to practical use, has an invaluable resource in your work here.

[@JimmyGeikie]

Dude... Your style of video lessons is so accessible. Friendly and relatable, yet informative and deeply explained. I've been playing for YEARS and don't like lessons very much, but this feels like I'm hanging out with a friend who knows something they want to show me. A lot of people tell me I'm one of the better players they know, but I've been finding some extremely eye-opening information in your videos. Thank you 🙏

[@CelestialDraconis]

Locrian be like *"This isn't even my final form"*

[@user-qd7zb4wm9b]

**turns into super locrian with flat 4th**

[@spenjaminn3846]

**turns into super duper locrian with a flat 1** wait a minute

[@OmenAhead]

​@@spenjaminn3846 sounds like an amazing scale to write 2020's theme song

[@Wind-nj5xz]

@@quantspazar6731 I mean there's no such thing as super duper locrian but i guess you could assume it would basically be super locrian bb7 (sometimes also called ultralocrian) and a b1 is technically not a thing but you could interpret it as moving every note of the scale a semitone up except the root, if you did that with ultralocrian you would get mixolydian

[@user-wn1dd8ls2u]

@@Wind-nj5xz b8 may be a thing if you thibk about non-octave modes like B3-C4-D4-E4-F4-G4-A4-Bb4 with diminished octave above

[@trevordallas]

Finally! This is a such a common sense, logical and well-explained tutorial on the topic of modes! Why is it that almost all other tutorials on modes suck?? Good grief. THANK YOU for stripping the all too common ego out of the equation and just delivering an effective explanation with examples.

[@mateuszbednarowski6400]

Phillip Hanson Damn right. Plus, the man has great voice. Plus, he goes straight to the point. No sweepstakes, promotions, lenghty introductions, showing his kids (looking at you Scott Devine), begging for subs and likes. Plus, great video editing and some subtle humor (the ads). Simply one of the greates lessons I have ever seen.

[@kagenotatsumaki]

I watched this video about a year ago and didn't get past 3 minutes because I had no idea what you were talking about, and now I'm here and 3 minutes in I'm following alo g perfectly and am just like "Oh! Oh yeah I see!" I'm proud of how far I've come in the last year lol

[@pixelupdates7041]

This guy is hands down one of the top five music teachers on the internet.

[@ivanildocafu3452]

Locrian deserves a full video, is really different and weird.

[@EclecticEssentric]

Use the 5th as a passing note, focus that 6th instead. The R37 are all normal for a minor scale.

[@CONGTHEGUERILLA]

It really aint it's in a lot of metal and grunge. The only problem is that the bass chord is usually playing a power chords which is out of key. But look at a power chord as just 1 note (which is how its usually used) you'll find a lot.

[@robinchesterfield42]

There's a video called "Making Locrian sound....good?" in which some musicians all make their own locrian song. The first one is my favourite, it's this surf-rock thing and it sounds BADASS. Would absolutely believe it was a real surf-rock song from the '60s...although, kinda the song for the MONSTER that's terrorizing the beachgoers in a B-movie, not the beachgoers themselves. :P

[@walkingTANK]

@@robinchesterfield42 that's partly because Sammie G is just that good.

[@DDB2020]

Best mode video ever. Nobody else explains it quite right.

[@berkayguner]

Man you unlocked a whole new realm for me in 16 minutes. Everything that kept me to refrain from learning these intimidating and strange named modes 25 years back while I was an impatient kid and knowing the difference of them from scales just disappeared so fast that I had an "Eureka!!" moment. Thanks a lot for what you do. It really makes a difference 🎸 😊 👏👏👏

[@blackvultures1119]

It took 15 minutes to understand something I almost cried over for years. Thank you.

[@Rodrigo-bv7uv]

Best music theory channel I've found so far. The simplicity and fluidity you explain the concepts make it much easier to understand. Also your voice is very elegant. You rock, dude!

[@wafflecone_wombatdrone]

You are by far one of the greatest teachers on youtube!

[@SiegfriedDeniz]

True!

[@bjperrett2570]

By far, the best instruction (& style), that I've come across in the last 3 years (& I've looked at & studied with, more than a couple of dozen). I had played guitar back in the 60's & 70's,... but put it down when I married a (very loving & understanding wife) had kids / career / & continued military obligations. That was 1979 - 1980,... sold all my guitars,... huge mistake (the guitar,... not my marriage,... she's still putting up with me & my new hobby). 3 years ago, I bought a pawn-shop, 70's vintage Peavy T-60 electric, amp, & all the goodies,... & committed to learning everything I could about playing guitar. I had hit a wall recently, until I started listening to your site. As soon as she gives me my allowance,... I'll sign on permanently.

[@thomasmartinscott]

Jake, I've told you this before, so don't let it go to your head... You are an EXCELLENT Teacher! I wish I had had you for a teacher back in the 1800's when I was struggling with all this stuff. Even though I've played for a living since the '60s, I ALWAYS learn something from your unique slant on things. I appreciate the work you put into these videos. The humorous memes, etc. May God continue to Bless all that you do!

[@Sad_Decomposer]

Go resolve, locrian, you're drunk.

[@clayray2589]

You're a god

[@victorborghys9033]

this comment is really underappreciated

[@ivanildocafu3452]

Who can explain locrian? 🤔

[@proximityclockworkx1572]

@@ivanildocafu3452 Ugly twin of diminished. xD

[@Alex-dr6or]

This comment made my day. The humor is so fine 🙄

[@davidseow7617]

This was the most clear explanation of modes I've come across - as someone who knows next to nothing about music theory I gained a lot from this! Many thanks

[@jeremyhofmann7034]

I’m a piano player and this is the best explanation of modes I’ve come across so far. Good stuff!

[@GuitarCoversbyCaleb]

This helped me understand modes better than any other video I've found on KZbin. Instant subscribe!

[@nagoshi01]

Should have put the ♭5 as the interesting note for Locrian. Also note that each of the 7 modes' 'interesting note' happens to be on the scale's tritone. For example, Dorian's signature note, the ♮6, creates a tritone with the ♭3.

[@twistedgwazi5727]

That's because the half steps give these scales their color, and the tritone in the modes is between the two occurences of a half step.

[@noeldivad]

locrian is just phrygian with the diminished 5th. it makes great metal.

[@trytongames7778]

I’m new to music theory, what does diminished mean

[@Thorcoal]

@@trytongames7778 hope this answer isn't too late. *diminished* *means* *lowered* . in the key of c major (ionian) g is normally the fifth. diminished fifth means it's a gb (or f#), because it's lowered a semitone. a diminished c-chord (Cdim) would be c-eb-gb (compared to a Cmaj c-e-g). both the third (eb) and the fifth (gb) is lowered a semitone.

[@petterhouting7484]

@Tryton Games a fitfh usually is the distance of 7 semitones. A diminished fifth is 6 semitones. This distance is also often called a "tritone", because its made up of three whole tones.

[@Pulse2AM]

What other mode(s) would give a metal edge? I'm not a metal guy but I want to add a bit of metalish sounds in my guitar playing.

[@HerroVincey]

... Omg, well I'm so dumb, this is the easiest and obvious way to remember it. Kudos to you, good sir, you made my life a lot simpler haha!

[@Urugururuu]

Me listening to the examples: “oh this Locrian one sounds really cool!” Him: “obviously Locrian is bad and you should ignore it.” Me: ☹️

[@ALEJANDROARANDARICKERT]

Art has to do with personal taste

[@gillianomotoso328]

@adam neely

[@tubehound69]

Locrian: You're driving with 20 pounds of coke on you and come to a fork in the road. The police are to the left. The guy you stole the coke from is to the right. Turning around is not an option. You look back and forth to the left and the right trying to decide which way to go.

[@fumioshwartz7114]

You can't make a satisfying melody because it's tonic doesn't feel like a resting place. It will just sound atonal. Like notes being played but you don't actually hear a melody.

[@robinchesterfield42]

@@fumioshwartz7114 You CAN make it sound cool, but you need to know what you're doing. There's a video here where some music KZbinrs all try to write their own original compositions in Locrian and make it sound good, and another video where they tried to make Lydian sound ugly. In both cases I think they pretty much succeeded. (but seriously Locrian surf-rock kicks ASS! :D)

[@claracarrion1300]

It´s incredible how this video was able to clarify modes for me. I partially understood them, theory wise, but actually listening, distinguishing and associating them with feelings, emotions and vibes really helped me!! And also made them actually fun instead of endlessly tedious. Thank you!!

[@johnbarbuto5387]

How does somebody this young become so very polished, confident, "experienced"? Hats off! You have a great future! Your voice and demeanor are perfect for this kind of work. It would be interesting to know if this talent is genetic or acquired from very supportive parents.

[@RagggedTrouseredPhilanthropist]

He's about 35...

[@johndeleon8741]

@@RagggedTrouseredPhilanthropist Still applies

[@dpss2112]

Love the little details....underlighting the styrofoam head in the colors of the text graphics for each of the different modes. Makes it really easy to grasp!

[@evelynlochart5960]

I love you really show the character of each mode by putting it in music context as if it were actually being used in a song. Amazing video!

[@bjb0808]

This video has blown me away! Incredible. You have explained and demonstrated the modes in such an interesting and fun way, I just learned from you halfway through your video what more than 10 other videos failed to teach me. WOW! Not only what you are actually teaching, but the way you teach it is so fun. There's no arrogance or "know-it-all" attitude. Your love of music shines through and it's obvious you want others to share in the love. Thank you!!

[@joshdellariasmusicalescapa8242]

As I was listening, I started realizing that the Dorian and Mixolydian modes were pretty much opposites. The Dorian mode has the natural sixth to make it minor but not quite so dark, and the Mixolydian has the flat seventh to make it major but not so much. They essentially do the same things, just in opposite directions.

[@erniejohnson8200]

You mean a flatted seventh to make it a little more minor. Major seventh make it more optimistic while the dominant seventh makes it a little more light hearted/drunk.

[@MarsHalekGuitar]

This is exactly what I was looking for, after scratching my head through another Rick Beato video. I don't know that I now suddenly understand the other modes the way I do major and minor, but I'm planning to watch this again and again, with extra copies open in separate windows paused to show the notes and intervals during your demonstrations and discussions, before trying out my own improvisations.

[@DonyaLane]

Interesting effect that was unique to the locrian solo was how it SEEMED to alter the bed "jam" track. It actually gave the illusion of the bed track sounding like it was shifting and floating around to pitches outside the power chord. Kinda reminded me of one of those "magic eye" optical illusions... just relax your senses and a new image will appear. Also, that doctor poster @10:18 cracked me up!

[@whipivy]

For those who still come along this...notable example of Locrian, "The Unanswered Question" by Charles Ives. First time I heard it was in a college and the question presented to the class was, "what is music?" Then we got to contemplate that same question while "listening" to John Cage's "4'33"". And there you have it, when some people don't want to make something that's already been done they'll run to Locrian or let you sit and listen to the room and do nothing at all. Locrian is like the smear of a fingerprint on a glass...it touches a medium with something that is real. Some people would rather see a perfectly clean glass, while others are remembering who touched that glass.

[@arielporter3872]

I'm studying for my teacher certification test and I needed some good aural examples of modes to help. This was a great video, both for the audio and for the memory tools to help me with the differences between the modes. Thanks, this is awesome!

[@AlefSousa017]

I'm seeing this video already knowing the modes pretty well, but I have to say: the way you teach and explain those things is awesome! If that video was around when I started learning about these things, my life would've been SO MUCH easier! Great job, man!

[@b_r_i_a_nm_u_s_i_c6931]

Me too!

[@Iser1999]

best music theory channel on youtube. this and the "understanding the positions and modes of the minor scale" from nik nocturnal are the best things for a young musician. i learned what others would consider YEARS of music experience and theory and training in a few months just by watching your content. i cannot mention how grateful i am. THANK YOU, MAN!

[@lefkikarpodini]

EXCELLENT VIDEO! Being a classical pianist and wanting to move also to jazz and composing, I always found the modes a little intimidating and gave up every time I looked at them! It is the first time I feel I can enter the world of modes. You are great! You explain everything so well without becoming boring at all! Thanks a lot!

[@joeylane7051]

BEST explanation of modes I've seen so far! Your lessons are filling in SO many gaps in my theory learning. YOU ARE THE MAN

[@1chancellor1]

When I first heard the Locrian Jam, I instantly thought of Larry LaLonde’s guitar playing in Primus. For example, some of the confusing and random sounding guitar on “My Name is Mud” seems like its Locrian.

[@siliciaveerah9327]

This one locrian was beautiful with an undertone and sense of danger

[@Sarahbuildsstepsequencers]

Excellent! This does really help. Especially your descriptors for each of the modes. Perfectly explains which mode will convey your feelings. Thank you!

[@michaelgladkowski4202]

By far the best video helping explain the modes I've found. Plus the simple backing track jamming on the 1 and 5 power chord... what a powerful practice tool. Can't thank you enough!!

[@hellrazer7681]

"Health Insurance commercials" LMAO!

[@johnnoel5292]

locrian and phrygian are good for math metal and grind.

[@tobiaskotoff2572]

Your KZbin lessons have pulled me out of a HUGE musical black hole I was in. I don’t know why I wasn’t able to understand these things until you showcased them here. Bravo my man and thank you millions and millions of thanks

[@Singweethus]

that is the best way to explain modes. Using your knowledge wisely and not to confuse people

[@Ryan_Perrin]

an easy way to get a full sound is harmonizing a riff in thirds. I love writing a light, and admittedly boring, riff in ionanian, then doing the same exact riff over it in phrygian or aeolian. makes it much more palatable in my opinion even great with chords!

[@SignalsMusicStudio]

Absolutely an awesome and quick way to make cool sounding music... it's almost cheating- just write something cool in one shape, and do the "same thing" 2 shapes higher

[@seiph80]

Man... you had me cracking up with the mixolydian advertisement! Love it! And I'll check with my doctor!

[@pathnativejam]

this is the best vid on modes in 2022 and I've seen a few! excellent teaching style, I love the visuals , Best video I've seen on modes hands down! Cheers!

[@joeblough261]

I love how you relate the modes to colors. Reminds me of the movie Mask, when Rocky Dennis conveys colors to a blind girl to feelings. i.e. warm/hot = red, cool/cold = blue.

[@joltheadporgy]

I’ve learned so much I never knew before about guitar just from a few of this guy’s videos. So helpful.

[@mattjorgensen2267]

Locrian mode builds off the Leading note of the Ionian sequence which makes it the best scale for jamming over the I Maj7 chord where you start on the 7th note instead of trying to make it fit over a weird I chord. Just my take on it. It's my favourite mode to solo on even applying it over VIm chords to create really nice 9th effect tones.

[@NovaDetour]

14:40 - ♪♫ "Dancing days are here again as the summer evenings grow..." ♬ Keep going!

[@calebneff5777]

I’ve watched this video several times since it came out, and I always leave having learned something new, and feeling inspired. Thank you for making videos that are as helpful as they are fun. You’re one of the best teachers on KZbin.

[@ldahui]

Great, great video! Kudos Jake

[@renjitjayamohan]

I feel a video on analysis of Dream Theatre's "A nightmare to remember" will be very helpful to understand modal interchange and how it sets different moods in the same song.

[@AnnoyingEdu]

Thanks! I was searching for a good video that outlined the different modes with good examples and your's hit the spot perfectly :) Loved the improv parts. Very nice demonstration of the convey moods.

[@jerrymalone8370]

This is one of the best, most concise, most excellent guitar and music theory videos I've ever seen. I've taken courses in music theory, where this was never covered at all. Love it!

[@yhormbbgc5465]

While Locrian in itself is not really pallatable in a jam session, removing it's minor 3rd and 6th(Which would correspond to A# and D#) you would get the Iwato scale which has this really cool minor Japanese timbre and you can use this in the same vein as the phrygian scale, but getting an entirely different exotic flavour.

[@nichttuntun3364]

yes. The classical church modes become really interesting when you modify them :)

[@AtomizedSound]

Pentatonic scales are great fun and speaking of Iwato scale you could just check out the Hirajoshi scale which Iwato is related to according to the concepts of some composers. There’s also other exotic scales derived from the Hirajoshi.

[@yhormbbgc5465]

Atom-T Yes actually I really enjoy playing on Hirajoshi espiacially on the root of D but I kinda have problems improvising on it in a way that it kinda sounds like a generic major if you don't play it from bottom to top(which with some good rythm can sound really aesthetic)

[@charlietorrez8681]

A regular diminished chord for home super imposes the locrian bb7 mode from double harmonic major -_-- home chord for locrian is a m7b5 or a locrian chord which is a 1b4b5 -_-

[@DerelictEarth]

Thank you for this video it's really clear and useful. I especially enjoyed your improvisations and guitar tone.

[@johnp.johnson1541]

*Tip on Tonic Chords* We know the chords of a major scale: I ii iii IV V iV vii° or: I = Major ii = minor iii = minor IV =Major V = Major vi = minor vii° = diminished And the tonic chords of the modes coincidentally follows this pattern: Ionian = Major Dorian = minor Phrygian = minor Lydian = Major Mixolydian = Major Aeolian = minor Locrian = diminished as seen at 4:15

[@RockSolidLawyer]

Wow, what a great explanation. Dude you are such a fantastic instructor

[@swagdog100]

Why diss locrian? that jam sounded sweet

[@martinedelius]

I'm really glad I found your channel, this is great information presented in a super easy to understand way!

[@kevinmcguinness1113]

Probably one of the best videos here on YT to teach modes, showing the parallel modes 👍. Key to understanding and so very often left out of a lot of tutorials.