How to use the Locrian mode

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Using the Locrian mode can be tricky.
Few songs are directly written in a locrian key because of its harmonic structure.
This lesson will show you a simple idea that will help you use the unique sound of the locrian scale in any situation...
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[@jpalberthoward9]

Your F#m7b5 arpeggio is pure gold. I have been tearing my hair out composing a piece around a Gsus2/6 that I call the "Stravinsky G" chord. I tried the arpeggio against it and IT FITS LIKE A FREAKIN' GLOVE!!!!! I may actually finish this thing now,and if I do, it looks like I'm gonna have to give you co-writing credits. ANOTHER BARRIER COMES CRASHING DOWN TO THE GROUND!! thanks again pardner, I will be watching ALL of your stuff, starting right now!

[@rictube11]

I have been playing(noodling) for 20 yrs now. Somehow I think I will learn what the heck I've been doing and how to do it better after watching your vids. I like the way you present the material and your musical ideas are very pleasing to listen to.

[@DrizztII]

Thank you for this lesson Mr.Walliman. You make a very good combination of personal tricks and theoretical music stuff.

[@xjj99]

Still wrapping my head around the use of modes, but thank you immensely for actually trying to explain what they're for and how to use them, as opposed to the dozens upon dozens of lessons that just tell you which notes are in a given mode! The key is clearly in their appropriate use. Also, nice playing!

[@CalvRobb]

Hi David, As a keys player, I found your explanation on how to use the Locrian scale very inspiring. Using the Locrian modal scale appregios (soloing) over other related modal scale chord progressions very useful! Many Thanks for your video!!

[@axocaster]

Great lesson. Nice the way you showed the Locrian mode against all the other modes and point out the contrast and how to blend deferent moses. I enjoyed this very much but I have also come to expect really good videos on pretty much every topic that you cover. Thank you.

[@Puremail-v1b]

Concise and clear explanation of solo technique using modes.

[@monzadude]

OMG... after 20 years of playing... and 2 years of my own music theory study... I finally get WHY you would use an arpeggio. This lesson made it click for me! Thanks dude your lessons rule!! I always knew about them and had a guitar teacher tell me all about them. Now that I know why to use them, I can know where and when to use them! and funny this lesson wasn't really about arpeggio's directly.. I was messing with the locrian mode and pentatonics and did a search..

[@bren6977]

This is pretty cool. I've taken lessons for a while, where I learned basic chords and scales. When I had those down, I asked my teacher about the different modes. I learned those and shortly forgot them all together, because I never actually learned how to apply them. Glad you were able to cover some of that here.

[@gtrsuite]

Great lesson-as advanced as I am, I always get something from your lessons-Thats why I bought your pkg-I recommend it to everyone-Salute!

[@tonne2009]

I find myself playing these sounds without thinking so much, but this lesson helps a lot to focus them a little bit more accurate. Thanks for the great lessons

[@ScrewtheBoxJustThink]

Holy shit dude, I've been playing for years, but the way you just explained that unlocked something for me. I feel like I just got smacked in the face with a HUGE revelation on how music actually works. Thanks a million dude!!

[@EricMetalhead]

David, that D Mixolydian lick was the coolest thing I've heard in my life.

[@Wallimann]

Thanks!

[@funkyfreshguitar]

When I clicked on this video I expected to see you use the locrian mode over a progression that hanged onto a diminished chord for a little while... I'm really glad this wasn't the case, I never really thought about using different modes during a time in a progression where one certain mode is most harmonically appropriate (as long as they're all in the same key, right?). That really adds some good color. Thanks for the vid!

[@OlegVoronin]

With your wonderful and easy way of teaching this will be the best educational guitar channel in no time! Thank you.

[@HolidayRoadNY]

Nice to see someone who has truly metabolized modal playing ...most players don't actually feel them, they just run them..like robots.

[@팬더매니아v]

@Wallimann honored to have your comment. thanks a lot again. and Take care it's getting cold :)

[@jazzattak]

Hi David I used to ignore this mode, but the arp application makes its diatonic colours more useful…thank you so much

[@robbadahut]

i dig your video on this-- your showing the super awesome jazzy way to use it..i just wanted to comment for anyone reading lociran, is also used in ALOT of deathmetal and mathcore music. they use the 7th mode as the focal point, and then vary off using full diminished arpeggios in and octotonic and or whole tone format..locrian is always the root wehen comeing back (in this instance)..that's all i wanted to add to what you had to say bro! (for the metalheads)---i really dig your playing!!!!

[@rullian2112]

appreciate your ability to break down these modes simply and clearly. Great teacher, fantastic player.

[@MrKittles1123]

I just discovered you today about 15 minutes ago. 2 1/2 videos and several nuggets of great wisdom later, you've earned another sub. Good work and thank you for sharing some good theory!

[@Mfiguk]

Thank you David Wallimann for your awesome lessons

[@assasinator1980]

Dude your guitar playing is so beautiful....I came when you played 3:18

[@aledelverne]

I THINK THIS GUY IS THE BEST TEACHER IN THE WORLD....

[@gazoscreek]

You are a great educator. ( not to mention a great player ) ... I definitely need some alone time with this lesson. It's fabulous. Thank you very much for posting.

[@milowagon]

Thank you Doctor! You have shone a light in my improvisational darkness. Like a breath of fresh air. Many thanks from a jaded Scotsman.Will subscribe.

[@Shadow1IFCVA]

Very helpful - been doing same but have been timid on transitioning. You need to release an album. I find your melodies to be soothing, creative, and inspiring. I think your style is very catchy and unique.

[@hunterlpdc94]

I must say: I really enjoy your tone. The Parker sounds nice with the reverb and creamy delay. Thanks for the post!!

[@mjohnsonteap]

Wow! This application is powerful. It makes so much sense. Thanks for sharing. You have helped me go on to the next level in appreciating, understanding, and learning how to play. Thanks again.

[@sinosinuj]

i love the diminished or augmented 5th. just the right flavor intensity

[@MegamanXbusterify]

Spactacular guitar lesson man, I never knew that the Locrian mode had so many loopholes while playing in different modes. Awesome secret, Thank you.

[@TomFeelz]

Wow, really cool way on thinking about it. It makes so much sense, & interweave it with your own scales & riffs we already play. Nice way of breaking out of the box using new colors. Thanks for sharing

[@jlmdot]

Very very nice!!!It's not easy at all to fit it in at first and there's not much information around youtube on this topic!!!Great lesson!!!Very very usefull!!! Thanks Wallymann!!!

[@marcossousa5597]

I've been working on these modes... Your topic, David, has brought some kind of light... thanks!

[@seadog155]

Thanks for what you are doing, you just opened up a hole new bag of tricks for me. great teacher nice guy. I'll be staying tuned, Aloha, Steve

[@tommyrogerssolo]

Thank you for sharing. I braced it over a few times and got it. Thank you

[@Quiestre]

I'm creating a song in C mod7 locrian right now, this is how i stumbled upon your video. I think it sounds really nice actually

[@InsidePianoTutorials]

Nice video! The examples are very musical. Great playing! Thanks David.

[@DcarloBonayCanorMendoza]

@Wallimann at first i was confused... this was explained well enough... thanks again... maybe I'll learn each sound of the mode to be familiar...

[@organicchewy3]

You are really a gifted player and instructor. When you play it sounds more musical than most of the so called virtuosos. Thank you for such a great source for learning. Keep the excellent work. I have not seen all your videos yet, but I would like to see if you can cover a bit on phrasing and how to connect licks efficiently. Take care!

[@OccidentalHorizon]

Your teaching methods are brilliant. Very easy to learn from. I've never really experimented with the Locrian Mode until now. Thanks a lot! I subscribed!

[@zodiacbluesbaby]

Thanks alot. Transforms a practically unusable mode into something you can tap into all the time.

[@TruthSurge]

5:16 ? I'm just hearing it as a minor add maj6. It's just a minor plus the maj 6 note added. just that you started on the 6th instead of the minor root. Would it simplify to just call it min 6th? I mean, F#min flat 5? It's just the same minor you are playing in plus a maj 6 added. ? Am I wrong?

[@LevitatorMusic]

like you videos man! I've been playing for 17 years and i still pick up little pieces of info from you that i've missed or forgotten over the years lol

[@Eduardot12345556]

@ExcitingHat try playing a lick over the d mixolydian but use the F# as your root note, remember modes are really the same scale using different roots, so any thing you play within a key will sound modally no matter where you start or finish. Hope that made sense?

[@erotonelli]

really thx man, you are a great teacher. You should post more videos! greetings from Brazil.

[@JonasBGuitar]

Thanks for the quick reply! I sometimes refer to shapes as modes myself, but I'd be quite interested in how to use the mode with a backing track in the same key as the mode.

[@TheFunkyCriminal]

this was one of the more interesting approaches to teaching modes thanks a lot

[@antifolkhero]

Your explanations are really great and simple, and I really like the way you solo. I'm looking forward to learning some of the stuff you played in this video later today.

[@tomtowle]

I always thought that modes were extrapolated scales off of the major scale in which the tonal center (root) was shifted. In this presentation, I get the sense you are using it as a scalar overlay to more commonly-used modes rather than positioning the tonal center on the 7th degree and constructing harmony and cadential movement to coincide with the scalar motion. Am I missing something? I really enjoy your treatments and explanations in all I have seen. Thanks for making music theory valued.

[@trillrifaxegrindor4411]

wow,you were one of the first on line brilliant guitar teachers,you should be knighted

[@Ctouch09]

David! Continue to show us the way!

[@OKEspina]

Hi Wallimann, I've been watching your lessons on the use of modes and it really helped a lot. You explained it very well and your teaching is great . Hope to see more video lessons from you. I'm subscribing on you for sure and thank you very much.

[@msolbakken]

The C Aeolian/Dm7b5! Kind of a curve ball considering the compatibility of the other three modes you demoed. I liked it though! I worked out the logic of it. I've stayed away from the Locrian because the dissonance of the flatted 2nd. Using the R,3,5,7 was an interesting take on the Locrian. Cool lesson!

[@tomtowle]

@Wallimann I agree wholeheartedly and hope I can explore and make use of this methodology. Your licks sound splendid. Meshing half-diminished arpeggio and Locrian mode...have you ever looked at Vincent Persichetti's 20th Century Harmony? He mentions 'modalizing' synthetic and exotic scales and those possibilities as well.

[@lyrixandlicks3029]

Wow. Starting to understand it. I'll be repeating this video for awhile. Thanks👍🏾👍🏾👍🏾

[@WhiteFlowerLotus]

Man thank you for explaining it to me this way, until now mode order wasnt something I cared about

[@grooveonit]

I think locrian is a great mode for metal. the inherent dissonance makes for a very eerie sound since its pretty much phrygian but with a flat 5.

[@JonasBGuitar]

Can you make another video for the Locrian mode to show how to use it in a Locrian key? This video was great for learning the finger pattern, but the key was G major, so it would be nice to get an idea of how to play in the key of Locrian as well.

[@udsahn]

Great info! Finally a use for Locrain I can understand. Now I just have to get my guitar issue corrected and play around with it :D. Guess for right now it's time to whip out the ol' electric piano to mess around with the mode LOL. Many thanks!!

[@judahleat_music]

Really helpful - knew the theory, never how to apply it though... I have some new colours for my solos! Thanks!

[@amerkhanify]

Great lesson with great examples. One small suggestion would be to more clearly highlight which modes/scales can be effectively used alongside related chords other than the root chord of that scale/mode. That would help expand the improvisational technique for a lot of your viewers (including myself). :) Thanks again. Cheers!

[@BlikeNave]

This is a great lesson. Thinking in thirds is what helped me with the modes. I hope you have music of your own that I can listen to, I really liked the backing tracks and your style of playing.

[@justicewelsh]

With your formula one could use any mode to any key as long as you spell it (the key, mode) correctly and go in order to the mode from the key your in? Very cool . A neumonic device for modes i use is."I Dont Play Lame Music At Lunch" --Ionian,Dorian,Ph...etc.

[@KyleCarrington]

wow very interesting. im gonna have to go over this a few times as i got really confused... but i can certainly hear the applications. awesome

[@albertvangestal3696]

Great stuff! I always enjoy learning from your tutorials. Thank you!

[@marcomaximiliano]

hi, very intersting and usefull, thanks very much, as i see this way of use the locrian is like using and seven minor chord arpeggio, for example in A dorian you can think in d7/9 arpeggio, without playing the root (D) I think this can help in memorizing the lesson, thankyou again, I suscribed!

[@sqmuth]

Really sweet videos. And I speak as a pianist who has a pretty good idea what modes are about. I've always heard it pronounced "low-cre-an" though.

[@mk1570]

Great video man, I have a very sound understanding of modes yet I have never found a way to make locrian work right in my improvs till now! Thanks man! and nice playing. Very jazzy and I cant help but hear Eric Johnson in that mode/styling.

[@bluesviolin2887]

Thanks to marshalcraft, BlikenavE & Ron Askew for the input. I'll hafta put more work into using the full Locrian scale, But I would use the full scale less than the arps. I've had good success with this teaching from David, and it turned me on to using Maj7 arps in the same way.

[@impavitus]

wow thats cool. I tried playing locrian and the only thing I came up with was e minor dim which sounded like metal to me

[@BzBlade]

@Wallimann I noticed some key phases or certain notes being used to seduce the mode(or any). I did used a correct chord progression but still fail, I'm starting to guess those key phases others use has a bit to do with the mode's arpeggio. I can bring out the color of a Dorian mode well but I guess I have to listen to some locrain music to familiarize with it's sound. I'll keep trying, Thanks!

[@elmore318]

Going to get going on learning these scales. Thanks for sharing this.

[@samuelmcdaniel5065]

Hi David! Thanks for the video. I am confused and I see others have made similar comments: The notes of G Ionian and F# Locrian are identical; that is, they are the same scale. G Ionian: G A B C D E F# G F# Locrian: F# G A B C D E F# To get the effect/color of the minor 2nd and the flat 5 in the Locrian you would need to play the scale against a chord with the same root note.

[@SevenTool07]

As far as I know, acentuating notes from the mode produce the sound of it.

[@SevenTool07]

As far as I know, acentuating notes from the mode produce the sound of it.

[@MarekJendza]

Thank you very much for this movie David! I always wanted to know more about locrian mode.

[@musicprodave]

Dude, you are just a crazy player. Wish you were closer so I could get some lessons from you. I just can't seem to get that modal feeling like I want to.

[@Chitarrometro]

@Wallimann Thanks again!! you're really kind! I think modal improvisation is the most difficult one I worked out bluesy stuff lately,trying to use not only pentatonic scales but also esatonal,diminished and half-diminished scales and now I wanna improve modal stuff 'cause i also love fusion and things very similiar to your playing! Be sure I'll check out your site!

[@williswet]

Excellent lesson. Thanks so much for your time.

[@darylambrous1050]

What an amazing explanation. Thank you very much

[@Gregory_TheWatchman]

Hey Wallimann! Blukper again....man your C Aeolian flow is awesome! Very smooth and articulate! I've got to learn these modes and break from this blues!...lol My playing needs to evolve. :P thx for posting!

[@elliotjgc]

I use this mode for the majority of the music i write for my band. It works well for aggressive music.

[@sacredgeometry]

@superreverbfreak muscle memory and knowing your guitar helps. I could tell you where any fret on my guitar is without dots and find pretty much any other fret relative to my current playing position.

[@emafire]

Thank you! Cheers from italy

[@zacka1337]

gorgeous guitar

[@maddi62]

@woshushe yes they all do that, make passing reference to the fact they're all the same thing and then waffle on about modes as if they're not. Don't get me wrong, there is a place for talking about modes but it would simplify things for most people to make it the passing reference and make more use of the underlying key as a means of just getting on with it. It's a seventh of the work or the same reslts

[@dolfkellens1309]

Great lesson Nice Thanx man . Great teacher . Cheers from Holland.

[@Torn80cj]

This is so funny in a way, I play the keys, but 2 of my best teachers are guitar players. You and the other guitar player explain this so clearly that I can apply this to playing the keyboard and I don't even play guitar.

[@amidfallen]

I found that Xm5-/9- chord sounds quite useful (just diminished chord with added minor 9th)

[@johndsouzaguitartoday3075]

Lovely.. This has helped me and given me a broader understanding of improvising ❤️

[@div911X]

cool strap (satriani), nice guitar and BEST VIDEO!

[@stillnessinmovement]

@TheRockerInside in addition to what wally said, you might check out joe satriani and his pitch axis method.

[@mraggrovator]

Thanks again another great lesson .

[@superreverbfreak]

@Wallimann ahh ok ...well i love your vids man i really appreciate them i have been playin for a while...never went to school and have always bought lessons or books or whatever and you explain the modes the best i have found....thx!

[@xhibitionism]

Very nice video! Thank you. You was using a same planet wave strap as me!

[@ThaThing1337x]

Finally I found the mode so many metal bands uses! I thought it was a variation of the minor blues scale combined with the phrygian mode's minor 2nd, but it was locrian o: Yet this is hard to use in other genres than metal, but you did it :P

[@felipegonzalezpoblete3751]

Dorian sounds really good with the half diminished arpeggio

[@Thelearner1000]

This is a great lesson, learned a lot! Very inspirational.

[@tneatrour]

Excellent lesson! I'm gonna get a LOT of miles out of this one!

[@ScrewtheBoxJustThink]

Holy shit dude, I've been playing for years, but the way you just explained that unlocked something for me. I feel like I just got smacked in the face with a HUGE revelation on how music actually works. Thanks a million dude!!

[@Pjaysusity]

When he went above and below the ionian. Playing the seventh and second modes.

[@GrinninPig]

How you doing now?

[@TheMikeWatson666]

Really helpful, I knew the theory but great to see your approach to its application. Can the m7b5 arpeggio be used in combination with other arpeggios as well as scale modes?