Investigating Ionian

Hey everyone! Here's the next episode of Scales & Tales with Investigating Ionian. As promised, this is the final "overview" episode related to the modes from the major scale lessons that I've created over the last couple of months. This lesson will (hopefully) shed some additional light on this confusing subject matter and tie everything together that we've uncovered in this series - so let's dive in!
This episode revolves around the key/tonality of C Ionian, which is the typical key choice when modes are discussed in music theory classes/books. Aside from making an overview of modal scales and where they come from easier to see in this common/simple key, there is also an Ionian-based song recommendation near the end of this lesson that also happens to revolve around C Ionian - so there's a reason we've targeted that specific key for this lesson.
Aside from the song recommendation at the end, this lesson shares an assortment of scale fingerings/approaches for learning more about Ionian on the fretboard, changing the chord behind the scale to reveal various modal tonalities, a variety of Ionian-flavored major seventh chords (maj7), the seven positions of the major scale and how they relate to the most common modal scale shapes/fingerings on the guitar, grouping the modes into different "families" to help you understand how to classify them, and much more!
Needless to say, if you've been following this series of lessons and want to take the next step toward understanding this important area of creating music, would like to learn more about scales and modal tonalities, acquire a variety of interesting maj7 chord voicings, and much more - this episode is totally for you! Give this episode a view, leave some comments/feedback, and please subscribe to Late Night Lessons - THANK YOU!
Become a Patreon supporter of Late Night Lessons for only $5 (or more) each month and gain access to PDF notation/tab files of these lessons. Thank you!
www.patreon.com/latenightlessons

[@mikeivey8471]

Fabulous lesson , Dave !! Really enjoy this series !!! Hoping for more modal lessons like this . Maybe an even deeper dive into putting the modes to use in crafting songs & solos ?! Thank you so much for this !!

[@scottyvand]

Thank you. I use everything you teach. Daily.

[@saddle8bag]

Brilliant. First time I've seen modes done this way with chords over a set scale. I like it.

[@aylbdrmadison1051]

Now you can also build the arpeggios too. It's basically the same shape he's using for those chords, and just add the third note from the scale on the A string with your 4th finger, and the second octave 5th note of the scale on the high E string with your fourth finger also. You can pick them all, or use your 4th finger to do pull offs, leaving your pick free to just do a full sweep (picking it is more tricky, but good to learn both eventually). Get the chord/scale/arpeggio thing together and it all clicks.

[@armara70]

The looper really drove the point home. Great lesson!

[@aylbdrmadison1051]

For anyone unsure of how important this is to learn, this is essentially the main key that opens the rest of the music theory doors for you. Learn this, and the rest will make sense. Don't learn this, and the rest won't make much sense at all. This also teaches you every note across the entire fretboard (if you play the scales as you name the notes), and all 12 keys, and all 7 diatonic modes in all 12 keys. That's 84 scales total. Even if you learn nothing else about theory, learn this.

[@ranius7388]

I actually started to learn with advanced teacher (he's Berkley graduate) , only after 15 years into playing , just to learn that i was a noob. I always underestimated theory, but today i understand what i have missed all these years .

[@listonsssurfer]

Thank you Dave for this eye/ear opening lesson!!

[@easter_sunday]

Heck yeah Sensei Dave! Great series!

[@paddymaxwell]

Excellent lesson Dave...the whole series was amazing.

[@Busyfingers24]

Well if that wasn’t ear opening…thanks Dave! Best Damn Channel Out There🤘

[@georgegarden3510]

Jeeze man, looping the scale and playing the chords! So simple yet never thought/ heard of this before! Excellent way to hear the change!!!

[@1macirone]

Just what I needed; Outstanding lesson David, thank you SO MUCH!!

[@300gjw]

That was a great lesson Dave!

[@robertbernas1104]

Yo DB this was a smart breakdown - as always I thank🤙

[@joshuasydnee]

Another gem David 👍once you get the modes the lights come, the Frank G video opened it up for me 🎸

[@stevenadler3110]

John Norum or Billy White from the 1990 Don Dokken era. Every riff and solo is amazing! Just pick one XYZ Marc Diglio, most underrated guitarist of the late 80’s early 90’s. They had the similar Giant effect in the early 90’s with the alternative rock shift.

[@midiman5045]

Wow we got a major great lesson, Not once did he try and sell us a stupid book because he's the greatest musician in the world. ( David that is a compliment ). As always thank you so much for all of your free videos and knowledge you pass on to us.

[@RF944]

Thanks for mode lessons, I picked up quite a bit of info.👍

[@ranius7388]

Great lesson , I hope more players will ask themselves "what chords" , instead of "what scale/mode" is the song in . Thank you Can you do a lesson on melodic minor /altered scale in rock context , 🙏🙏🙏🙏

[@ey870]

F**K me you did blow my mind holy crap - never heard it explained that way before wow!!

[@1loveMusic2003]

One of the most overlooked ideas among guitar players and it isn't that bad to learn just some time.

[@fabghassem]

🍃🍃🍃

[@cjprocker]

W.A.S.P chordplay pls?

[@midiman5045]

Bristol Shore lead sound a little like Jessica from the Altman brothers Band.

[@kenzik3775]

is there a way to contact you? Id like to asked you a few question about private lessons? Where you live to see if they're in person or skype? These videos aren't enough for me LOL Thanks,

[@LateNightLessons]

Hey there! I'm currently not taking any new students, but I hope to free up another day and some time in the near future. If you're interested, I can add you to "the list" that I've created and contact you once I'm ready. : )

[@kenzik3775]

@@LateNightLessons ok great do that. Your a very in-depth teacher. What state do you reside in? I thought i seen you wear a Chicago music exchange tee-shirt so i was thinking Midwest ?

[@waynegram8907]

LATE NIGHT, For minor7b9 chords why are you using the Dorian Scale, because the dorian scale doesn't have a b2/b9th scale degree? for Dom7b9 you use the melodic minor scale. You should make a YT lesson about CrossBar Slant index chords. Pink Floyd would use "Superimposed modes or Substitution modes" which is you start the scale/mode on a different chord tone or scale degree which will be superimposed on top of the chord. EXAMPLE. If the chord is a G major chord and you play the B minor scale = superimposed which will "Imply a G major 7 sound = G lydian tone. Its a pink floyd trick giving that obscured by clouds pompeii sound which you should do a YT lesson about it. You're playing a Minor scale or Minor Pentatonic scale + b5 note starting on the 3rd chord tone which will give you a Lydian Tonality = Pink Floyd Obscured by Clouds Pompeii. It will "imply" a Maj7th superimposed and a lydian tonality. David Gilmour back in the early 60's took lessons by a Jazz Guitarist that taught him a lot about jazz theory which he doesn't tell people much but there are a lot of jazz chords in floyds sounds.

[@LateNightLessons]

Hey, just a head's up here, but I didn't play a minor7b9 chord in this lesson whatsoever. The only time I've mentioned playing b9 chords in this entire modal series was in the Phrygian episode. Just sayin'.

[@holysmoke8439]

I was also jamming yellow n black tonight with my Lynch 🐯

[@holysmoke8439]

Or yellow n very dark red