Scales & Tales - Modal Mastery (Part One)

Here's the next Scales & Tales lesson with part one of a Modal Mastery series. This lesson begins with locating the seven positions of the major scale in one-octave fragments, which will not only help you locate all seven positions of Ionian (a.k.a. the major scale), but it also supplies you with seven of the most common modal scale fingerings, which you're technically learning at the same time.
With a simple change of the chords behind the material we're playing here, we can shift from basic major scale tonalities to cruising through each of the seven modes derived from the major scale - Ionian, Dorian, Phrygian, Lydian, Mixolydian, Aeolian, and Locrian.
Once we've uncovered the basic one-octave fingerings and add a useful melodic exercise to practice, you'll find we're shifting gears to reveal how important the chord behind what you're playing is and how it directly impacts/influences the scale you play over it.
By keeping the scale the same and changing the chord behind us, we're able to locate and identify each mode. This type of thinking and modal application can really help you understand what we're tackling in this lesson and ultimately with modal scales in general.
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[@robertbernas1104]

Honestly the best explanation of modes I’ve ever heard - clear and comprehensive - both parts 1 &2 thanks as always💯

[@lifelongfan07]

Awesome!...you did it reverse. They always do it from the scale. Playing the next scale but you’re using the chords over the scale! That’s where it hits home!! Awe MAN! That’s powerful!!! Thank you David!

[@Aaron5616]

Ok... mind blown. Simple demo with the looper and I got a glimpse of understanding modes... finally. It's like I have been trying to cook with only knowing how to chop, dice, and slice ingredients. You just opened the spice cabinet, wow!

[@makeamericaguitaragain]

At first, when you said "you got to play the right chord" I was like "no, doy!" But when you walked through the chords over F major scale, my mind was blown.

[@ant1738]

Nice! I can build pentatonic scales w/ thr strong tones which define the over tone of each mode .. Great, clear and concise

[@7thString84]

David, I really love all your content! Even though I don't watch some of it because I don't like or simply don't know the bands... (which is my own fault!) You are a true master! Very professional, very educated, very skilled, very nice! :) Cheers from Germany! Keep on doing what you do! And don't mind "ignorants" like me. ;-P

[@christianneumann7608]

Bravo! Very good lesson, also adding the looper. I have big fun in playing what you are teaching.

[@jazznotes3802]

So true, not only do the chords get overlooked with modes but so does the arpeggios. Soloing in a mode could be described as simply “playing the diatonic scale and emphasising one of it’s seven diatonic chords.” (by targeting the arpeggios/chord tones) But yes, you need to be targeting the appropriate chord that the music is gravitating towards.

[@eddiejr540]

WOW....thats incredible...never seen that before...that explains ALOT....great stuff!!!!...now on to part 2!!!!!

[@Busyfingers24]

Wow...and to think I actually thought I was getting the hang of it because I can shred through some rock and blues stuff. What an eye opening I mean ear opening killer lesson!👍

[@howiewyer4588]

That's awesome.... thank you for putting it that way....

[@ledgesintar]

Been subscribed for a while now due to the Chordplay series and love your videos. This one particularly inspires me to work on my (lack of) skills. BTW, also found the Link Wray video to be interesting to point that I'd like to dig into that more and the moment in time around it. Thanks for your efforts!

[@Adam-vc7oy]

Your videos are great!

[@eddiewhite8903]

Love all your lessons, think I’m actually starting to understand modes.

[@loveguitars]

Hey David, Awesome Lesson!! Thanks!!

[@LateNightLessons]

Hey hey - thank you so much! : ) Stay tuned for more lessons and videos!

[@voronOsphere]

I actually enjoy F Ionian (F major) for some reason, especially when alternating with good bits of D Aeolian (D minor) to balance it out. Major can definitely get dangerously happy, though...

[@michaeldejong2700]

I will take the major key other any of those phony scary melodies that metal bands use.

[@cabralguitarhero]

Great lesson!

[@LateNightLessons]

Thank you! : )

[@k-ondoomer]

Once you get this down you can literally shred across the neck for each chord..it's liberating

[@Stringprodigy]

lol no

[@stevet.4974]

One Target Tones now on order. I hope it helps put your kids through college.

[@sachabaptista]

You mentioned Robert Fripp in this video, how about a Chordplay episode on King Crimson or a lick video based on the Frippertronics (solo or with Brian Eno)?

[@LateNightLessons]

Now we're talkin'! : ) I'll add them to the list!

[@sachabaptista]

@@LateNightLessons That would be awesome :)

[@polygraphovich]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/mYXGqWt6oZx1m5Y

[@JD-vj4go]

When the chords changed 2 really jumped out (lydian and locrian) but aeolian, phrygian and dorian didn't sound very different to me and mixolydian just sounded like major. Are there books or exercises that can be done to learn to hear these differences better? EDIT: part two of this series is the answer to this question.

[@imranuddin5526]

Any ways, Awesom lessons

[@LateNightLessons]

Thank you! : )

[@imranuddin5526]

Good lesson, I've been playing for quite a long, but I can't play Mode by heart, what I mean is, I know playing 2nd Minor Chord behind a scale will give us dorian sound or 4rth Chord will make the sound like Flying in a blue dream kind of (Lydian), but then what am I feeling at that time, my emotions, I can't relate them to emotions, and it feels like an excercise. I do not understand how to relate feelings with a mode. I looking forward to get into that, I m sure I will end up using modes watching your lessons. I just dont know who to connect to the modes with the feelings, and thats demotivating. May be Chord progression underlying the solo may give us the feelings, but to this day i failed to do so.

[@LateNightLessons]

Thanks for this comment and for watching too! Understanding modes is difficult and while it takes a while to really get a feel for working with and using them in music, it's really best to think of them as different flavors of a scale and each one has a signature sound or a certain character when you play it. Once you start to "hear" each of the modes and the flavor they produce, then it's really a matter of waiting for the right time (and chord progression) to come along that signals the use/sound of that mode. Just keep practicing and playing with them and sooner or later the modal world will "click." Good luck! : )

[@EarthAltar]

So you hate the major scale do ya? Lol. Me too, man. It's that major 3rd. Always making things so happy. It's not nearly as annoying in the lydian and mixolydian because the intervals between the 4th (lydian) or the 7th (mixolydian) get altered, but that major scale is too perfect intervally speaking. I have a theory that the melodic minor was invented just to smack the ionian scale around and take it down a notch by flattening it's 3rd a half step. Of course that changes the chordal harmony, but it gives you some nice triad pairs to work with too. Wait til' you tell them they have to learn all those scale shapes over a single root in part two, and then do the same thing in part one and part two for the harmonic and melodic minors. Once you get the hang of though it makes perfect sense, but the quest is half the fun. It's only when you start mapping out the modes and chords of some of the more exotic scales that you realize you may have a sickness. Lol. Great lesson, Dave!

[@LateNightLessons]

I totally have a "scale sickness" - hahaha! : ) I know in my early days (when I didn't really know anything) I just played by ear and didn't realize half of the stuff I was playing, but once I started to learn music theory and eventually went to college for music, I became obsessed with learning the inner-details and defined elements of music and music theory. It's a lifelong study and a mountain that none of us will actually reach the top - but it sure is fun trying! Thanks again man and take care!

[@EarthAltar]

@@LateNightLessons I was lucky/cursed that a piano teacher heard me trying to play guitar like some hell spawned demon hitting every note on every fret as fast as I possibly could. Looking back I can only imagine what she was thinking. She gave me "Mel Bay's Theory and Harmony For Everyone" for Christmas that year. I guess I was about 16 in 1984. From there I got ahold of the TAB book for Yngwie's first album, and figured I'd learn that and take over the world. Easier dreamt than done. Lol. Fast forward to 2019, and I just learned all the solos from Stray Cat Strut in about a half hour. I think she would be proud. Lol.

[@LateNightLessons]

Heck yeah and Setzer ROCKS!

[@GTPJoe]

But the major 3rd isn’t always happy, listen to One More Red Nightmare by King Crimson. Fripp is playing a 1-3-b5 pattern harmonized with the major 3rd and it’s dark and aggressive!

[@JayLand1973]

😫 u lost me at second one. I'm not that smart.