Modes Aren’t Just Scales, They’re Progressions Too!

[@word67]

Going to swallow all my pride and admit that this has vexed me for too long. This is the best ( by miles and miles) lesson on "modes' concepts I have ever seen. Thanks Eric Haugen.

[@thearno2885]

yeah he made the penny drop for me too. it was mentioned on one of his earlier vids a while back.

[@ericrudd]

When I was in traditional music school, we were taught that starting on the fifth note of the C major scale is C mixolydian. As Eric demonstrates here. I think it’s the guitar players (and other performers) that call it G mixolydian. They are associating this mode with a “version” of the G major scale. (ie, flat 7). Doing it this way can make it easier to grasp than trying to play that 1 b5 4 progression while trying to keep thinking in the key of C. Particularly when soloing.

[@EricHaugenGuitar]

Uh now I’m confused. Could you expand further Eric Rudd?

[@ericrudd]

@@EricHaugenGuitar uh oh. I thought I was clarifying. I see I made it worse. When my theory teacher first introduced modes, he would “attach” them to one key. For example…. C scale has associated modes….Ionian, Dorian, Phrygian, etc. Each mode starting on the respective note of the C Major scale. So when I was first introduced to the mode you share here…..mixolydian….I only knew it as the fifth mode as it relates to C. ie….your playing the C Major scale, but starting on the fifth note. It’s only years later, when I started picking up popular guitar, that I saw it referred to G mixolydian. G A B C D E F G But when your soloing, it can be easier to think of it as a GMajor scale with a flat 7. Thus, It’s G mixolydian. Calling it that gets you thinking in the “key” of the mode. As you suggest in your video. But it’s really based, originally, around C Major.

[@postoffice146]

@@ericrudd C is 4th in G major scale, and D is 5th, so D mixolydian is a G major scale starting from D which is the tonal center. C is the 5th from F, so C mixolydian is F major scale starting from C which is the tonal center.

[@philscantlebury2830]

....and a sweet triad lesson all by itself if you study the first 15 seconds that go back around the second time commencing with G and F triads starting on the 12th fret. Thank you!

[@philscantlebury2830]

my mistake; its G to C

[@ugorizzoli5830]

Huge lesson that addresses what most people don’t get about modes. I’d go one step further and say that chord progressions are what actually make the modes. You may be playing an f Lydian scale and emphasising that #4 super hard, but if the progression underneath is C F G C you’re playing in C major period.

[@capitaldharma]

Eric, when I saw this lesson title my head exploded (in a good way). I’ve been trying to understand for years why my favorite V-II-I surf progressions don’t sound like major. It’s I-V-IV Mixolydian! So simple, but you unlocked the door!

[@EricHaugenGuitar]

yes! All about those new tonal centers!

[@zummo61]

People love to put down modes but exploring them is endless creative possibilities. It takes more effort to explain why you don’t understand them than it does to learn them.

[@azarealbheri6876]

Once a while you stumble upon a light bulb video like this, and it lifts you from that plateau phase...Thanks Eric, this video was just that! It made complete sense to me!! I wish to see this made into a series for all modes, with chord progression examples for each, like you did in this one...That would be a cool little playlist to frequently visit..

[@spacejack400]

Wow, this video probably has the best reasoning behind thinking in modes that I've heard so far. I'm lazy and always found it easier to think of chord progressions in "major", but this explains the why of thinking in modes.

[@joseluisfernandez3453]

best video about modes i’ve seen, i wish this was available years ago so i didn’t have to learn the hard/twisted/confusing way everyone likes to teach them

[@MaPa60]

Love this approach to modes. The struggle I always have with modes is to use the characteristic notes in a mode, in a natural musical way. It always feels like you need to target these notes and tuck them in to emphasize the modal sound, for the sake of getting the sound only.

[@marquee-moon]

Fun note, that G-F is also Bowie’s ‘Golden Years’. There’s a fun story out there somewhere that his bass player called him out on ripping off On Broadway.

[@lefty194]

When I learned about modes it confused me... I thought "I bet there's a neat way to apply this to chord progressions" but I couldn't wrap my head around it. This helps a lot, thanks bud

[@petergoddard1960]

Ping...err...ping..and aum....PING! The lightbulbs in my head still make that noise. Most Fridays to be honest.

[@_vinvega_]

This is gold!!!! Priceless information This would have been a very expensive lesson!

[@brucejackson1329]

Thanks for distilling modes down for me…I finally understand how and when to use them. Great point on tonal centers and spice notes.

[@arifmemovic3383]

Can’t think of a better guitar lesson on KZbin. Thank you!

[@mrmeeks85]

You explaining this in the "Where to start with music theory" series is what made modes finally click for me

[@angusorvid8840]

Nice lesson. I've been playing for thirty-eight years and in this video you've explained the difference one note can make better than anyone. I played hard rock/metal and it took me a while to find a good teacher who understood I wanted to be more than a shredder. Yes, I became a shredder too. After all, I started playing in the 80s. Shred was all the rage, especially here in L.A. But I became a more well-rounded player through lessons like this one. It took me almost two years to find a teacher who would tie it all together like you do. This is what serious players need to learn. Everything is tied together in music.

[@snuffbox2006]

Many teachers tell you things but they do not sink in because you don't know how to use it or understand the context. They probably do not think to say them because they seem obvious or they forgot how a beginner thinks. This lesson cleared up so many questions in my mind.

[@boomerdell]

Whoa, as soon as you started playing G - F, I heard Steely Dan's 'Bodhisattva', too! Love the way you always help me to find so many connections when you explain a concept in music. Love it.

[@EricHaugenGuitar]

"Rikki Don't Lose That Number" is coming next week!

[@capitaldharma]

Looking forward to that!

[@Bronson-Apollo]

Makes me happy to see you post this.... Steely Dan Forever

[@kkjhn41]

@@EricHaugenGuitar Or as it's alco known, Song for My Father by Horace Silver. kzbin.info/www/bejne/eYjIiYKjaZ6ee5I

[@glennmichaelthompson4112]

@@EricHaugenGuitar "Rikki" always reminded me of "Song For My Father" by Horace Silver. I've always been curious if it was an inspiration for Steely Dan in writing that song.

[@barrieglenn8353]

Will watch this again, most interesting tutorial I have seen on modes.

[@rbriggz]

This was one of the most insightful lessons yet. So simple and to the point!

[@69telecasterplayer]

I've been playing for decades and I have played modally but did not realize it. Just now trying to learn this and you have shared some great light on the subject. Thank you.

[@OIP_1]

perfect lesson! seeing the examples and explanation just made it click in an actual musical way. the bit at the end about not muddying it up with more diatonic chords i never even thought of, very important

[@craigwood8862]

This concept is simple and profound and also hard and challenging to master. But taught so well - well done Eric

[@rebeccapeltzer1222]

"writing no matter where you are with your guitar skills" has been my conclusion lately. I've been listening to a lot of Jake Bugg's songs recently, the early songs, and I've been noticing how the dude hase just been writing his heart out with quite simple chord progressions in the end. The picking and voice give it style and a uniqje personnality, but in the rnd i've been thinking "I could do this". Bottom line is i completely agree with what you said about the writing ritual that has lead me to write poems succesfully and having them read by other people - letting them fly free into the world ! It's the most rewarding in the end. Being rewarded for what truely lives in your heart, not just what you feel you are able to do. :)

[@ashthegreat1]

This clip illustrates more than anything, the skill of teaching.

[@EricHaugenGuitar]

I had to share this Samuel Jackson laugh with you: www.tiktok.com/@awaken1978/video/7215566212712041774

[@YetAnotherWittyUserName]

This is connecting so many dots for me. As a songwriter, I'm so used to working in Ionian mode and then altering chords from there to add additional flavor. It's really nice to see someone explaining the modes as chord progressions. Thank you for this.

[@stevewilson3793]

Gotta tell ya,.You are the best instructor on here. Everything you focus on is what should be focused upon. And you really explain it well. Great work ,man.

[@ThomasMüller-v2j]

Wow, how cool that the modes are also a gateway to other keys.

[@DeGroove]

Every Haugen video is a step closer to complete musical awareness! Thank you sincerely Eric. Take care

[@BrenQ99]

That was VERY helpful to me. “Modes” is the current topic in my evolving music education/understanding that is causing the headaches and brain-shutdowns at the moment. More, please?

[@gwlee7]

These types of lessons are why I support you in all the ways that I do. I write songs off them.

[@EricHaugenGuitar]

Hell yea modes are so great for writing! So many new cadences you can use instead of IV V I

[@AlienHomesick]

The finish on your guitar is so sublime🤤

[@joaoassumpcao3347]

Hey Eric! I love your channel, it has really helped me reignite my love for music and writing. As someone who struggles very much with anxiety over songwriting, your relaxed presentation and approach really help me remember that art isn't a competition, and we should enjoy the process. About the video, when you talked about the locrian mode and starting a song in a half diminished chord and how you "couldn't hear a melody", I immediately remembered a great song that starts with a half diminished chord: Tricks by Stella Donnelly. Truth be told, it really isn't locrian, because she only uses the diminished as a jumping point to the maj7 chord half-step below, but it's still a good example of using this chord. It also has a cool use of maj7 chords, as the entire verse is just her jumping from one to the next. I personally love the sound of the diminished, and it features in one of my favourite songs, Andromeda by Weyes Blood. It's right as the chorus hits, and it makes the song sound so ethereal. This song is also a good example of modal stuff going on, because I believe the verse starts in Lydian and moves to a Mixolydian halfway through. Really cool! Anyway, just wanted to leave you with two songs that you might like and maybe inspire you a bit! I rambled on a bit, but we often do when we talk about what we love, don't we? Either way, cheers!

[@EricHaugenGuitar]

Ooooh those are 2 good picks man!

[@elbanj]

I struggled with the concept of modes for years. You have 100% described them perfectly. Context is so important and overlooked in most videos. Wish I'd stumbled across this a few years ago.

[@seansutton3264]

Dude your way of explaining concepts is awesome. You have been influencial in my journey of understanding guitar. Thanks!

[@stephenbouchelle7706]

1. I don’t have enough discipline to follow full courses or even very long lessons. Something I can get briefly and noodle around with immediately is how I learn. This is a great lesson for me. I will go start working on the progressions. 2. I really appreciate your example of Calvary Cross. RT is a lifetime time favorite!

[@zapphoddbubbahbrox5681]

*sploded* ... another keeper for the bookmarks. Thanks!!

[@stephenbrumlow931]

Eric Haugen and Philip Seymour Hoffman in the same lesson. Sweet!

[@whoozworldizthis4221]

I know this is the next step for me as a guitarist this has made thr most sense so far as soon as I hear the word Modes my eyes glaze over I will rematch this a few times and try to grasp it great video thanks and once again you have an awesome calming personality and a super nice guy keep going mate love from Australia

[@johnbahler]

The reason that we think of even common modes like myxolidian as being weird is that harmony tends to push us into the major mode. Chords like to move by 4ths (like in a 6 2 5 1 progression). If you play chords in a modal song, you can't just use whatever chords in the key that you want to, because eventually something is going to push it back to the relative major key. Similarly, if you try to play modal music on a harmonica without other accompaniment, you'll catch a few harmony notes in passing and soon you're back in major. There are some old modal fiddle tunes that turned into major key songs when they added chord instruments (often myxolidian songs that now simply start and end on the fifth). Switching into a mode adds new chord possibilities, but it removes more possibilities than it adds.

[@TravisPhillips22]

I learned a lot in this lesson!! I always would always call it a “b7” but really we were going modal. Just depends on how you look at it. Thank you!!

[@TeddScheckler]

Man, you just make all this so clear. Love your channel.

[@JCFern]

I’ve studied The Modes from patterns, shapes, scales, in Relative(to a Major/Ionian Scale), to playing them as Parallel to one Root, till I was blue in the face. My first breakthrough was thinking of them as progressions… But the big takeaways I learned here from this lesson video, is establishing the new tonal center for whatever mode it is, and ensuring the progression contains a chord/triad that contain the special “modal spice note”… I feel like you’ve cleared the last bits of fog that kept me from fully grasping and HEARING the Modes 🙏 You’re such an amazing teacher Eric!

[@mightyluv]

This answers a question I’ve had for a long time regarding the modes; it’s so simple, but sometimes you gotta find someone to show it to you. Thanks for being that someone!

[@michaelgaurnier3108]

This might be the first guitar video I’ve seen where modes are explained correctly. Great job! I found this helpful.

[@Dogday_gaming707]

This video finally made my brain go aha! Thanks for the explanation with known progressions.

[@trevor2173]

Thanks for keeping it practical and simple “spice note”. I’ve used modes incorrectly for a long time. This helps. Thanks dude

[@sasquatchwizard]

Yo dude this made so much more sense than most modal explanations I've been given in my life. Cheers!

[@brucehelppie6119]

i won't say i completely understand modes now, but this is a start. you make simple chords sound great, i think that's a big part of playing guitar. you're also very skilled, i'm not diminishing your ability and knowledge. thanks for your lessons....

[@_blankstage_]

Jesus christ what an unbelievably good video

[@johnmaloney1681]

Great lesson. How to think about guitar/theory is really important to becoming a quality player.

[@junkyardfrog]

Man. This was the best explanation of this I’ve ever heard. I learned something today! Thanks, man!

[@SlaughteredDecay]

Wow, I haven't understood modes until now! Thank!

[@scottkidwellmusic9175]

Thank you, Eric! Happy Friday! Have a great weekend! Be good to you 🤍💛🍕

[@GogOtHeCaT15]

I love the tone you have going on there !

[@pierredelange4077]

Love, love, love this lesson! What I've been seeing for a long time, you just explained.

[@joshdobedoe2845]

I've been searching for a good video about modal chord progressions for so long, and this is the one! I finally understand that the note which makes up the mode has to be in one of the chords, thank you! 😁

[@michaeldmytriw1047]

Saved, liked, shared, subscribed, lesson booked. Spectacular!

[@amosnoir9238]

Big up from Martinique man. Always a pleasure to learn from you..

[@WahrheitMachtFrei.]

Brilliantly clear. Few people are able to explain this in a way that doesn't confuse. You're a very talented educator.

[@EricHaugenGuitar]

Thanks man! It's my life's mission to make this stuff as simple as possible!

[@michaelblair2536]

Fire on the Mountain is one that always comes to mind for me

[@tracerammo]

Great lesson, man. Same thing, learned the 3NPS system and called each shape a "mode" for years! 😂😂😂 Everyone over complicates or under explains modes but this video basically nailed the important stuff. 🤘🤘

[@BradsGonnaPlay]

I want to clarify that I absolutely love Adam Neely and 12 Tone, but the fact that you didn’t overcomplicate Night Moves as some 15 minute explainer of an insane Bb scale like they might have done made this lesson more useful than anything either of them have released in years.

[@kevinconnelly3341]

Finally confirmed what I thought! Thanks Eric you are the Overlord of Clarity!! This opens up so much more for my songwriting!!

[@jamescerone]

This was amazing. Your way of teaching just clicks for me!

[@JackFossett]

Great video!

[@stephenowen5229]

Excellent as always Eric! Constantly top draw instruction. Thanks for you generosity!

[@Dptransom4u]

This was very helpful. Particularly the part about renaming the original V chord as the new I chord - and keeping the progressions short enough to establish the sound of the mode. You earned a subscribe with this one! Thanks!

[@glenntaylor6768]

Definitely a subject that challenges me, this was very helpful Eric, thank you!

[@michaelsacksteder7952]

Light bulb moment for sure with this one. Never quite grasped how the progression interacts with the mode like that. Very well explained.

[@JeffAulich]

This is exactly how I’ve always approached modes! The chords always dictate the notes/modes for me. Great explanation!

[@duffygillman5514]

You just made modes and tonal center make sense. Hot damn!

[@derekjackson1039]

Like that Hiwatt Set up

[@MrAOdom1966]

Great lesson and a beautiful guitar

[@asaskald]

Using inversions can also keep the key center from drifting too much. Also, using add 9s can help contextualize the flavor of the modes too. Just place them where they would fit in the mode.

[@scottwagner5871]

Thank you--thank you for explaining this in such a clear, easy-to-understand way! I finally understand modal progressions. 🙏

[@TheMasonator777]

“Anything you cannot explain simply, you do not know well enough.” You know this well.

[@rickdon3156]

What a killer lesson. God you blew this wide open for me. Thank you.

[@Britelife50]

you translate theory in a way that makes me want to play the music vs academic theory. Thank You

[@lesgibbs326]

Wow what simple insightful teaching Eric I can relate to ppl teaching the modes but not the chordal connection which is now I see the most important part to getting the melody. Thanks so much 🙏

[@maxvockner]

Thank you for clearing this up. And shedding light into this. This is what my music theory needed!

[@ItaiIfrach]

There is a lot of confusion between musicians over the years to call the "G" for example the V even if the progression with tonic of G (Mixolydian) - thank u for calrify this - hopefully this will make a change and knowledge in some players mind !

[@openradio7750]

The best way for me to understand how Modes build was imagining, that any step from major scale could be the first. For example - you can play riff of E F G A B notes and think about E as a first step. But it not sound like a E natural o E min because of distance between steps. It is like you just played something in C natural, but thinked about 3rd step as a 1st) And it really works for chords too

[@TheHarmonicaBarge]

This is a really clear explanation- wonderful

[@coastercook]

Thanks, Eric

[@stephencleland6529]

You have to look at the chord progression of the parent key, for G mixolydian the parent key is C. The D chord in C is a minor chord, Dm. So the 4 chord in G mixolydian is C major, etc. The 7 chord of G mixolydian is F major, not a half diminished, because the F chord in the parent key of C is F major.

[@andy196414]

Thanks Eric

[@tomhenderson6673]

Voicing the G as a G major triad, instead of making it a G7, is really helping to make the G sound like the tonal center.

[@chadromney]

The Calvary Cross is one of my favorite songs, so good

[@ThatMattGoodMusic]

Great lesson to put out, I know about modes and that they come with their own chords, even using modal interchange in major progressions - but this lesson made me think I should stop thinking just on major when I'm writing

[@StaffyLeeMusic]

Throw everything else in the bin, this is the explanation of modes that I needed. Thanks again for the lesson Eric!

[@Kram62]

Strong work Eric! I’m a bass player. This lesson helped a lot. I think my lines will be more accurate in the future!

[@macsarcule]

This might sound boring, but I would totally watch a lesson like this for every mode! Thanks for this, Eric! ✌️😌🎸

[@EricHaugenGuitar]

I did a few vids on Dorian, Mixolydian, and Lydian in my music theory series but maybe I should do it again! kzbin.info/www/bejne/oqXLqIJqhs6XgKs

[@djh6970]

Thanks so much Uncle Eric. That wee GGDmC progression was such an aha moment!

[@norsafrimanabdrahman270]

It makes more sense to me if that Dm is explained as a ii chord (because I am still thinking in the key of C) sorry, I just can't see why a V is a minor (e.g. i would think the progression in the key of C as V ii I I, is this not G Myxolydian?) 🤘🙏

[@endoalley680]

That's a nice clean-sound.

[@funkyfishcloneloverofmusic3825]

Eric You live this really all, do you ? You live for making it so much clearer that mechanics, that underpins music. Very cool stuff, and i only watched two of your tutorials. Feels like I will be spendig quite a bunch of time with your work. Thank you!

[@metalband]

Thanks so much for making a high quality video, I saved it

[@kajitokenka]

Another great lesson providing a dash of music theory with a full helping of soulful context and practical advice. The Primus line at the end made my morning! 😂

[@darringodden7225]

Brilliant stuff Eric! Just staying in C is the way to understand this one no doubt. I shall get on with now.

[@BradCornock]

That is a really great video. I think a very fair explanation of the mysterious modes.