Steve Vai Style E Lydian mode Guitar Backing Track

A high quality, ballad-type backing track in E Lydian in the style of master guitarist and musican Steve Vai.
***Try the ReMaster of this Video: • STEVE VAI Style *Learn...
This Q JAM TRACKS backing track provides the chords and diagrams as they appear in the music. Extra information and scales for modes and especially the lydian mode, is presented in the video.

[@spivvo]

It’s just the B major scale, E is the fourth note of the B major scale. Starting a major scale from the fourth note and using that note and associated chord as your tone centre creates the lydian flavour. Do the same from the 5th note and you get the mixolydian... etc

[@tonypowell250]

I'm struggling with this. Can you just play b major scale over an e major chord to get lydian sound?

[@spivvo]

@@tonypowell250 Take a step back. Every key has an associated set of chords, C for example has C, Dm, Em, F, G, Am, Bthinybob, C. If you play a chord progression beginning on the chord of C and keep making that your "home chord" that you return to then play the notes of the key of C over the top it all fits and sounds like you are playing in C. NOW... Write a progression using exactly the same chords but starting on the F and making that the tonal centre by returning to it at the start of each verse and emphasising it as much as possible. Again noodle around using the notes from the C scale but BEGINNING on and eemphasising the F. You are now playing in F Lydian. Now to return to your E lydian question....Try droning an open E note and play the notes of the B scale over the top.... now do the same with a B drone... you'll notice a difference in flavour.... your ear is always comparing the scale you are hearing with what it believes to be the "Home" note.. or tonal center.

[@tonypowell250]

@@spivvo Many thanks for taking the time to explain everything. It really is very helpful and greatly appreciated.

[@spivvo]

@@tonypowell250 you are welcome.... I'm convinced there is a conspiracy to make this more complicated than it really is so that those who figured it out can continue to look clever and make money from guitar books and lessons. I forgot to actually answer your question, answer was "yes". By the way if you try the C scale but start on the E you will be playing the E Phyrigian scale and you'll notice it sounds sort of "spanish".... that's a good one to demonstrate how changing the tonal center changes the flavour. Throw in the occasional F chord and you'll think you are in Spain...Keep plucking!

[@tonypowell250]

@@spivvo I thought it was just me that found it over complicated. That phyrigian sounds great. Once again many thanks for your help. Also if you know of a decent video on economy picking then please let me know. My pick keeps getting stuck on the down down but ok on the up up. Tried all the edge slanting and slanting my pick towards the direction of travel but still no joy.

[@timmcallister]

Lydian: Here Comes My Girl by Tom Petty. Dreams by Fleetwood Mac. Jane Says by Janes Addiction (god I love that song) and many more.

[@dyztopia7087]

Dreams by Fleetwood Mac has all the signs pointing to that it is F Lydian, but it really is A minor. Same thing with Jane Says.

[@tonesofhome69]

Omg. This is the first time i visualized soloing..thanks for this!

[@jamesgarrett4653]

Just discovered this channel. I love it! It's already my new favorite channel on KZbin. I hope you keep up the hard work! It is much appreciated

[@QJamTracks]

Thanks James! I appreciate your comment mate!

[@MakeUpEgypt1]

i tried this and found it similar maybe better kzbin.info/www/bejne/jniwhX6Ima1gbdU

[@tonypowell250]

@@MakeUpEgypt1 Nice pretty picture of a guitar but couldn't see any tabs? Also the sound quality on this channel is far superior.

[@grahamsims2378]

James you might wanna try these guys. It’s a new channel but the tracks so far have been track. kzbin.info/door/wo3Y1KdMO8H4PMaKYxgDug

[@kimberlykim6447]

@@QJamTracks Thank you for your wonderful work. Love your spirit.

[@amf2samf2s63]

eb minor pentatonic as very well !!! french fan

[@nikiw1856]

Have always wanted to know the endless possibility of this scale(mode)via chords,this channel have bridged and lighted un-ansewer questions.great effort thanks.

[@QJamTracks]

You're absolutely welcome :)

[@thomasmartinscott]

That is a Beautiful Track without Anything added to it. GREAT Soundtrack for a TV Show or Movie!

[@daisolokh8212]

Big thanks teacher 🙏🥰❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

[@sammiller9855]

Beautiful progression. Just discovered your channel!

[@80sMeavyHetal]

This is absolutely beautiful. F#7add11 has been my favorite chord for a long time :) Great channel, love from Austria

[@sagnikroychowdhury]

:)Also known as the Alex Lifeson chord.Check out Xanadu by rush if you havent. kzbin.infoUgkxvRjm1dOILtxb1nF7MBSrTh0P_1kv6PJ-

[@80sMeavyHetal]

​@@sagnikroychowdhury Thanks for your comment and clipping

[@ericjtomsky]

Wow I love that little G#Minor11 to F#7Sus4 to F#7 part

[@TheBlackStrat502]

Uncle Ben sent me! Love all the info for context and theory knowledge. great job!

[@sreaves3240]

Would you please look at the first scale form shown at 0:06 at the VII fret position? I believe it's faulty in that the 4 highest strings are up one fret and therefore out of key. The notes on the low E and A strings are correct, however. Thank you. And thank you for the nice lesson. LOVE IT.

[@QJamTracks]

That's true. There a mistake there.

[@Adam-hj1hc]

Was about to write this myself.. glad someone else noticed 👍

[@ivanduy5275]

You wowed me. It's real tremendous man.

[@QJamTracks]

So nice to hear!

[@sanjugholley]

Amazing backing track.... Seriously it has lots of feel

[@QJamTracks]

Thanks Sav

[@davidjeffrey5902]

Xanadu by Rush vibes for the first few chords

[@LawrenceDuffy477]

E Lydian means you are soloing in B Major over a E progression. Therefore your minor is A flat minor pentatonic. At 4:10 you have that pattern at the 11th fret. It should be at the 16th fret.

[@QJamTracks]

Hi! E lydian means you should play a B major scale, keeping in mind the root is E, over an E Lydian progression (not an E major progression). If you would use de G# minor pentatonic (better not call this Ab because we are in a key with sharps), you would play all the right notes but wouldn't play the characteristic note for the E lydian mode: A#. So better play the D#m pentatonic scale if you do want to play that characteristic note. That's why the pattern is notated in the XI position. Superimposing rule: Over lydian play the minor pentatonic scale of the major 7th degree.

[@MsDavo123]

Based partially on Boston rain melody well done i loved it thanks

[@robphillips8351]

Nice momentary key change (e major/a lydian) and turn around from b 5 of e and resolution 1 major and #4 or e lydian..👍👍

[@lifeisbeautiful3898]

Great backing track man. 👍

[@QJamTracks]

Thanks!

[@chaggasfernandes]

Your channel is a blessing. thank you

[@QJamTracks]

Thank you Chagas!

[@megatonhammer4723]

i absolutely LOVE this melody, thank you!

[@theportablemusician9877]

Really high quality stuff. This is a great channel!

[@istillsuckatguitar]

Great track and great presentation. Thanks.

[@QJamTracks]

You're welcome!

[@luiscolon9360]

Thanks for posting this. It's a big help.

[@QJamTracks]

You're welcome Luis!

[@ianirvine6060]

Uncle Ben recommended and love it! Thanks

[@jadjad40]

nice tidy didactic and f...n easy way of showing not easy stuff. QJam Tracks, U R really good bloke.

[@QJamTracks]

Thanks Andy for your nice comment

[@ngeljayvier]

Wonderfull sound !! Great job yours

[@jaumer.m4890]

Supernice track! Sounds fantastic!

[@sneetchw]

very nice!!

[@pomeranianserenader9238]

Awesome back track

[@QJamTracks]

Thanks!

[@nikosmit]

the best!!!great job....

[@QJamTracks]

Thanks Nico!

[@omaraguilarzavaleta4309]

Sounds like "Boston Rain Melody"

[@MakeUpEgypt1]

i tried maybe better kzbin.info/www/bejne/jniwhX6Ima1gbdU this is really unique

[@michaelcraig9449]

MAN! You got to leave the scale patterns up the whole time!! How will we remember them and play along, when we cannot see them? I am using these jam tracks to help me remember and play along at the same time. When you take the scale patterns down right away, I got to stop and move on. This could have been such a good opportunity to learn.

[@QJamTracks]

My intension is to show the scales among other possibilities, so you can learn them. Just pause the screen learn the pattern and then play along.

[@gonzomoon34]

Am I reading the first scale diagram wrong or is this a typo? At the 0:05 mark, with the E root on the 7th fret, it shows the raised 4th on the ninth and twelfth frets making it the 5th and as a result making the 5th a flatted 6th. I thought I'd bring this to your attention and/or if I'm reading it incorrectly you can steer me right. Nonetheless, another excellent video from you, thank you.

[@QJamTracks]

Thanks for watching my videos! And yes, indeed this is a mistake. The pattern is wrong... Thanks for pointing that out to me!

[@reneotten7376]

Awesome, thank you ❤

[@QJamTracks]

Dank je Rene!

[@krzysiekgoralsky2207]

awesome

[@antonydick9383]

Reminds me of a Tom Petty song at times... Very nice...

[@mattcittadino]

Here comes my girl....

[@Eddie-uh7jo]

sounds really dream theater-ish

[@rogermannby]

Nice, sent here by Ben Eller

[@satyendranathbhattacharya7104]

VERY INFORMATIVE CHANEL..THANX A LOT BRO

[@liakeijzers3416]

Bedankt

[@bkguitar4206]

I m enjoying it

[@QJamTracks]

Thanks. That's the prupose of my videos :) Have Fun!

[@tonypowell250]

Sounds amazing and I'm loving the tabs. Consider me subscribed.

[@Eberponton]

GRACIAS MASTER

[@matiascba85]

Awesome man, heaps thanks

[@guitarguitartar]

There is a Aadd6(add9) chord in the progression, but i couldnt find any a# on the chord diagram. Is this chord suppose to have a# in it? And at the beginning of the video has a diagram shows the E Lydian scale, the blue color dot suppose to show the #4 of the scale on the first diagram. But it looks like thats a 5th instead of #4. Please correct me if i am wrong. Overall, very nice presentation!

[@QJamTracks]

You're absolutely right. The Aadd6add9 has an A note in the root and obviously not a A#. Also the scale pattern in the beginning of the track has a fifth colored blue. That should have been the sharp 4th. It's one of my first tracks that I made for this channel. I should have been more accurate :) . Thanks for pointing this out to me.

[@JudgeDrey]

I noticed that also. THought I was going crazy for a minute until I read this comment. You should just add an annotation in the video until you fix it permanently. Great B-track though!

[@QJamTracks]

I made a card (annotations are replaced by end screens and cards). It appears when the Aadd6(add9) chord comes into view. I hope this does the trick...

[@tj4530]

1st diagram from D string to high E string is off by one fret, but u probably figured that out by now... ;)

[@rickmayer4002]

Good and all but I was looking for scales while I'm playing

[@dickrichard626]

I learned how to play all seven of the Gregorian diatonic scales within the first week of picking up the guitar all over the entire fret board in one key. It wasn't actually that difficult to get the scales memorized. I wasn't immediately good with them other then shredding straight up and down. Using them to make intesting ideas is the hard part, but also becomes much easier with time and practice. Once you have learned them start doing different sequences with them and not simply straight up and down grinding. The proccess not only makes you physically better, but also ear trains you automatically or at least it did me. You will eventually literally be able to turn this video on and shredd to your hearts content and even experiment.

[@rickmayer4002]

@@dickrichard626 I'm not a shredder I just wanted to try out the mode I have enough things memorized something would have to go LOL I shouldn't have said any I just wanted to look at the scale and see if I could create with it.

[@dickrichard626]

@@rickmayer4002 Using different Scales relative and parrallel are essential to creating your own music with complexity and control. You can just pick one and start playing. Things don't have to be complicated or fast or specific all the time. I'm just saying its like ripping off a band aide, hard and boring at first requiring too much thought and then quickly becomes instant and subconcious forever afterwards. I don't have to think and I can play all kinds of different riffs and modalities. Instantly find the key to a song and instantly know the notes. It allows me to even augment music with my own playing. Just use numbers to represent the notes and try to avoid thinking in terms of note letter names. It saves a lot of headaches.

[@rickmayer4002]

@@dickrichard626 I play multiple instruments I know most of the scales and music theory(the modes are really just playing a major scale different from the tonic for the most part. I built a home studio. most of the stuff I've written is pop country or blues/Rock or even bluegrass. Besides learning music and instruments I had to learn engineering and producing. But this is art to me like painting it's fun. So I was just testing the water. Too involved? I haven't the time or energy.

[@dickrichard626]

@@rickmayer4002 For sure, I believe that music is like the language of god and people are full of crap. That's why the industry is garbage and everyone is fascinated with the idea of playing music, but not willing to try and understand what it really and truly is. A spectrum of different dimensions of sonic energy that is imbued with and emits emotional qualities. It is very direct, specific and obvious at the same time as being totally amorphus, ambigous, and counter intuitive. You seem to not fully comprehend what the Gregorian Diatonic modes really are which doesn't surprise me. They are like the pure energies. It goes from bright to dark, major to minor, consonance to dissonance, each one is it's own dimension with it's own intrinsic emotional "vibes" that can be associated to it. It is very deliberate, too good to be true and proof of the existence of god. You just want to act like it's just a hobby that you don't take completely seriously and have been missing the point by doing so.

[@velocitrader]

sounds exactly like the one in F lydian

[@Kaisiilerite]

Awesome ❤..How did you create this chord progressions.... Do u we apply extended chords in this lydian mode..can u pls explain...

[@QJamTracks]

When I make a modal progressions I try to incorporate the characteristic notes of the mode in the chord. In E Lydian I would play an Emaj7#11 instead of just an Emaj7 chord for instance. I hope this helps.

[@Kaisiilerite]

@@QJamTracks thanks.❤️

[@Navid_Guitar_]

Hey there, it was a really nice one!! May I ask about it’s bpm?

[@lloydkerrlll1934]

Uncle Ben sent me

[@szilardfarkas1534]

Hi, did You use real instruments, or for example drum plug-in, and more? So what can use to create this amazing great sound? Thanks!

[@QJamTracks]

I used Addictive drums for the drum part. All the other instrument are real guitars.

[@szilardfarkas1534]

@@QJamTracks Thank You!

[@bassofspades500]

My question is what's the theory/thought process behind using the A 6/9 chord here ? It's the only chord not diatonic to E Lydian.. it sounds great... Would it be a brief modal modulation to E Ionian ? A borrowed chord ?

[@QJamTracks]

Yes exactly :) It's a kind of modal interchange. Very short though. Steve Vai uses this in the Boston Rain Melody and some other songs as well. I love that progression.

[@JoaoPaulo-qc9tl]

the whole thing is that to sound modal one should avoid tonal structures. The way to go is using modal cadences, modal interchange, pitch axis theory and pedal point riffs as harmony background

[@QJamTracks]

@@JoaoPaulo-qc9tl Thats right. I've made a tutorial about writing modal chord progressions, which at the same time isn't really a progression because harmonic functions should be avoided in modal music like you said. Tutorial: kzbin.info/www/bejne/lWjLfnicjLmKpq8

[@dickrichard626]

It's called a modulation. You could call it a Borrowed chord. However, it is too brief and carries no weight, which may or may not be a good thing. Borrowed chords are a bad way to try and understand what is actually happening. Where people lose their brains with music theory is the lack of having a definate basis from which to take perspective, because things actually become paradoxical and confusing to specifically describe and explain correctly when the music gets too complicated. The reason being that the way we describe things doesn't actually always match up with music in reality. Many contcepts can basically be turned inside out and used to contradict itself. Is it a C6 or an Amin7? The difference only being your own perspective... Borrowed chords are great as a numonic device, but I hate to tell you they don't exist. What really is going on is everything is always existing in superposition to itself in the background of reality. Modes have distinct flavors that take the form of specific movements between chords and specific scales. Your brain only makes the distinction between 2 different modes when it has been given information to make that distinction. If you play the notes 1 2 3 4 5 6, but no 7 you get both mixolydian and Ionian, but not Lydian. How ever with that said your brain still won't make the distinction of the mode being specifically mixolydian or Ionian until either the b7th or the 7 is actually played. By default your mind will try to hear the Ionian mode. It isn't until different notes are played that dictate otherwise that things change. Tbh, The spectrum of tonality gets extremely complicated to fully explain. I would have to write a book. There are many eccentric aspects and properties to it that many people are in denial and would argue with me about. I'm just glad more people started acknowledging modalities finally. You must learn all the modes and become very familiar with them both parrallel and relative. You'll discover that they connect in many different counter intuitive ways that generate specific coherent modal sounds and not modulatory sounds. People seriously have a hard time telling the difference and seperateing these ideas in their mind. I'll admit, that it is not easy. I would say that half of this piece is lydian and half of it is Aeolian being influenced by Lydian with that one weird chord just kind of thrown in there for no reason. I don't hate it, but i don't believe that it makes the music "better". I think It sounds modulatory because, It simply doesn't fit and is very abrupt. That is just me. Best of luck to you.

[@rubenbarrera5396]

Wish I understood all this guitar scales and modes and lingo like circle of fifths seems like it real important to understanding the guitar and ultimately creating beautiful music but I just don’t understand even though Im playing guitar and practice I’d like to . Can anyone point me in the right detection to understanding this stuff

[@DarioSantaAnnaOfficial]

how do you do this cool videos? add chords and stuff?

[@QJamTracks]

It's a mixture af things really. I'm a graphic designer and musician and I combined the two :)

[@driftergarage4898]

Great lesson - for a similar look at modes check out Mode Secrets for the Guitar on KZbin…cheers!!!

[@endze1613]

Really cool jam track! The part where you show the chord to be Aadd6(add9) it sounds more like an A major 7th chord. The notes written under that chord don't correspond to that chord. And to be completely pedantic neither the Aadd6(add9) nor the chord that actually plays belong in this key. Call it modulation or whatever but it's not in the same key.

[@QJamTracks]

Hi Endze. The A(add6/add9) is a proper A major chord with the 6th and 9th degree added to the chord. It doesn't have a G# sharp so it can't be a Amaj7 chord, although the richness of the sound could trick you. This introduction of this chord serves as a modal interchange. It comes from the E ionian mode. A composition technique that is frequently by Steve Vai and many others. I hope this clarifies the use of the A(add6/add9) chord.

[@endze1613]

@@QJamTracks ​ Hi there! I get what you mean but you write Aadd6(add9) and in the notes below the chord spell out an A#... Which is neither in the music, nor in the chord name or the chord diagram. The notes in the chord in the diagram are A F# B C# E. There's no A#. That was my main point. Anyway, my comment sounded a bit less polite that I thought, I edited it a bit. Have a lovely day!

[@stogies3]

@@endze1613 I caught that as well,there is an A natural (open A) instead of the A#.

[@kfliegner]

@@endze1613 Yes I saw this as well; glad I’m not crazy. So is it fair to say this chord is outside this scale (being A rather than A# based)?

[@deleonhell]

​@@endze1613o A é so uma preparação para o B para voltar ao E. IV-V- I. Apenas isso.

[@frankpiccart3914]

could it be that in te VII box are some notes mistaken? Around 12 to 16 seconds of the video??

[@scarecrow2313]

When the G#m section comes in, is it really F#7 at the end? I can't hear the E in it. It just sounds like a major chord to me, but maybe I'm wrong

[@QJamTracks]

It should say F#sus4, not F#7. Excuse for the mistake...

[@scarecrow2313]

​@@QJamTracks Oh that makes sense, thanks for the response. Amazing track btw!

[@KopoLPedov]

but are the scales right? between 3 and 4 step there is 1.5 tones instead of 1

[@QJamTracks]

The lydian scale should have this structure: W W W H W W H E F# G# A# B C# D# E

[@MsDavo123]

Hi there i hsve q question when G#m11 kicks in i feel there is a change in a motive which shoyld be reflected in solo always using Elydian here really gonna work?

[@QJamTracks]

I think I know what you mean. There is a change in motive when G#m11 and the F# chord come in. You can consider this as a new section in the track. Although you can play the notes of the E Lydian scale, it sounds more like the G# minor key (E Lydian and G# minor share the same notes). So to make a difference in this section maybe you can reside to a G# minor pentatonic scale or a F# major pentatonic scale. Or maybe throw in some jaw dropping arpeggios? ;)

[@MsDavo123]

QJamTracks i would eather go with arpeggios but which ones ?Lydian arpeggios maj triad plus lydian note or G# min 7?🤔btw thanks a lot for your comment

[@QJamTracks]

I would go for a G#m7 arpeggio to get some contrast with the lydian mode. In fact you could play the G#m pentatonic scale which is in allmost a G#m11 arpeggio in itself.

[@yamraaj4529]

😍😍😍😍😍

[@andyelectricwiz]

That F#7add11/E chord sounds much more like an F#7sus4.

[@QJamTracks]

Hi Andy. There's a major third in the chord so it's not a sus4 chord. Probably you hear the 11th (b) that could create a sus4-ish sound.

[@MakeUpEgypt1]

i tried this and found it similar maybe better kzbin.info/www/bejne/jniwhX6Ima1gbdU

[@stevegarcia1796]

Dude it's not long enough 😒 👀👍

[@timetracker8503]

0:10 that notes chart is wrong or me????

[@user-qd3nw9zz3z]

So, whats the tempo?

[@leonciogui]

minuto 008 el primer diagrama esta malo.

[@QJamTracks]

That could wel be. I know I made a mistake somewhere in this video. Thanks for pointing that out to me Diego.

[@ulrichseibert-autor4445]

A really great track. But the ending is SO terrible, it is not usable in another way but for practising. Pity

[@QJamTracks]

Hi Ulrich. Well it's meant only for practicing :) You mean the fade out?

[@ulrichseibert-autor4445]

@@QJamTracks Well, this channel is called Jamtracks - and a few jam tracks is exactly, what I was looking for, to have some tracks at hand, when spontaneously jamming with other musicians on live occasions. But both, the kind of chaotic track ending such as this one does not help, neither does fade out.

[@fredfloyd34]

Dont play this scale you.might sound like satch.

[@QJamTracks]

Big chance :)

[@duncanfelton5311]

those scales sound shit to me?

[@arahasyim5833]

this is E mixolydian.., not E lydian.

[@QJamTracks]

Hi, it's a mix between E lydian and E major. E mixolydian scale has a flattened 7th degree, the note D. You'll won't find this note in this backing track.

[@rudybigboote3883]

Nice, very nice. Instant sub.

[@datooch]

I come by way of Ben Eller.

[@pass-a-fist6394]

Uncle Ben sent me