Parallel Modes: Ionian and Mixolydian Guitar Lesson. How to Use them Together

Whether you hear "Samson and Delilah" By GD, or Blue Grass, Country, or Rock. This lesson is pretty universal. Hope you enjoy learning how to spice up your 1 4 5 progressions with a new take.
Here is the backing track to practice to. I list the chords for a bit, then its up to you to follow. Rock on. • Mixo Major Backing Track
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[@borngalps7950]

I don't have a teacher and I am not good at music or instruments, but this guy is really a good help and the best teacher. Now I love to play guitar.

[@Thenowhereman42]

Grats on two years, best guitar channel on youtube right here.

[@Ditch1221]

Stitch your a great instructor. I can tell you from. MY experience , folks just starting will have birds flying around the brain. Not that you didn’t do your job but it’s a lot to take in. I know, I been there. After working on soloing awhile now I get it no problem. I think thee best teacher is playing and working it out. All the teachers in the world can’t do it all. You have to roll up your sleeves and try shit out. Again, you are an awesome teacher and thank you for what you do.

[@hothempire]

Love how you took this idea and put it on its head to explain the concept. Great lesson, Ian. Next level plz!

[@markallread]

Omigosh, like others here, I understand now. Been playing for 30 years and this was a revelation. Subscribed, thank you!

[@sergeantsodom6969]

Holy christ this has just answered a 5 year long question ive never had a clear answer to. Cheers

[@joreyreitman9655]

Totally makes sense. And, as always, opens up new doors! Thanks, Ian!!

[@jmezr1]

You and Sean are unbelievably helpful. Thanks for all the great vids

[@rigfish-theguitarplayersge7342]

Thanks for your easy style explaining this concept. Really easy to follow and I have to do a shout out for your backing track associated with this. Now that's how it's done! Thank you for this!!

[@johnramsunder4955]

Excellent, I really enjoy your lessons in all,of your guitar tutorials.

[@ridesingletrack]

This is an awesome lesson. Thanks for taking the time to explain it so clearly. Can't wait to fire up the looper and give it a shot. Already thinking of tons of other ways to group different chord progressions using this method too. So cool!

[@jezzbass1826]

Thank all over again Stich!!!! Appreciate your help!

[@matttornetta9049]

dude, this is literally the BEST guitar lesson I have ever gotten in the 35 years I been playing. Thank You!

[@adamkorner1651]

Excellent lesson Stich! I had a great session with a jazz player who explained this concept to me. Sounds great!

[@alberta1939]

It's amazing that I completely understood everything in this video. I'm in shock. If I would've watched this video a year ago I'd have no f'n idea what you were talking about. I'm sure I'm not alone when I say it's because of your teaching, your lessons that I'm able to understand! I been with you since the start, Stich. Can't wait to see where we go from here! Happy birthday Stich Method!

[@engeomusic]

Me 3!

[@musicletters7214]

I absolutely feel the same! chapeau to the teacher!

[@cenos8521]

Thanks for making this lesson for us . very well done !

[@DOBacousticguitar]

Wonderful job of explaining this. Many thanks!

[@adamhakim3529]

Amazing lesson! very helpful

[@tomiangello]

Congratulations my greatest guitar teacher

[@twankwhelan8517]

makes sense to me :) That's gonna be useful, thank you!

[@mbrownie22]

Excellent lesson

[@scottclarke2115]

Great job stitch.

[@leebraly3904]

Very interesting. Thanks for sharing.

[@lukewilliams7865]

That was very good, but very complicated. You explained it very well. Now if I view it a thousand times I'm sure I will remember it. Thanks, Ian, a job well done!

[@aaroncole7736]

You really do a good job man, nice brain. You do explain it well. Adding the creative parts about falling into the D back to the G Major was good to put in. Good instruction sir.

[@joev4483]

man, you're awesome ... I got a use for this exact thing .... thanks!

[@lorenzowynberg]

Awesome interesting concept! thanks

[@MarkZarecki]

I totally understand what you are teaching even though it’s new to me. You are the Bob Ross of guitar. Ps I was one of your first few hundred subscribers. I even took a screenshot as proof because I knew that you would be in the 10s of thousands of subscribers lol. Please keep doing what you are doing. I’ve been playing guitar for 25 or so years. Mostly concentrating on bluegrass the past 10 or 15 years. Picked up an electric guitar recently and you’ve helped me break through several plateaus, especially with the lead guitar stuff. I am totally enjoying learning about the theory of music. A heartfelt THANK YOU from me to you!

[@jimyee6327]

Great lesson

[@martynspooner5822]

Very well explained and the kind of stuff that I would not suss myself in a thousand years thanks a lot

[@qwert911]

I dig, super interesting stuff!

[@KevinORourke25]

I can't believe that I understand this. You are a great teacher because I have never understood parallel modes until this moment. Thanks so much. Kevin

[@StichMethodGuitar]

My absolute pleasure

[@xmsparker]

Cool lesson man!

[@michaelammitzboll6416]

Hey Stich, it made perfect sense to me as theory (in practice I can't do any of that shit because... I don't practice enough!). It was easy to understand what you were putting across and I actually only heard about modes from your channel a few months ago. Good job!

[@youngb3]

thanks! gives me something new to mess around with!

[@downhill240]

Very interesting lesson!

[@lata3696]

That was the best explanation of modes I've heard. Thinking of the mixolydian scale as a major scale of the 4th greatly simplifies the thought process. It makes the modes less overwhelming. Well done, my man!

[@StichMethodGuitar]

+la ta very glad you enjoyed it!

[@Jeff_H_the_Guitarist]

Major lightbulbs of understanding lighting up in my head. Brilliant explanation where other's explanations left me befuddled. I finally get it! Thank you so much!

[@StichMethodGuitar]

+Jeff Hight my absolute pleasure

[@artfullboutique2768]

Really Cool!

[@ianneethling6134]

Great video, Ian. Kinda sucks that I am only getting to this now. Everything makes more sense since I watched your first modes video because I used to think of modes as a scales thing, but never as a chord progression thing, which you cleared up for me in the last video.

[@redwalrustmnc5256]

I'm gonna dig deep into this one. thx!!

[@redwalrustmnc5256]

Never honestly heard of parallel modes...eye opening.

[@slickwillie3376]

Good stuff to know.

[@joeurbanowski321]

Cool..!…I think..?🤣… but the coolness is because you’re the first teacher who actually showed us a practical use of a mode by playing it..! Cool..! Very cool..! ✌🏼😎

[@jimjohnson4481]

Thanks for the lesson Ian , still trying to grasp it all . I do understand what you are teaching but not sure my skill level is up to this lesson. I will keep trying and you keep teaching.

[@TheEzekiel01]

you are awesome thank you

[@SamuelPeckman]

Very interesting thank you.

[@AudioStorm1980]

I love this guy, wish there was a teacher around here where I live.....I tend to learn a little slower from videos.

[@aaronyounessi6721]

Ur great thanks for everything

[@Chris-de6rm]

Nice, another modal way of looking at G C D is as 4 b7 1 in D mixolydian. Same notes as (enharmonic) G major/ionian but gives a different flavour when centering the progression and scale around the D, plus you can throw in the b3 for some extra tension/ dorian vibes. Intro and verses of sweet child of mine are a good example of this.

[@mikeferguson548]

Ian, I love your videos. You really help tie together all the random bits of knowledge floating around and really make things make sense. What is the best/easiest/most comfortable "major" pentatonic shape for soloing? Your Neverlost is great, but is there a pentatonic position that you focus on more as "home"?

[@vonormykirk]

While I understood all of that (thank you!), it's advance playing for me. I've just been practicing playing a single minor pentatonic (and the never lost method) over all chords. You've opened up a whole new paradigm for me, but starting with playing a different scale over a specific chord in a progression.

[@AndyvanderRaadt1]

When you play that G-C-D progression I hear Tom Waits' "Old Shoes (And Picture Postcards)"-and I think that's probably one of the first few times I've made that connection that, "oh, song-X is in this key."

[@LambAndTheDragon]

The D minor pentatonic is also a subset of the G mixolydian scale so I’m thinking with G C D chords you can really mix up the feel of your jam.

[@MelodyMaker]

Could have swore you were playing Aeolian instead of Ionian from that 12th fret, but then upon checking my fretboard atlas, I've discovered that this shape is G Aeolian at the third fret. Good stuff Stich!

[@BlackMath69]

Blair Sveinson it's a commonly referred to Aeolian "shape" but it's E aeolian but the root is different

[@PettiMusicStudios]

I love to blend the major/mixolydian also. If you use mix the G Major/G Mixo over the G/C part - that hybrid gives a G Dominant Bebop scale. Very common in Jazz. Great lesson!

[@StichMethodGuitar]

+Petti Backing Tracks exactly! I was going to address that on the next live feed! Great observation! Rock on brother!

[@rigfish-theguitarplayersge7342]

Exactly - it's what I'm working on right now!

[@chriswumperone2759]

I get it totally. Great teaching style. Subscribed! I'm also heavy into trying to learn Melodic minor (aka Lydian Dominant), harmonic minor, harmonic major, and diminished patterns now as well. Diminished and these other scales are only briefly applicable as you move through chords that maybe don`t fit the key signature. Do you have any lessons about how to practically or musically use these other scales as we deviate from the the mother (major) scale? Or are you not into it? If your not I get it. I can solo for days in Mixolydian too. Cheers.

[@ChuckoComics]

57K my brother... :) Super Neato

[@MikeDGuitar]

Cool video! It made the most sense to me when you explained how the G is treated as the V and the C is treated as the I, but the D is treated as the V of the G. But, the question I have for you, Stitch, is can the term 'modal interchange' be substituted for the term 'parallel model?'

[@milenadeltorto2324]

Cool

[@ahok]

awesome. Thanks for speaking at a level just right for me, and drilling it in. You're a great teacher, just have to watch everything twice for me to register. Not a fan of the Dead (sorry) but I can certainly take this elsewhere.

[@tkinney7]

Great lesson per usual! Looking fwd to year 2! Quick mindset question - In application, might it be useful to think in terms of just playing a hexatonic scale for the I chord; but then throw in the F# or F occasionally at key A1 steak sauce moments? Pretty sure this would work, right? But should simple thinking like this be avoided as I try to develop and keeping in mind where we build to from here?

[@NathantheRealtor]

tkinney7 i don't know why you wouldn't just add the f#, that's how I approach it often times. Probably a reason not to, but I just use the main scale, then augment for different modes.

[@burdmann24.7]

That's a good way to approach, I find it easy to remember. The only diff between ionian and mixo is that flat 7th.

[@lawrencedeans1433]

You often ask for questions or things to do, Could you analyse Peter Green Need your love so bad there are some odd chords in there I think.

[@johnlenz420]

hey stich i love your vids, dont be so hard on yourself when you mess up, im sure most of us watching mess up way more than you haha. do you have any tips on a right hand technique where you are picking up and down but then missing strings intentionally while still moving your hand?? have no idea what this is called

[@straightshooter8662]

John Lenz String skipping I believe. Watch breaking the code by troy

[@tommckee5671]

I understand what you are saying about parallel modes for melodic improvisation but what about chord progressions? What would a song look like with chord progression using parallel modes? Is this the same as a modulation?

[@dragonskinavi]

Since we're taking the G to C as 5 to 1, would it sound right if I soloed in D Dorian in the G to D to G part? Since D becomes the 2 minor chord if we take C as the 1 or root....?

[@Randy-lb6sn]

Could this be classified as a sorta half cadence progression where the progression begins on the 5 then to 1 then the 5 of 5 (D/G) ?

[@johnramsunder4955]

Hello, Just one question, if you play in any key progression does the 7th note be flattened as was seen on the "G" major scale the "F" note was flattened . Well this applied only to the Ionian an Mixolydian modes?.

[@johnmooney3105]

Hey Stitch, what about thinking of it as playing the D Mixolydian (same as G maj) over the whole progression?

[@StichMethodGuitar]

John Mooney you can but then that makes it all in G Major and that is the sound of country rock, this is just a take to make it Bluegrassy. If it were a 145 it would be G major or D Mixo as you say.

[@AndrewUnruh]

I came up with a different way to think about this. Probably not original, but I would like to hear comments. What I did was I put on a Franklin's Tower backing track in A. A-G-D-G. Then I played every note in the chromatic scale and noted those that clashed badly. To my ears, those were A#, D#, F, and G#. After that, I tried playing some scales/modes that didn't contain those notes (A maj pent, Dmaj pent, etc.) The next thing I am going to do is just memorize where the "Bad" notes are and try playing everything but those. To me, this is a very experimental and bottoms up way of thinking about music theory. Rather than start with the "truth", and work your way down, you start with experiment and work your way up. Not claiming my way is any better, but it is kind of interesting, I think.

[@martinvanburen3124]

soo - use all natural notes over the G/C chords and G major scale (f# not f (flat 7)) over D

[@townbeach3604]

Got it

[@douglaslay7487]

Will you be releasing this one in an English version?

[@rachelthompson9324]

so hows the minor pentatonic fit in, it sounds good too? Played on the 12th fret first position.

[@StichMethodGuitar]

+Rachel Thompson that’s actually a G Major Pentatonic, but it would be G minor if started on the 15th fret. Will address this in the live feed tonight 7:30pmish.... make sure you sub with the bell icon

[@jameshihihin1320]

Wouldn’t playing G major and focusing around the D be almost like D mixolydian?

[@seanenglish3002]

Love the video. Question. The only difference between the G mix and G maj appears to be one note (F or F#). Does that mean when the D chord comes around your best shot at showing it is to hit the F# when the D chord starts? I guess that would be the third of the D chord. Is that a good take off note or do yo work your way toward that off of the D note? I am so happy with this video. I know my scales but nothing has made them sound like anything more than memorized scales.

[@StichMethodGuitar]

Sean English That is exactly it Sean, hit the F#.... still in Fiji?

[@seanenglish3002]

@@StichMethodGuitar Still in Fiji, waiting for the storm to pass so my son and I can go surf. Watching your great stuff. I cannot wait to practice. I retired recently and my one goal (or at least the only one that comes to mind) that I never achieved was learning to play guitar well and especially improvising. I love Jerry and Trey. You are so perfect. That I found you here is almost unbelievable.

[@scottybridwell]

So when you get to d, could you go d dorian?

[@Pinko-Diamond]

No because it's a d major

[@realviewmedia9921]

I have to experiment more but, tell me though (again), playing a G Mixolydian scales sounds different than just a C Maj scale?

[@StichMethodGuitar]

Does not sound different because they are the same scale. It is just that you would usually use G Major in this case, but with some twisting, we can justify Using G Mixolydian (C Major, just starting on the G)

[@lawrencedeans1433]

Got it although the D note is in the C major scale the D major chord is not in the key of C. D is a minor chord in the key of C, Dm, but D is a major chord in the key of G.

[@StichMethodGuitar]

+Lawrence Deans exactly, that’s what I meant, I caught that too!

[@Archie54able]

Just play in C and choose the G which is the mixolydian scale that is all why make things so complicated. Like Dorian second note of any key take C major scale take D dorian scale just play.

[@KevinIlsen]

Ian, this was awesome. I infer that the close similarity between the G Mixolydian and the G Ionian (i.e, the G major scale) is what makes this work -- the only difference is that the Mixolydian lowers the 7th by 1/2 step (F# to F natural), and so you just need to be mindful when playing over the chord that has the F# note (i.e., the D major chord in that progression). So can I ask you to also show an example using a Lydian mode as a parallel mode? Lydian differs from Ionian by only one note -- it raises the 4th. For example, F Lydian has a B natural, whereas F Ionian (i.e., the F major scale) has a B flat. Since the scales are so close -- differing only by a single note -- shouldn't the same "parallel modes" approach work for certain chord progressions?

[@KevinIlsen]

If you have a progression consisting of F Bb and C in various combinations, could you play F Lydian over the F and C chords, and F Ionian (F major) over the Bb chord?

[@StichMethodGuitar]

+Kevin Ilsen exactly! I was in the middle of writing that!

[@msolbakken]

Is that because in the progression CDEFGAB, the tonic F is the start of the 4th or Lydian mode and contains the same notes as the C ? So in the above example the I and V chords are linked to the Lydian?

[@Dorian2ification]

Fantastic job. Taking a Modal concept (avoid notes through chord changes: ie. a scale tone 1/2 step from a chord tone ) and simply applying and stating it in a way that's very understandable to most everybody. You probably mentioned that in your first modes video though...haha

[@musicletters7214]

or leave some space when the D comes up! :-)

[@nbaz93]

But the D is the dominant chord so shouldn't it have a flat 7 anyway?

[@eddiemattingly]

Man such a fantastic lesson as always- and made perfect sense! Could you also play the D dorian scale when the d note rings out? Maybe a dumb question as I am still learning music theory..... cheers stitch!

[@jaydreb]

D Dorian has an F natural which is going to clash with the F# in the D Major chord.

[@Seltaeb_]

Damn, I wish I was that good.... Back to pr-axe-tice I guess lol.

[@down813]

If G and C were the only chords out there, that makes the key open (either G Ionian or G Mixolydian). To make it G Ionian, just add the D Maj chord. To make it G Mixolydian, just add the F Maj chord.

[@lebanonoz]

10:14 Spit out my drink

[@jerrywilson4371]

If I followed you correctly couldn't you do a a little Dorian run over the d?

[@StichMethodGuitar]

You can indeed, but it will give you a distinct sound, and if you like it... go with it.

[@jerrywilson4371]

I'm starting to get a pretty good handle on theory( thank you very much ) but my problem is crappy technique.

[@straightshooter8662]

Great lesson brother. Question, you had said once that you were looking at your guitar one day and it all made sense. Can you elaborate on that? What popped out at you and maybe explain or do a video maybe. I'm sure it would be very informative I'm so curious on this as we are all trying to make sense of this guitar thing.lol

[@YouTw1tFace]

G major = (1)G (4)C (5)D; G mixo = (1)G (4)C (5)dmin. Am I missing something? Maybe I don’t like how you’re arranging the 145 chord sequences between the two keys. They are both in the key of G major but one is now emphasizing mixolydian mode but both are still a 145 progression.

[@tomzifer927]

Or a 5 1 2?

[@StichMethodGuitar]

+Tom Zifer not necessarily, the 5 and 1 should be major, but the 2 is minor in that Sequence so a true 5 1 2 would be G C Dm

[@barrychuckle5565]

You have a very kind face but you've lost me 😂

[@donaldbutcher1260]

Still thoroughly confused by modes. BTW I never got the video we made on Friday.

[@StichMethodGuitar]

+Donald Butcher Did we make a video?

[@StichMethodGuitar]

+Donald Butcher Did we make a video?

[@donaldbutcher1260]

StichMethod Guitar Yes of the chord progression. If you don't have it don't worry I can get it on Friday, I have plenty to work on anyway.

[@makeamericaguitaragain]

10:11 That's what he said :-p

[@danielh9338]

this channel doesn’t get the attention it deserves

[@StichMethodGuitar]

Then spread the word😬

[@chrissoares23]

Totally lost me. I'm such a noob when come to understanding theory . I'm still wrestling with just trying to understand what makes a 1,4,5. Music theory can seem so vast when you're new to it. I've been told don't try to learn it all at once, focus on the genre you like to play and the theory used primarily by that genre. This can be tricky if you don't know what to filter down for the genre you like. I like to play metal, would Mixolydian even be used in that genre? Dude! Master of Puppets is all Mixolydian! lol I gather from watching various theory vids that the scales and modes I should focus on would be the Minor Scale, Harmonic Minor, Phrygian (as a starting point). I know your channel is geared more for the Jam band crowd, there just aren't many Stich Method Metal edition channels out there so I try to glean what I can for the music I like to play. I've learned tons from you, I'll keep plugging away.

[@StichMethodGuitar]

What kind of metal? I will see what I can do!

[@chrissoares23]

Thanks Ian! I'm not trying bend your channel around to my interests, it's great as is. A genre road map would be super helpful. I understand that broad understanding of theory and putting into practice can be a great thing for all players. Anything from Metallica (pre-Black Album) any track(s) from Master of Puppets would be cool. Something like a, well if you're into that, mostly they use a x, y, z progressions, often they use x,y,z scales/modes. Usually they are in the key of E ( or A or D), because they're galloping on that muted E string. I know the lead guitarist often uses E minor pentatonic and the Blues scale in his solos. And heavy use of the flatted fifth, because evil. Sonicly I don't think Metallica is in your wheelhouse and I wouldn't want you to turn off your Jam Band audience. So if it works it way on to the channel cool, if not I'll still be here. ;)

[@gregorixo]

a 1,4,5 would be the first, fourth, and fifth notes of a major scale. Often written with Roman numerals, I, IV, V, lower-case Roman numerals mean minor chords. So in C, 1,4,5 = C,F,G. In E it would be E,A,B, etc. Most songs since medieval European times are 1,4,5 chord progressions. Metallica uses the Phrygian mode a lot, and blues scales.

[@chrissoares23]

Thanks @gregorixo! So, a good starting point for me would be to make a backing track using E A B (1 4 5) then soloing over it using E Blues or E Phrygian scales focusing on target notes of E A B when the corresponding E A B chord changes underneath? And if the tempo is over 200BPM it just means the changes are happening faster than say a Blues track at 110BPM but the same principles apply? Also, something I'm not clear on, would E E E E, AA, BB still be a 1 4 5? Or is it literally E A B repeat to be a 1 4 5 ?