tablatures.tk - Article - Understandig the modes of the scales

UNDERSTANDIG THE MODES OF THE SCALES

Hey everyone! Wazz up? =P
I hope the tips about speed helped some of you guys. =)

Well, today we will talk about one of the most useful tools that we, as guitarists could have letting aside our imagination, ear sense and creativity. It?s about the modes of the scales. What a headache! =P

As you all may know, we have 14 scales, 7 major and 7 minor ones.

Each scale (both of them) has 6, 7 or maybe more fingering patterns.

If you do the math, you will find out why they are a pain in the... hand! Hahaha.

Now, remember this: each scale as a root is a mode

Here they are:

C ----> Ionian
D ----> Dorian
E ----> Phrygian
F ----> Lydian
G ----> Mixolydian
A ----> Aeolian
B ----> Locrian

Each of them begins on the root note

Here, I will put some of the easiest fingering patterns. Note that the (*) means the root of the pattern.

For Ionian

----|----|--o-|--o-|----|--o-|
----|--o-|----|--o-|----|--*-|
--o-|----|--o-|----|--o-|----|
--o-|----|--*-|----|--o-|----|
--o-|----|--o-|--o-|----|----|
--*-|----|--o-|--o-|----|----|

For Dorian

----|----|--o-|--o-|----|--o-|
----|----|--o-|--o-|----|--*-|
--o-|----|--o-|----|--o-|----|
--o-|----|--*-|----|--o-|----|
--o-|----|--o-|----|--o-|----|
--*-|----|--o-|--o-|----|----|

For Phrygian

----|--o-|----|--o-|----|--o-|
----|--o-|----|--o-|----|--*-|
--o-|----|--o-|----|--o-|----|
--o-|----|--*-|--o-|----|----|
--o-|----|--o-|--o-|----|----|
--*-|--o-|----|--o-|----|----|

For Lydian

----|----|--o-|----|--o-|----|--o-|
----|----|--o-|----|--o-|--*-|----|
----|--o-|----|--o-|--o-|----|----|
----|--o-|--*-|----|--o-|----|----|
----|--o-|--o-|----|--o-|----|----|
--*-|----|--o-|----|--o-|----|----|

For Mixolydian

----|----|--o-|----|--o-|--o-|
----|----|--o-|--o-|----|--*-|
----|--o-|--o-|----|--o-|----|
--o-|----|--*-|----|--o-|----|
--o-|----|--o-|----|--o-|----|
--*-|----|--o-|----|--o-|----|

For Aeolian

----|----|--o-|--o-|----|--o-|
----|--o-|----|--o-|----|--*-|
--o-|----|--o-|----|--o-|----|
--o-|----|--*-|----|--o-|----|
--o-|----|--o-|--o-|----|----|
--*-|----|--o-|--o-|----|----|

For Locrian

----|--o-|----|--o-|----|--o-|
----|--o-|----|--o-|----|--*-|
--o-|----|--o-|--o-|----|----|
--o-|----|--*-|--o-|----|----|
--o-|--o-|----|--o-|----|----|
--*-|--o-|----|--o-|----|----|

Well, now: How to use them?
It?s simple; let?s say that you need to aply one of the patterns to some lick of yours, and it?s in F#...

Grab the mode of your prefence.

Then ALL U HAVE TO DO IS PUT THE (* / ROOT) IN F#!!! =P

Try to play 3 notes per string.

Improvise and get some licks, speed them up and so on? =)

And remember: modes are just like flavored sodas; just pick the one you like.

I hope this help some of you guys.
Take care n? good luck.
Alex.

Have some fun!

Written by Alex on 2005-09-21 and read 32648 times.