The single best method to quickly learning every mode.

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LESSON SUMMARY
Perhaps one of the most confusing topics in music theory is that of modes. One reason why students struggle to understand musical modes is because it can be difficult to know how to apply them. However, in this lesson, you’ll discover representative chord progressions that you can use to sample the sound of each mode. You’ll also learn a simple system for how to remember each mode.

► How to Improvise a Solo With the Major Scale

► How to Improvise a Solo With the Lydian Mode

► How to Improvise a Solo With the Mixolydian Mode

► How to Improvise a Solo With the Dorian Mode

► How to Improvise a Solo With the Aeolian Mode

Chapters:
00:00 - Intro
00:39 - 7 Modes
00:55 - 1. Ionian Mode
01:26 - Chords/Progressions
02:19 - Progressions
03:27 - 2. Lydian Mode
05:11 - Chords/Progressions
06:52 - 3. Mixolydian Mode
08:06 - Chords/Progressions
10:02 - 4. Dorian Mode
11:42 - Chords/Progressions
12:27 - 5. Aeolian Mode
14:11 - Chords/Progressions
15:06 - 6. Phrygian Mode
16:32 - Chords/Progressions
17:54 - 7. Locrian Mode
19:21 - Chords/Progressions
20:24 - Conclusion
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Happy practicing!
Jonny May

[PianoWithJonny]

00:00 - Intro
00:39 - 7 Modes
00:55 - 1. Ionian Mode
01:26 - Chords/Progressions
02:19 - Progressions
03:27 - 2. Lydian Mode
05:11 - Chords/Progressions
06:52 - 3. Mixolydian Mode
08:06 - Chords/Progressions
10:02 - 4. Dorian Mode
11:42 - Chords/Progressions
12:27 - 5. Aeolian Mode
14:11 - Chords/Progressions
15:06 - 6. Phrygian Mode
16:32 - Chords/Progressions
17:54 - 7. Locrian Mode
19:21 - Chords/Progressions
20:24 - Conclusion

[FuzzyJigsaw]

Can you please keep making videos about modes. Most people on YouTube teach you about modes, but not how to use them. Its quite frustrating 😅

[tropicvibe]

Going around the circle of 5ths from any Lydian mode will net the entire 7 modes in order of brightest to darkest. For example Lydian is the brightest mode so on the white keys; F Lydian, C Ionian, G Mixolydian, D Dorian, A Aeolian, E Phrygian, B Locrian (the darkest mode).

[bbmorgan]

I really appreciate the chord progressions to go with each scale. Such a great primer. Will probably repeat watch.

[johnmitchelljr]

You have magic fingers Mr. Johnny. Thank you.

[janeglasson]

Omg after all, the jazz books I’ve tried to make sense of..this was the best lightbulb moment! 💡💡💡brilliant as always 🙏🙏

[BauKim]

Succinct and clean instructions. More than anything I appreciate the chord progressions. That's the thing that I was missing for me to get the modes to "click". Thank you.

[richarpadilla]

This is the best tutorial i've seen about major scale modes !

[HeavenlyBridegroomMusic]

I. Ionian
Don't Dorian
Play. Phrygian
Like. Lydian
Monk. Mixolydian
And. Aeolian
Lennie. Locrian

[lawrencetaylor]

Merci. I'm too much of a Nooby to appreciate your runs on improvisations, but I'll definitely come back to this video as soon as I've got more chops.
I found it easier to think of modes as just that they are all part of a scale that lands on the note in question.
The Locrian is just the next note from C, a Db and if you play the Db scale but start on C, it's easier for me to remember since I know my major scales.

[facelen]

Johny I am still using your platform and I love it. But when I bought my plan it was a life long plan. After two years on the platform suddenly I was disconnected and you offered me annual or monthly plans to stay. I sent you an e-mail to ask for answers and never got any answer back. I am still a customer and I still see value. I see that you added a lot of content lately. This could be a justification. But no answer. This is not cool.

[livegroove]

It takes a long time to really grasp modes. Many different ways to think and apply modes. Learn songs that are composed modally. ei "So What" in D dorian.. Try playing it in D aoleon and see what's different about it. Then try songs like that change modes like Cantaloupe Island, but try changing the modes. Instead of an F-7, play AbMaj7, Change Db7 with Bb-7 just to see how it sounds. The more you experiment, the more you'll understand the true characteristic of each mode. Norwegian Wood is a great example of Mixolydian, but see what happens if it was in D Ionian..??

[burntsider]

After five decades of working out chords to pop songs, I finally changed the way I think of minor key songs. Consider A minor. It's traditional to label the A minor chord as "i.", the D minor as "iv" etc. Instead, I consider the song as being in C major so the A m becomes vi, the D minor as ii. I call the E major a V of vi. In other words, I don't think of the natural minor at all -- everything is major. Some songs just emphasize the vi and sound sad accordingly.

[onlimi]

This is a very good explanation of the modes. I think the traditional way of explaining them (play the root note scale x notes up from the root) has always been very confusing and hard to remember. I can remember thinking, they're all the same notes of the C scale, what's the big deal? But this explanation helps me to understand what they are and how to apply them.

[MCLBC]

FINALLY!!! Someone was able to break down the modes into a way we can understand. Thank you Jonny!

[smithjohn]

Thank you so much. This was absolutely genius. I've seen so many videos about modes and none of them made much sense. Everyone else have shown modes in one major scale only, usually C major. So it was basically: start from C to get Ionian, start from D to get Dorian and so on... and that there are some number of sharps or flats while they still play those same seven white keys over and over!
But now it's so clear how they are built and why. Especially that verification made it all so obvious that video wasn't even halfway through when I went to find those upcoming modes from my keyboards. And I got them all correctly with the first try !

[djcrouton]

Modes themselves are easy, what no one explains is how to connect modes to keys. No one cares if a mode is good for a bunch of variations of C major chords. Because in the key of C, only one of the chords used is a C major. So what do you do when you change to the next chord in a progression? Different modes have a different feel, which is why they're used. So let's just say you want a Lydian feel to a score. If your main progression is let's just say F minor, what mode do you use for the melody? Is it F minor Lydian because that's the Lydian mode of they key that you're in? Or do you use the Lydian scale that has the same notes that are in F minor? That's honestly what 99.999% of people who want to learn about modes what to know. We can all adjust the intervals just fine. That part of it isn't even worth discussing.

[switche]

Your videos are great. You are so good at taking complicated concepts and making them seem so easy

[slipperedlobster]

I am not a piano player, but I clicked on your video because I wanted to learn more about modes. It worked for me and I enjoyed it. Your dictation and demonstrations were excellent. Nice guy too...not boring and dry.

[trafyknits]

Modes are ridiculously named, and it seems designed to make it hard/confusing. Here's the easiest way to refer to modes. Just use a letter/number combo. For example, instead of "D Dorian", "C2". Instead of "C Mixolydian", "F5". Easy. The way it's done now is so unnecessarily complicated. First, you must learn the dumb names for the scale degree (Ionian, Dorian, Phrygian, etc). Then, to play "D Dorian", you must know that Dorian is the second degree and then ask what major scale's 2nd degree is "D". It's C maj, of course. Then you play a C scale starting on D. Why not just use "C2" meaning, "Play a C major scale starting on D". You're welcome.