Modes Made NO SENSE To Me Until I Started Doing This!

What are guitar modes? I wish I could go back in time, and learn guitar modes a different way. They would have made so much more sense if back in the early days of learning uitar I had used the approach I'm sharing with you today.

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[mattvaughn]

I really like this idea of picking the open E and practicing the modes over top of it. Really cool exercise.

[stratcat]

This is something I always meant to chart out for myself. I agree... the classical way to learn them is to build them from each note in a given scale.. but then they aren't using the same 'magnet' and aren't in the same key.. this is FAR better and more concise. Kudos on a great tutorial!

[samshq]

You are blowing my mind! 20 years I’ve tried to understand the rocket science of modes and in 12 minutes I now get it… thank you!

[allatsea]

There's even a better way to get into modes. When you play a minor pentatonic scale, you leave out the 2nd and 6th degree of a mode. By filling these holes you create the dorian (2 & #6), aoelian (2 & & 6) and the phrygian (b2 & 6) modes. Then you take a major pentatonic and do something similar, and complete the scale with a 4th and a 7th. Ionian (4 & 7), lydian (#4 & 7) and mixolydian (4 & b7). I've taught it like thar for decades, .Anyway. This method has a least 2 big advantages over every other approach I'm familiar with. 1st: you build modes on something you already know, and 2nd: the notes you add, are actually the ones that give you the characteristic sound of the scale
PS: Long live Reverend guitars :-)!

PPS: For locrian you obviously need a b2 and a b5, so you would have to alter the 5th of your minor pentatonic, but - honestly - the last time I could have used locrian (must have been in the early 90ies), I probably played a half-diminished arpeggio ;-).

[donald-parker]

Although I have learned more theory later in life, I started playing guitar just by ear. In pre-internet days, the only way to learn was to listen to records. I had put together both major and minor pentatonic scales (of course, without knowing what they were called - I just remembered shapes on the neck relative to where I played the root chord) and understood their voice and where to use them fairly easily and was content with that for years. And then Passion and Warfare came out. In particular, The RIddle was the first time I was hearing sounds I didn't know how to reproduce. At first I just thought they were magical Steve Vai scales, but after listening a lot and learning to copy, I came up with the realization that they were all just different major scales played over a different root. So you could play a D major scale over E, or an A major scale over E or a B major scale over E, and get these unique colorings. I never learned them as different intervals within a single key - I just thought of them as different major scales. Even now that I know what modes are, this mental model still seems simpler to me. Instead of memorizing 7 different scale shapes, I memorize 1 and learn to play it in every key. Then all I have to know is which major scale over a given root, gives me the sound I want.

[woundedchildstory]

You’re the first teacher I’ve heard teach this right, from an emotional perspective!

[kidthorazine]

This is a cool approach, the way that I was taught to understand modes is to think of the underlying chord progression, since that's really where the difference comes in, when you shift the root the scale degrees change and the thus the chord progressions that work with the mode are different. That's pretty much what you're doing just with the roots, so you can easily expand on this.

[garylisbon]

Modes made no sense to me until I played them against a chord which actually happened by accident...I was strumming a Cmaj chord and then played the notes of Gmaj against it. My 1st thought was Flying in a Blue Dream and my second was oh Lydian so this is how modes work. Pretty simple and I don't understand why people are confused by such a simple concept. I see a few Youtuber's talk about the confusion of modes when there is nothing confusing at all...Play the notes of Gmaj against a Gmaj chord progression Ionian, Play the notes of Gmaj against an Amin chord progression Dorian..ect ect...nothing confusing at all. target the cord tones and put some emphasis on the half steps and your ready to rock. I love theory. Was always a scary word to me but boy was I wrong...theory is awesome!

[AdrianWhyte]

Exactly how I teach this to my students! All about the interaction harmonically! I teach modes as shapes to begin with and bring in the harmony later once the major scale is understood!

[rtroiani]

As a drummer moving to guitar and bass recently, this was extremely helpful. Thank you!

[guitarmemoir]

Awesome lesson.

I went through the same thing learning modes. I would relate everything to the parent key when I was playing over the progression which allowed me familiarity with the scale pattern, but my licks didn't really sound as modal as they could/should.

I started doing what you are doing over a cello drone and it finally clicked in. Wish I had you for a teacher from the beginning.

[Radical_Middle]

I have learn this approach not long ago after years of confusion, thank you for fortifying this idea.

[TheSingingDoctor]

What a great viewpoint of modes - it really opened my eyes to a different way of looking at them.

[cacornett]

My gosh, this is THE best lesson I have ever seen on modes.

[ussrobama]

Great lesson! Frankly speaking, I've come to right that conclusion (modes are the strong auxillary guitar players' tool for emotional embellishment of guitar melodies; there are 3 major and 4 minor modes etc.) long ago and this David's lesson said nothing new to me exept the confirmation of what I already know. BUT! I listened this lesson with great pleasure: to present information succinctly, maximal informatively and comprehensive way - one must have the respective teacher's talent. You have this talent, David! Thank You very much and please, keep on moving!

[michaelcard]

I learned ( which was my straight forward book way) every mode in A .All 5 mode scale positions up the neck.After I learned those..the book said "Now u know all the modes" Which is true, after you memorize the mode scales in Key of A or learn starting with any key..the fingering never changes it - just depends what fret your playing those shapes on changes the mode name.Example: If you learn key A- Aeolian scale at fifth fret but slide up to 7th fret and play same exact scale now your just playing B Aeolian.. So instead of doing that, go to 7th fret n play 2nd interval of A aeolian, then to 9th fret n play proper interval n so on till you've completed all 5 scale patterns.Aeolian just means natural minor scale.So now u know(after u study what those 5 patterns are the minor scale all the way up the neck in key of A but you can Use any Key u want now that u know the minor scale in any key you choose..That just 1 mode of 7, each with a diff name n sound but you know all the patterns if you know just the one.Mine I first learned was in A so figured I'd tell u guys how I learned "The Modes"

[jonnorris]

Best YouTube Guitar Lesson in a long time! Not only can you see the subtle differences between each mode, they are fun to play around with.

[ssm]

I normally couldn't care less about online lessons. Buy really waiting for your course. Please tell me there will be one 🙏

[joelmartinez]

wow….just Thanks! i can say no more. i started playing 2 years ago, i have memorized the 7 modes and i started to doddle around with them being able to get fragments of good sound. this exercise is a really important piece to the understanding of modes. Again thanks for adding value to my guitar journey ❤👍💪

[DavidYarber]

Excellent lesson! I've never understood how modes were to be used effectively. The magnet concept is brilliant. I was noodling along with you and could detect a glimmer of light! Keep it coming!