For those wanting to remember the order of the modes, here you go: I Ionian Don’t Dorian Particularly Phrygian Like Lydian Modes Mixolydian A Aeolian Lot Locrian
Steven Riddick I Don’t Particularly Like Mixolydian Anyways Lady I like it because the words sound like the life and there is one mode in it. Works for me
For guitar players, the easiest way to remember modes is to think in terms of tones and semi-tones. A major scale has a sequence of tones and semi-tones thus (Ionian mode): T T ST T T T ST. For the Dorian mode, start from the second tone of the major scale, thus: T ST T T T ST T. For Phrygian, start from the third tone of the scale, thus: ST T T T ST T T. For each subsequent mode, start from the next scale position, as you did with the first three. This works on the guitar because guitar necks are divided up into semi-tones, so it's relatively simple to play tones and semitones. All you need to know is the root note of the scale you want,
I have never played an instrument or studied music in any way. Rick’s “lesson” videos go completely over my head, but I still find them fascinating and have brought me to a very high appreciation for those who fill my life with music. Thanks to all of you out there making music.
@@alabamahebrew yes but as songwriters they understand some music theory. And Slash doesn't look the part but he understands music theory and scales very well and uses them very smartly.
That’s funny, same here! I do play guitar but love continually soaking up information.However, I have a friend who is a high school football coach. Not a musical bone in his body but he’s mesmerized by Rick’s videos. Keep up the good work, Rick.👍
You’re an interesting study …because I have always wondered how some non musicians tap into the complex sounds they hear. Musicians range from those who have played all their lives but only know the basic chord structures they first learned and are able to play popular music to those who continue to learn and advance their skill and knowledge base. All have fans who find value in their presentations.
"Play a chord - play a scale - Play a chord." I got that from Joe Pass (instructional video maybe...) some years ago. His point was that you HEAR the sound of the scale in relation to a chord. Ex: C Major chord - C Major scale - C Major chord. That lets you hear it. Now do the same with: D minor chord - D Dorian - D minor chord. That lets you hear the natural 6th (vs the b6 of D minor/aeolian) over the D minor chord. I love that this video emphasizes the sound of the modes with the placement of the 1/2 steps. Instead of over analyzing it, let your ear figure out the sound of it and respond to what you're hearing over/against the chord. I always over analyze and don't just simply let me ear sort it out. I'm really guilty of more intellectual pursuit than just simply letting my ears do what God intended for them to do... Great video, thank you Rick!
@@smiley122688 That totally works too. Nice thing about having a triad or 4-note chord is you can hear the difference modally (flat 6 vs. natural 6 for example over/against the harmony). So many ways to go about it and am in complete agreement, it's always about listening, first and foremost.
When I think of the time I have spent playing the guitar and other instruments, I have to say after nearly 70 years, this is the very first time I regret never learning the scales. You manage to put the instruction into an enjoyable perspective. I only recently found your channel and have seen enough of what you do to follow and continue my journey through the music part of my life. Respect to you.Rick
Rick, stay encouraged my musical brother! You are beyond gifted. The way you inspire and teach is life changing for so many, including myself. Thank you
Something that helped me learn modes was learning the most popular chord progressions for each one, and (try to) target the chord tones when improvising.
How or where did you learn the most popular chord progressions for each? Please advise as I wasn't able to ID the chords he used in that quick of a progression beneath his soloing. Thank you in advance
@@Chopins11th I did some searching on the net, and analysed chord progressions from hit songs. I can give you some of my favourites: Dorian - i, IV (like Oye Como Va) and i, ii (like Come on baby light my fire). Phrygian - i, II. Remember that II is flat. Lydian - If you change chord it will probably not sound like lydian anymore so just keep it in one chord and improvise. Mixolydian - I, VII (like many Sublime hits).
@@Chopins11th However, I always remember the progressions from the relative Ionian scale. Instead of thinking i, IV for Dorian I would think ii, V, since ii is Dorian relative to Ionian. If you reallyuy want to learn this, check out Desi Sernas books and internet course. His teaching method is so underrated its not even funny. You will learn all the modes and the CAGED system within a year.
Specifically: the course called "fretboard theory". I have both the books from amazon (on my kindle) and the video course of the same name. After doing that course I went over to Fundamental Changes to learn jazz theory. Desi Sernas course is a perfect primer for ANY style you want to continue with. Fundamental Changes has great books on jazz for intermediate players. No disrespect to Rick, I love his videos and watch them for entertainment, but I never really learned to much from his guitar videos.
This is incredible. I’ve been playing music for my whole life, and you explained a complex concept in such a straightforward way, and answered how to make this useful. I didn’t realize until this video that emphasizing the half step notes is what gives the mode its sound. It really drove home when you play an octave root and then the half step pairs. It was so crystal clear.
Simple tips I learn. I tried to learn on 1 key only for all the modes. I found that all modes can be recalled easily since the basic major chords is descending, and I can easily find the notes on the fretboard since I know most of the major scale on the fretboard. A Ionian : A Major scale starts on the 1st note A Dorian: G Major scale starts on the 2nd note A Phrygian: F Major scale starts on the 3rd note A Lydian: E Major scale starts on the 4th note A Mixolydian: D Major scale starts on the 5th note A Aeolian: C Major scale starts on the 6th note A Locrian: Bb Major scale starts on the 7th note I tried to solo while sounding the A open string over on the scale, and land on the root respectively. I understand know the different sound it reproduces, (as Rick mentioned several times and the way he put the scale in his order), it is still hard to memorize and I obviously need more practice. Thank you, Rick for the video.
I realize now that a WHOLE TON of film score sections that are intense suspense type stuff are using simple Phrygian mode. Rick kicks ass. I went to U of Michigan music school years ago and Rick so far is the best teacher I’ve had.
Another short video about learning modes that goes really well with this one is from Signals Music Studios! Rick's video is more about what the modes sound like and the SMS video is more about how to easily remember how the order of Half and Whole Steps for each mode. A must see video!
I swear I could just sit back with a glass of wine and drift off away from the stresses of life just listening those improvs. Thank you Rick for all you do!! I will definitely get going soon on the Beato Book 3 (I read the first two pages of 2.0), and the ear training I signed up for (once I complete the audio looper I'm rewriting). To be honest, I've always just thought of the modes as "Play in a key, but start on the non-root note and only play 8". I have tried to view the fretboard based on the key I'm playing in. The only problem is that... I'm "stuck" with melodic playing or playing pentatonic scales. So thank you for introducing me to the idea of expanding beyond the "play only in this key" ideology.
Excellent explanation of the signature sounds of the modes being most prevalent at the two half step locations of each mode as the key signature of the major scale has 2 half steps which means each subsequent interval has the order of whole and half steps displaced such that the octave moves up by the interval from the key signature. I have never heard it explained so simply and then demonstrated so elegantly. Awesome video.
So cool think of these modes as having personalities, largely dependent on where the half steps are. Thanks for the great insight. This is one of those videos I’m going to watch often.
Thank you. I took lessons in the late 80’s from Jim Tyler who was a student of Link Chamberlain. I am just a hobbyist guitarist now but I love diving back into the modal theory and jamming over looper. It’s just got my own enjoyment but it’s great fun. I have been overlaying minor or major pentatonic scales over Dorian , Ionian and Aeolian depending on major or minor changes. I can do it well when the changes are slow but when they go fast I get lost. After 40 years of on an off practice habits I guess I will just smile and nod when some “giant steps” or “Donna Lee” . Thanks for reigniting my theory brain.
Your knowledge of recording and production, of music theory, and contemporary music trivia, your virtuoso playing of guitars, bass and piano, the way you are able to teach and covey, how cool you are, and the inspiring settings you do your clips from, are beyond mind-blowing!!! I don't know a musician who wouldn't dream of having your skill set! I love watching anything you put up! Incredible - and so brilliant that you share as you do - thank you!!!
Thinking of the half steps is a great way to find the character notes of each mode. ON guitar, its as easy as seeing where the one-fret distance notes are. Those spots have the half steps. I like to see them as patterns!
Here's another way to remember the modes. All the white notes in the key of C are Ionian, all the white notes in the key of D are Dorian, all the white notes in the key of E are Phrygian, all the white notes in the key of F are Lydian, all the white notes in the key of G are Mixolydian, all the white notes in the key of A are Aeolian, and all the white notes in the key of B are Locrian. So basically, if you ignore all the black notes, you just ascend up each white note to match each mode.
Thank you for this lesson. Very eye opening. looking at the modes as major or minor seems like a no brainer now , but never gave that a second thought. The half step intervals in each mode is a light bulb moment for me. Spent the the last three hours practicing in the Lydian mode. A very important lesson. Will study over and over. Good job!
Every time I hear Rick play Locrian, I always wonder "why do people think this mode is ugly/unusuable?" It really does sound beautiful. It has a very distinct sound but that's the point of modes in general.
I was curious myself after reading your comment, so I recorded the snippet of the chord from just before 9:06 that lasts about 1 second and looked at it spectrally (since I can't see his right hand completely). As he describes, it's a C locrian chord, for which he's playing (the notes that are the loudest): C (root), Eb (♭3), Ab (♭6), Bb (♭7). So, after telling us about how modes are best heard by listening for the half steps, he's actually not playing either of the half steps in that chord, which could be why it doesn't sound dissonant and "ugly". The half steps are between the 1 & ♭2 and the 4 & ♭5. He does play the root, but doesn't play the semitone up ♭2 and doesn't play either the 4 or its semitone up ♭5. On the chord that precedes it, though, the ♭2 is decently loud, so maybe he's playing it there and it's not just an overtone, and that preceding chord even has a bit of the ♭5, but it's still completely silent at the 4 frequency, so the dissonant half step there is not being played.
Very nice! You'd have fun with the LAEL scales, I can tell. The ones that Alan Holdsworth rejected which sometimes have 3 consecutive half steps. They force bizarre harmonies and redundancies that can be inspiring. The original LAEL (Lydian-Aeolian) A,B,C,D#,E,F,G lead to the best monster LAEL scale where you flat the B and raise the G to create two sets of vile 3-half steps. A,Bb,C,D#,E,F,G#. At first its easy to just discard these scales for obvious reasons but by working with them and discovering their magical characteristics harmonically as well as melodically can lead you to some remarkable, fun and original excitement. For more LAEL Scales, respond to this message!! Viva Rick Beato!!
This is one of the greatest instructional videos I've ever encountered. Something has clicked for me after watching this 28 times. Forget "dwell on the roots" it's all about those half steps. Thanks, Rick.
This was an extremely helpful video Rick! I'll definitely be referencing back to this video when I'm working on my new album. You helped me understand using modes a lot better.
cool I sat down with my 335 and said I am tired of learning the shapes from the Beato book I wana play with the sound in my ear and there he was with a 335 and an Asus 2....Thank you Rick you make learning enjoyable and I actually learn and that's no easy task because I am a bit dyslexic and have ADD. After this lesson I think I will do some more of his ear training. It is absolutly worth it. Tedious and a bit frustrating when you get one wrong but so worth it. I hope to learn all my intervals by ear. His course is the best shot I have found. Making progress everytime I take the time to put in the work.
Of course it wasn’t an accident. I was going to put in text there but wanted to see if anyone noticed it. I was thinking do young people even know Eric Johnson anymore?
Rick! Could you make a video that categorizes songs that are very characteristic to specific modes so that we can make playlists in Spotify (or whatever else) to study them?
So combining the half steps with the root gives you the characteristic tones? This is an amazing explanation nobody else has said to me and it helps them stick a lot better!
Rick, you should do a video of well known rock songs or solos even that are done in the different modes. I heard some cliffs of Dover in Phrygian there...would be an interesting vid and help ppl to understand what the modes sound like when they can relate it to something they know
E mixoydian gives that Xanadu sound! This is the most thorough explanation and exploration of modes I have ever seen and heard. And all in 10 minutes!! Rick is the man!! Wow!!
@@martinepstein9826 if im getting it right then in Lydian A there wont be C# D# F# G# sharps but just D#, how im supposed to play those notes then? and G# triggers me most of all since it turn E into minor key, what im missing to understand it?
@@deminidze "How am I supposed to play those notes?" Depends on the instrument. You can pluck a string, press a key, blow through a reed... It sounds like you already know the notes so this will be easy. A Lydian is the same notes as X major. Can you solve for X?
Sir, I learned more watching your video about this than any of the others, and for the guitar it is really clear. Understanding this will not happen over night. Sir your channel is the absolute truth. Thank you!!!!!
Everything you need to know about the modes of the major scale: Ionian is the major scale Play it with a flat 7 instead and it's called Mixolydian - get used to what that sounds like Aeolian is the natural minor scale Play it with a raised 6 and it's called Dorian - get used to what that sounds like Don't worry too much about the others until you're completely used to these more common ones.
Maybe you can clarify a question I've always had about modes. I understand, that if I'm in the key of a-minor, and the chord progression hits an F-Major chord, I can play F-lydian over that F-Major chord, which is simply the notes of A-minor/C-Major, but resolving the notes on F. Where I get confused, is when the chord progression goes back to A-minor, and I still want to play lydian....Is that possible? The only thing I would know to do, is to play notes from an G Major scale, but resolving on the A note, which would be A-lydian. So, basically, accent the F#, and resolve on A, but that doesn't seem right to me. Can you clarify?
This was the first thing I learned about guitar and the reason I picked it up (modal solos by Zappa, Hendrix, Garcia, Santana, Gilmour, Hazel, Hampton, Page etc) and it saved a lot of time. I learned Mixolydian before the major scale, but I'm sure it's gotta be mind-blowing to discover after all that time, guessing you were more of a Bebop type player going off chord tones which is a lot more challenging (and possibly more rewarding harmonically). I'm just recently getting into the chordal composition/improv, I don't really know harmonic minor modes that well yet either lol, really there was no reason for me to watch this video besides Rick's Sick Licks which are very slick as usual
I accidentally stumbled upon your channel although I'm a bass player being trained by a old school acoustic jazz style guitar player who was left-handed and who smoked the pipe while giving me my lessons coming from an all Italian neighborhood my teacher being an old Italian guy and going through all this stuff with modes and scales and everything else and chord spellings and I wondered why and asked him why do I need to learn this stuff and he said to me you will thank me and understand it one day well that was a 1976 when I was 12 when I was 14 I worked consistently up until I got tired 3 to 4 days a week until I got the bandwagon around 2015 but just now I do studio and special appearances with my bass playing it's for sure took me a long way and everytime I play something I think about what he told me so I'm really Diggin your conversation and also I play a 1960 Les Paul junior Bass and a variety of vintage Gibson basses as well but mostly I'm a fretless guy so everything's applicable here we are talking in the 70s sorry about the novel I wrote here but nevertheless great stuff!!!
For me this lesson is more aptly named “How to learn the characteristic sound of each mode”. It’s a great video, thank you Rick,.. but I don’t know if it’s the fastest way for me to learn the patterns and fingerings of each mode. That’s what I was hoping for,, maybe that’s a different video?
@@romeou4965 Disagree. When I first tried to learn the modes (years ago), I was trying to memorize the notes and patterns.. kind of a nightmare because so much to learn that way. What finally clicked was doing it this way. When he plays a chord with a Dorian sound (for example)... just get your guitar out and try playing some patterns up and down the neck with that chord sound. You'll be able to hear if you hit it wrong... and you'll be developing little patterns in a mode by making it sound right. Then... playing in a particular mode is easy (stick to the modes that sound best to your ears at first). The only thing he didn't cover is "when" to play them. That's what trips most people up.. but it's quite easy. When a song starts, jam on the chords and see what the progression is.. Is the rhythm player playing D, Am, C, G and then back to D? Well that's the key of G, right? Sure.. but he's starting and resolving on the D... so the song is actually in D Mixolydian. Play those runs you practiced in D Mixolydian and your solo is going to sound best (over these chords). Try playing a G major solo and it doesn't sound quite right.. but look... D Mixolydian is the same notes and it sounds right! Final tip.. he's soloing in E Mixolydian at 5:45 (for example). What's an easy way to practice that? Well it's a major E chord with a flat 7. That's just an E7... so you could just play E7 chords all up and down the neck and create riffs out of that, but instead of thinking of it that way, for every mode.. play a chord and then land on the note that makes the mode unique. For E Mixolydian, that's the flatted 7... and the flatted 7 note is a D... so pick an E chord in 1st position and at the end, land on a D. Go to the 3rd position, play your E chord a different way and land on the D at the end... Go do it at the 12 fret. What's happening now? You're basically playing an F there (to make the E chord) and then finishing your lick on B15. That's Mixolydian! Hear that? It's the same notes as A major.. but totally different sound! I actually come back to this video on occasion just to hear the sounds and go over runs for a mode.
It's amazing how I recognise all of these modes instinctively from having heard them in music, but was never able to define them as modes. Watching these videos demonstrates how little music theory I know. Amazing.
Adding the keyboard in the background really helps my memory remember the scale. I need something like that to practice every day until it's burned in there.
So I’ve paused this to write this comment,which is I ain’t gonna learn the modes in ten minutes .I’ll edit in ten let’s see! .......Ok honestly nobody has ever explained learning where the half steps are in each mode to me before ,there maybe a chance I can get this into my thick skull .thanks rick!
TheJML1975 hah I wish !!he can explain them in ten minutes I can’t learn them in ten minutes I’m probably not even intermediate.but at least I’ve got a way of visualising them on the neck now!
daysmo 👍🏻 awesome. I unfortunately would only learn if I was sat in a classroom type environment, as I just can’t absorb/retain theory and I lose heart to quickly when by myself.
After months of mulling it over I finally came up with a mnemonic to help me remember the modes in order. I Don't Play Loud Music At Libraries Ionian, Dorian, Phrygian, Lydian, Mixolydian, Aeolian, Locrian And from there I remember the intervals for each by starting with C Major: CDEFGAB That's C Ionian, Dorian just moves C to the end and that gets you D Dorian, then Phrygian just moves D to the end of D Dorian which gives you E Phrygian, so on and so forth.
You skipped something much easier that should be the starting point for explaining what modes are: Modes are literally all the same exact scale. Each one just uses a different note in that scale as the root note. There are 7 notes, which gives you 7 different root note choices. Each of those root note choices turns that scale into a different "mode". Putting the proper names aside for now, you can refer to the modes by their position in the major scale. Using the first note as your root would give you Mode I, using the second note as your root gives you Mode II, etc. all the way to Mode VII.
This is one of the most practical and useful explanations of modes I’ve ever heard. Where was this guy when I was trying to be a music major? lol But seriously modes have flummoxed me for years and this guy finally helped me find my way through the fog
So I actually learned all my modes years and years ago (though I've since forgotten quite a bit) and one thing I have never quite understood about how to use them is what distinguishes a modal sound from its corresponding scale in the same key signature. For example, what distinguishes between improvising in G lydian as opposed to D major? Is it just which root (G or D) is emphasized, or are there other features?
As far as I know, yes, it's the root emphasis. In other words a simple reorientation of the normal scale around a new root. But, there might something more to it. From the above video alone, it seems that modal chords define a new harmonic landscape (and a new chord progression) which you can fill as you would normally do around a chord.
Adam P I think it’s the because it revolves around that root. G Lydian is its mode because they make it resolve back to G. Same with D Ionian and all other modes. They all resolve into a key center with minor/major attributes
@UCYbd_nhPG-NwRsbHsqSK7hQ I know all that. My question remains: if i were to tell you that a particular series of notes used only the scale tones of the C major scale, what other information would you need to tell me whether it's also whether it's in a particular mode. Is it only whether the root of the mode (e.g., second step for Dorian) is emphasized? If not, what else?
Adam P I believe it is where the half steps occur. In Major, it is WWHWWWH. In Dorian, it shifts to WHWWWHW. C major scale becomes D Dorian, so you start on the D note, but the relationship between the notes change because Dorian is 1 2 b3 4 5 6 b7, which has the minor third, so it would be similar to playing a minor chord, but in this case, you have a minor interval because you start at the D note and flat the third playing the F note, which is in the D minor chord (D F A) vs. D major (D F# A). It is all about the relationships between the notes and the corresponding sounds they create. Please comment to make sure I got this right.
I learned more about HOW TO HEAR modes from this video than from all my ear training & theory classes in college. Sometimes, a guitarist needs to learn from a guitarist
I really like how mixolydian sounds! I think I actually absorbed something finally. Using the keyboard to demonstrate helped so much. I also like how you took the picture out while you played so we were completely tuned in with our ear. Finally I have an idea of modes I swear I’ve watched so many videos I almost purchased a lesson on it but luckily I found you
Rick! Your on fire these days!!! One of my top favorite videos you've posted (so far) super useful. You have a talent for cutting the flab from super technical music theory
I've played guitar for many years and have a first grade knowledge of "theory" put now that I'm retired I've decided to up my game by going down the rabbit hole. I've heard of modes and I understand the basic concept. The first time I watched this video I thought that i would never be able to "hear" the difference between 7 odd modes. They all kind of sounded alike and just strange. But the second time I watched the video I started to think that maybe it was do-able. And now I'm beginning to hear the difference. Since I never learned theory I always played "by ear" and over time I developed a keen sense for what the music was doing just by knowing what "sounded" right. I now realize that what sounds right is what's in harmony. I will see if I can loop some backing chords and play those leads over them to hear how they sound over the chords. I love all your videos and appreciate the effort you put into them and all they give back to musicians like me who are trying to move forward in their playing.
Hey Rick I can't thank you enough of what you doing for music on RU-vid. It's really amazing how you explain this lesson using different scales and also giving us examples of how sounds can really enriched your ear that gives us new ideas is priceless. I love how the way you educate us and then open us to unleash and create our own creativity . GREAT JOB YOU ROCK :)
@@WileyKRobertson well cliffs of dover is a great song, i think he should do what makes this show great, and analyse live videos from yt (like the one of cliffs of dover)
i always think like this: i look at LOCRIAN spacing (not fret numbers) of ...5... strings (the low E and high E are the same)... 1,2,4/ 1,2,4/1,3,4/1,3,4/1,3 and always move 1/2 step up on the B...repeat Low E spacing on the high E. Therefore....look at the Locrian scale for example. then move this box of numbers all over the board, your landing notes will make the modal tonality you choose. Hope that makes sense. that half step recoginition that Rick talks about, sealed the deal even more so. thanks Rick.
