Modes, Modes, Modes

[olly]

I hope someone can help out here with regard to modes.

I understand modes, I understand their sounds, I understand how to use them over a vamp etc but when it comes to applying them musically I struggle.

If we are in a major or minor key it would seem that we have all chords of the key at our disposal. However when trying to play in a modal key other than the above it seems that you can only use a couple of chords before losing the modes tonality.

So perhaps someone can explain to me how I can use more than one or two chords to maintain the modal sound. Here is an example.

C Lydian - a really lydian sounding vamp is C - D

It sounds lydian, it is easy to solo to lydian but chuck in another chord and it doesn't sounds lydian any longer - at least not to me.

Any mode experts out there?

[polyal]

im in open another beer mode at the moment......but ye i cant seem to get the point of it either
can somebody give the unknowing (me) some mp3 examples or practical explanations.... am i playing
in these modes but dont reallise it

[naciketas]

There is the Chord Workbook for Guitar Volume 1 that deals with Guitar chords and chord progressions by Bruce E. Arnold. This book may be of some help to you Olly.

[olly]

im in open another beer mode at the moment...

What a good mode to be in! One of my most favourite of all time!

I'm hoping to get some MP3 examples going soon enough of what I already know.

[Shayne Berry]

Hi Olly,

C Lydian mode would use the following triad chords:

C Maj, D Maj, E min, F#mflat5, G MaJ, A min, B min.

Hope this helps,

Shayne.

[olly]

Hi Shayne

Thanks for this.

Though I find that unless you are only using the Cmaj - Dmaj vamp, the whole Lydian flavour gets lost.

Can you suggest a progression utlising more of the above chords that keeps the modal sound.

[Shayne Berry]

Hi Olly,

Lydian is only different to a normal major key in that it's sub-dominant is sharp. (In C Major the F is F natural, in a Lydian mode the F would be F#).

The reason CMaj - DMaj has the sound your seeking is because the two chords exploit the raised 4th, but also certify the tonic is C.

Eg, playing the CMaj says "this is the tonic, this is the key", then the DMaj says "but it's not C Major, listen to the F#, it's Lydian mode", then returning to the C simply ensures the harmony that the key is certainly C, and we're not just using higher degrees of G Major.

Their are two other chords in C Lydian mode with the F#; F#minflat5, and Bmin. You could use these two chords as well as the DMaj when you want to bring in the Lydian tonality, but the Tonic of C needs to be introduce frequently or the feeling of G Major will start to take over.

One way to remind the harmony that the tonic and key is still C is to play the chords that use the note C, but stick the C in the bass.

Eg, CMaj, F#mflat5/C, and Amin/C.

Hope this helps some.

Shayne.

[olly]

This is really good information.

You hit the nail on the head regarding it sounding like G major. This is exactly where I started to struggle. Ok with one or two chord vamps but nothing more.

I never considered using the bass to keep the modal tonality!

Thanks a lot

[Instructor]

I hope someone can help out here with regard to modes.

I understand modes, I understand their sounds, I understand how to use them over a vamp etc but when it comes to applying them musically I struggle.

If we are in a major or minor key it would seem that we have all chords of the key at our disposal. However when trying to play in a modal key other than the above it seems that you can only use a couple of chords before losing the modes tonality.

So perhaps someone can explain to me how I can use more than one or two chords to maintain the modal sound. Here is an example.

C Lydian - a really lydian sounding vamp is C - D

It sounds lydian, it is easy to solo to lydian but chuck in another chord and it doesn't sounds lydian any longer - at least not to me.

Any mode experts out there?

You really have to understand the relationship of chords to scales, and their defining characteristics of the modes themselves. Also you have to always be aware of cadences that want to pull the mode away to the diatonic parent chord, which is what you are experiencing.

A typical one is in D dorian, as soon as I play a G, it's pulling to the I, which is C...end of mode.

But, Modes have "defining" charactoristics. One way to determine what they are is to play over a "drone". Dont change the background drone, and map out every note that feels "weak" and the ones that feel "strong" or "flavorful". It can be hard to put these subjective ideas into words, but there are weak notes and strong notes that define every mode. What makes Locrian different from Minor? Answer, a b5 and b2. These are the things you have to narrow down, or else be trained in. They do, however require a set level of skill sets in regards to music theory, or else you'll end up becoming more confused.

What Makes Dorian different? What's its defining charactoristic? Each Mode has these answers.

Instructor