#2296  by strumminsix
 
I was having the hardest time with modes until I started doing this. I don't know why this is easier for me but it is. Maybe this will help someone.

Try playing your major scale like so:

E -I-----I-----I-----I-----I-----I---
B -I-----I-----I--7--I--8--I-----I---
G -I--4--I-----I--5--I-----I--6--I---
D -I--1--I-----I--2--I-----I--3--I---
A -I-----I-----I-----I-----I-----I---
E -I-----I-----I-----I-----I-----I---

From there impliment the following changes:

1. Ionian - 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

2. Dorian - 1 2 b3 4 5 6 b7 8

3. Phrygian - 1 b2 b3 4 5 b6 b7 8

4. Lydian - 1 2 3 #4 5 6 7 8

5. Mixolydian - 1 2 3 4 5 6 b7 8

6. Aeolian - 1 2 b3 4 5 b6 b7 8

7. Locrian - 1 b2 b3 4 b5 b6 b7 8

 #2811  by ch0ke
 
Great post man that's genius.. it really helped me out
 #132102  by jlg327
 
Griffyote wrote::? By implement do you mean starting on the d for each different mode? No, I guess that would've D#?
He's actually showing a movable pattern for playing scales, starting on the D string. The numbers he's showing are the notes or "degree" of the scale, not necessarily the frets (although, yes, if you play them as the frets, you will be playing the various modes of the D# scale --- but you can slide the general shape up and down the fretboard, as long as you maintain the spatial relationships). So "1" = 1st note or "degree" of the scale, "2" = second note of scale, etc.

From there, you can flat or sharp the notes as he's indicated to play the appropriate mode. So, for example, if you wanted to play the Ionian mode (also referred to as the major scale - the "do, re, mi..." song that you learned as a kid) it looks like this:

E -|----|----|----|----|----|----|
B -|----|----|-X--|-X-|----|----|
G -|-X--|---|-X--|----|-X-|----|
D -|-X--|---|-X--|----|-X-|----|
A -|----|----|----|----|----|----|
E -|----|----|----|----|----|----|

If you start on the D string, you'll end up playing the notes of the mode as 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 (or the first, second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh, and octave).

But if you want to play the dorian mode, you have to remember that the third and seventh are flatted. See his comment "2. Dorian - 1 2 b3 4 5 6 b7 8 "

So you just adjust the notes you play accordingly. Meaning that the dorian mode looks like this:

E -|----|----|----|----|----|----|
B -|----|-X-|-----|-X-|----|----|
G -|-X-|----|-X--|----|-X-|----|
D -|-X-|----|-X--|-X-|----|----|
A -|----|----|----|----|----|----|
E -|----|----|----|----|----|----|

So by implementing the changes he showed (flatting or sharping notes) you can play your way through each mode.
 #132129  by ebick
 
Here's how I was taught.

Start with your base shell, (separating majors and minors)

So here's the Major shell
Code: Select all
E -I-----I-----I-----I-----I-----I--- 
B -I-----I-----I-----I-----I-----I--- 
G -I-----I-----I-----I-----I-----I--- 
D -I--6--I-----I--7--I--8--I-----I--- 
A -I--3--I--4--I-----I--5--I-----I--- 
E -I-----I--1--I-----I--2--I-----I--- 
From here, you make minor adjustments to get each desired result

Pentatonic, remove 4 & 7
Code: Select all
E -I-----I-----I-----I-----I-----I--- 
B -I-----I-----I-----I-----I-----I--- 
G -I-----I-----I-----I-----I-----I--- 
D -I--6--I-----I-----I--8--I-----I--- 
A -I--3--I-----I-----I--5--I-----I--- 
E -I-----I--1--I-----I--2--I-----I--- 
Lydian, Sharp the 4
Code: Select all
E -I-----I-----I-----I-----I-----I--- 
B -I-----I-----I-----I-----I-----I--- 
G -I-----I-----I-----I-----I-----I--- 
D -I--6--I-----I--7--I--8--I-----I--- 
A -I--3--I-----I--4--I--5--I-----I--- 
E -I-----I--1--I-----I--2--I-----I--- 
Mixo, Flatten the 7th
Code: Select all
E -I-----I-----I-----I-----I-----I--- 
B -I-----I-----I-----I-----I-----I--- 
G -I-----I-----I-----I-----I-----I--- 
D -I--6--I--7--I-----I--8--I-----I--- 
A -I--3--I--4--I-----I--5--I-----I--- 
E -I-----I--1--I-----I--2--I-----I--- 
Now minors

Base...(Aoelian)
Code: Select all
E -I-----I-----I-----I-----I-----I--- 
B -I-----I-----I-----I-----I-----I--- 
G -I-----I-----I-----I-----I-----I--- 
D -I-----I--7--I-----I--8--I-----I--- 
A -I-----I--4--I-----I--5--I--6--I--- 
E -I-----I--1--I-----I--2--I--3--I--- 
Pentatonic, remove 2 & 6
Code: Select all
E -I-----I-----I-----I-----I-----I--- 
B -I-----I-----I-----I-----I-----I--- 
G -I-----I-----I-----I-----I-----I--- 
D -I-----I--7--I-----I--8--I-----I--- 
A -I-----I--4--I-----I--5--I-----I--- 
E -I-----I--1--I-----I-----I--3--I--- 
Dorian, flatten the 6th
Code: Select all
E -I-----I-----I-----I-----I-----I--- 
B -I-----I-----I-----I-----I-----I--- 
G -I-----I-----I-----I-----I-----I--- 
D -I--6--I--7--I-----I--8--I-----I--- 
A -I-----I--4--I-----I--5--I-----I--- 
E -I-----I--1--I-----I--2--I--3--I--- 
Phrygian, flatten the 2nd
Code: Select all
E -I-----I-----I-----I-----I-----I--- 
B -I-----I-----I-----I-----I-----I--- 
G -I-----I-----I-----I-----I-----I--- 
D -I-----I--7--I-----I--8--I-----I--- 
A -I-----I--4--I-----I--5--I--6--I--- 
E -I-----I--1--I--2--I-----I--3--I--- 
 #132133  by Lephty
 
This is great. The cool thing about it is that it helps you see the differences between the modes--you only have to change one note to change the mode. I had a teacher show me a similar exercise, and he called it the "order of brightness." It's a great way to understand the modes. The idea is that the more flatted notes a mode has, the darker it sounds. Here's the process:

1. Start with the lydian mode, which has a #4 in it (in C it would be C D E F# G A B C).
2. Change the #4 to a natural 4 (F# > F) and you have the ionian mode (major scale).
3. Flat the 7th of the ionian mode (B > Bb) and it's now mixolydian.
4. Flat the 3rd of the mixolydian mode (E to Eb) and now it's dorian.
5. Flat the 6th of the dorian mode (A to Ab), now it's aeolian.
6. Flat the 2nd of the aeolian mode (D to Db) and now it's phrygian.
7. Flat the 5th degree (G to Gb) and now it's locrian. And virtually everything (except the 4th) is flatted in the locrian mode--C Db Eb F Gb Ab Bb C

The next step with this would be to find other one-octave patterns for the major scale around the neck and do the same process with them. It's nothing that you can't tackle with another decade or so in the woodshed.