An introduction to the modes - Breaking out of the pentatonic jail

[Bro]

Hey

I made this short PDF to hopefully explain some of the confusion about the modes, because i know, as was crazy-confused when i first started getting into them.

Just a little something i wanted to share with you guys wanting to break out of the pentatonics.

[Bluesberry]

Good stuff Jimmi.  I am a modes dabbler and love the concept of modes.  It does indeed break you out of the pentatonic rut.  Takes a bit of work to sort it all out, thats for sure.  It finally clicked for me in a major way last winter.

Here is the video that opened it all up for me:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JKbPIGnqt80

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8uhN5h1o7ww

I really like this this one too:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n09kVlV9mo4

[Bro]

Thank you, i wish i had this pdf, when i started trying to play in the modes and understand the theory behind them!

[dobrodaddy]

All these are good descriptions of modes.  The first 2 videos are probably most clear about the sound of each mode.   Would think the next move would be to learn to play all the modes in his original e position.  Using the drone e string was very effective, but doesn't give a sense of what happens in a chord progression.

An easy way to break out of the sound of the pentatonic pox, er box, is to shift it up or down 1, 2, or 3 frets from your tonic.  That will automatically give you all sorts of color tones.  Shift back to the normal box for your resolutions. 

In major key blues there is much emphasis on rolling b3 to 3, bending b5 to 5 and using b7 vs 7.  The blue notes.  No mode does that. 

Some swing blues emphasize the 2nd and 6th notes.    There are 2 main pentatonic scales:

Minor:  1 b3 4 5 b7   A C  D  E G

Major:  1  2  3 5  6    A B C# E F#

Do you folks use both of these or only the minor?  The major can be used alone or blended in the with minor.  Hope I'm not being simplistic or tedious...

Modes are good things to learn, don't get me wrong.  Well worth the effort.  And I know you folks aren't necessarily blues players, that's just my orientation.  Hope this was useful.  Play on!  Geo

[phantasm777]

lovin those orange amps, reminds me of the late 60's early 70's.

[T.C. Elliott]

There are 2 main pentatonic scales:

Minor:  1 b3 4 5 b7   A C  D  E G

Major:  1  2  3 5  6    A B C# E F#

Do you folks use both of these or only the minor?  The major can be used alone or blended in the with minor.  Hope I'm not being simplistic or tedious...

I'm a pentatonic player. I use both of those scales and combine them, and play the major scale sometimes (which to my mind is just a Major with a few added notes.) Well, to be fair, I actually use the pentatonic scale and then add in passing tones. Generally speaking it ends up being a Major scale, but sometimes it's one I can't identify. Possibly a mode, more likely just something with a cool passing tone or two.

[Farrell Jackson]

Good stuff Jimmi.  I am a modes dabbler and love the concept of modes.  It does indeed break you out of the pentatonic rut.  Takes a bit of work to sort it all out, thats for sure.  It finally clicked for me in a major way last winter.

Here is the video that opened it all up for me:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JKbPIGnqt80

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8uhN5h1o7ww

I really like this this one too:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n09kVlV9mo4

Hey thanks for putting these videos up Bluesberry! I play a mix and match of all those notes and scales but never knew they had names, lol! I've not had a lesson in my life but knew from my ear that some scales (or now modes) worked better with minor chords and others with majors. I'll be reviewing these from time to time as a refresher. If they sound right, I use them 

Thanks!

Farrell