Satriani
Ok, lets get started on the next mode after the Ionian (major scale). DO NOT read this before you have read all about mode 1 (Ionian/Major Scale) under 'Applying Formulas to simplify Scales' in the lessons section. Something I get asked alot by students is WHY must I learn all the modes when I already know pentatonic, blues and major/minor scales? Well I take this from Dave Weiner, a super cool guy, and also makes modes interesting with his humour.
Lets say you're frying a steak. If you just throw it on the fire, with absolutely no spices, nobody's gonna eat it, I guarantee ya ? Now if u throw some salt and pepper on, it's edible, but not THAT great. Salt = Major scale, Pepper = minor scale etc...
Now if you REALLY want a tasty steak (your melody or chord progression is the steak by the way ?) you need to spice i up with other things. So you can look at modes as your spice rack!
I will get into each flavour as we go along....
Dorian has a minor kinda sound. You can think of it as a minor scale with a natural 6th. It has a 1 2 b3 (called a MINOR THIRD) 4 5 6 b7 (called a MINOR 7th) and of course the 8 is the same as the 1 as I explained in the earlier post. It is that natural 6TH scale degree that gives the Dorian a slightly different twist on the natural minor scale. Don't worry, I will also cover the 3 Minor scales at a later stage.
So what you should understand so far about modes, is that we are actually using a PARENT scale for each mode and moving slowly up the ladder one by one.
Example - Lets look at the C Major scale (Ionian Mode 1)
IT has the notes C D E F G A B C in it. So C Major is or parent scale, we are borrowing from it. Now lets play the same scale again, but lets start on the 2nd note (D) and go all the way through to the next D. We get D E F G A B C D. This gives us D Dorian. Why D Dorian? Simply because our first note is D (ROOT) and we are playing from the parent scale which is C and starting on it's 2nd note which happens to be D, and that gives us the 2nd mode Dorian.
Another nice tip to remember formulas for each mode is simply to memorise the formula of the Ionian which is W W H W W W H. Now just move each interval up 1 step, and u get the formula of the next mode!
Lets have a look
Major / Ionian = W W H W W W H
Dorian = W H W W W H W
Phyrigian = H W W W H W W
Lydian = W W W H W W H
Mixolydian = W W H W W H W
Aeolian / Minor = W H W W H W W
Locrian = H W W H W W W
Ok, I couldn't get them all in line, I'm a musician not a PC guy ?
I think remembering this little trick helps ALOT
Satriani
Yeah, there are many practical exercises to practice and understand them, but I am slightly limited with time, so trying to explain the theory behind each mode first. Best thing I can tell u quickly is to use what's called the 'pedal tone' system. ie - let a note ring (pick your low W string for example) and then go to E on your A string 7th fret and while that low E rings, play through the scale/mode while hearing how it corresponds to the Root
