Getting into modes

[GuitarIv]

Cheers guys,

well I finally spent some time with the lydian, phrygian, myxolydian and all the other modes. This site here is very useful:

http://jguitar.com/scale?root=B&scale=Locrian&fret=7&labels=none&notes=sharps

Now my question would be does anyone of you fellas here have a suggestion how to approach soloing incorporating these modes better? I know a lot of this comes from practice, one can't deny it, I just thought maybe someone can give me some ideas? :)

[gwEm]

usually i just jam around for an hour or two to learn what type of feelings you can get with the intervals in a mode and which passing notes you can get away with

80% of myself is still in aeolian sadly, though I have material in phrygian, locrian (a real swine to work with), and mixolydian. its great for inspiration!  :D

[GuitarIv]

Haha, the scale I'm most times wanking around and writing stuff in is the harmonic minor and the arabian scale, since it sounds mostly metal. What fascinates me the most right now is the lydian scale. Instant Steve Vai and very beautiful :)

[JimmyMoorby]

I would say play some riffs record them and then and play over them.
 
I dont use theory in the way most people would.  I just learn scales, arpeggios and chords and just cobble them together until they sound good.  The only drawback with this 'approach' is improvising.

I did have a go at theory and realise i play in phrygian a hell of a lot when soloing which was obviously subconscious as i didnt know what i was doing i.e the theory behind it.  I guess its cool because it can sound eastern, classical, spanish, dark and doesnt seem 'conventional'.

[richard]

Try looking at some blues. As blues is frequently neither definitely major nor definitely minor you have a lot of scope with the scales you can use over it. Particularly good for getting a grip on Dorian and Myxolydian. Jumble them up with the major and minor pentatonics and the blues scale and you have a lot of notes to choose from. Then add in some passing notes. The sky's the limit.

[GuitarIv]

Richard, funnily that is my problem, overuse of the minor pentatonic/blues scale. I developed a habit using the same notes all the time so that's the reason I wanna start to throw in other modes, just as you pointed out. I also recently started learning AC/DC solos for all the amazing little licks Angus plays and which are very bluesy. Already helped a lot, just looking for even more things to incorporate into my playing :)

[richard]

There's a lot more to Blues than that. Try playing what we usually think of as a 7th chord - major third and a flattened seventh. That's where you can use your Mixolydian. Use the minor scale but raise your sixth by half a step - there's your Dorian. Try some passing notes - hit a major third and then play the fourth, the flattened fifth and the fifth and you have a little chromatic run. Or go down from the minor seventh to major sixth to minor sixth to the fifth.

If you want to get into the less commonly used modes you have to look at what chords can be constructed from the notes of the mode. They all have root, third and seventh so have a look at those combinations of notes.

[GuitarIv]

Thanks! Now that's certainly something I can work on :D

Cheers

[JJretroTONEGOD]

some modes to try for you;

01/ Phrygian Dominant (prefer it to phrygian) or in other words the 5th mode of the harmonic minor scale.
02/ Lydian b7 is also very cool.

[Lezard]

02/ Lydian b7 is also very cool.

^ Like this one.

What kind of backing have you been using to practace over?
The right backing can really bring out the colour of the modes, I'd certainly look into harmonising the modes and using the resulting chords to come up with a vamp or riff to jam over.

[Frank666]

I find the best way of 'hearing' a mode is to record yourself playing a backing track and play over it, ie play nothing but a on a bass and play all the modes of A major/minor and see what sounds good and build it from there

[Johnny Mac]

There is a tutor called Dave Mead who has written some good books on this stuff

[JJretroTONEGOD]

02/ Lydian b7 is also very cool.

^ Like this one.

What kind of backing have you been using to practace over?
The right backing can really bring out the colour of the modes, I'd certainly look into harmonising the modes and using the resulting chords to come up with a vamp or riff to jam over.

that's why I love the lydian dominant so much there is so much choice of chords to play with. I have been using drones on a tape loop pedal as well but just so I can hear the uniqueness of the scale more without colour, what would you recommend chord wise? and yes I need to get into harmonising, that's something I don't do often enough.

[Lezard]

The second part of that post was more aimed at the more common scales, I'd usually use the Lydian dominant over a functioning dominant chord,7b5 or in a few pre learned substitution licks. But that's gotten me curious as to what chords it yields,
in the key of C we get. C D Edim F#dim Gm Am and Bbaug, not as out as I'd have guessed.

[GuitarIv]

Right now I'm totally obsessed with Lydian. Been noodling around on that mode now for days :D
Thanks for all the suggestions so far!

Cheers