Explaining the modes - Josh Middleton
HTML-код
- Опубликовано: 15 ноя 2014
- The best explanation of understanding the modes and how to apply them to your playing.
These scales can help expand your theory and knowledge of the fretboard which is ideal for being able to improvise lead guitar solos.
For online guitar lessons go to middle-tone.com/ 
Видеоклипы
The F Major riff is the happiest thing I've ever heard Josh play. lol
Man, your channel is saving my life.
Josh Middleton.. a fucking legend !!!! A reason for me to keep playing is your music thanks a bunch for your work!
Learning scales 'With the open strings it can get a bit confusing or annoying' so true
Fuuuh that opening bit was the sickest
This is a brilliant lesson. Thanks Josh. Feel I've benefited from this great shorthand explanation of how modes work. Cheers.
You’re one of the greatest players I think I’ve ever seen. Your explanations are second to none as well. I could watch you play that guitar 24/7.
So much touch and feel in your vids, thanks Josh-great playing bro
Thanks for taking your time to share this knowledge, Josh. I seen you guys live in the airport hanger venue in Louisville, Kentucky when you opened up for LOG and have been a huge fan ever since. I've spread the word about your band as often as I can. Keep doing what you do and thank you for your music, man!
If you want to hear some really interesting metal use of the modes, check some songs by Revocation. The solos are really well-built (like Bound By Desire for example).
Just add Hexen to this list and it's perfect !
Sahil Londhe Bloodshot Dawn and Sylosis need to tour together damn it! Btw don't forget about Ouroboros.
Sahil Londhe haha yes then Allegaeon!
Man Josh you're the best ! i never really understood modes what they were used for and such . but with this video it was so easy to learn and understand what they actually do! after frickin 12 years i finally understand !
Can't wait for your new album bro \m/
Thank you for this man! I've been trying for a few months to learn how to incorporate modes into my playing and even though I still have a lot to learn this really cleared things up for me!
These videos are a goldmine
Excellent lesson Josh, cheers. It's ace that you put these lessons up on RUclips and I find it really helpful how you explain things. I've been playing for a number of years now but never grasped the modes, I'll start including them in my playing and when it comes to writing so thanks a lot. I've noticed you've done lessons for several songs off of Dormant Heart, if you're going to make this a regular thing that would be ace, cheers again!
Subbed.
This was SO useful that honestly you should consider making a little two or three part series going into detail about modes (and maybe other things you want to talk about). I would love to hear some practice techniques and useful methods that you used to get these down.
I really appreciate the time you put into these instructional videos, man. The way you differentiated modes vs scales was ridiculously helpful. You're a brilliant guitar player.
GarrettLoganGriffin totally agree! Very useful indeed.
Thank you! All your lessons are really helpful! Can't wait for the new Sylosis album.
The intro of this is sooo damn inspiring
Real nice change of pace playing at the beginning...Great lesson as well! Can't wait for Dormant Heart!!!
Dude your lessons are amazing man!!!
Thanks for the lesson...I found myself never really understanding this. But now I can practice this and hopefully better my playing. Cheers
Dude, Josh, yall are fucking awesome man, everything y'all do is stellar. I love how you keep it melodic, meanwhile extremely heavy (which I think is key to being successful). It's such a satisfying feeling to listen the beautiful melody mixed with a thrash-y feel. There was an interview you had a while back, and you mentioned that your goal was to be able to "quit your day job" and play music for a permanent living. Well bro, I pray that dream comes true, I honestly feel you deserve it. I also want you to be able to focus on music 100% for selfish reasons! Because y'all are my favorite band and I want MORE MUSIC!! >;] By the way, Last Remaining Light, Slowly Consumed, Where the sky ends, A Dying Vine, Teras - is my jam. I could keep listing songs... So I'm just gonna quit lol. You make my day, everyday, don't give up, please! It'll happen. P.S. Could y'all make a hoodie (without a zipper?) please - I'd buy it and make all my friends buy one too >;]
I always tell the kids I teach that modes are scales starting on a different note. As in the Key of C, playing Dorian would be on D, Phrygian would be on E so on and so forth. Hope that helps
Awesome explanation!
that tone is amazing.
Good stuff mate. Thanks
Love the intro!
thanks josh, i feel ive benefited so much from this lesson, had to watch the video twice but i understand the theory of it all.
I still think the rest of your playing is the work of evil sorcery though
Very informative!
I've been trying to get my head around modes for quite a while now thanks for the advice dude \m/
THANKS!!!! GREAT VIDEO!!!
Kickass solo...... loved it
Well explained. Theory is important, once you know a good bit of theory you can pick out different things when you feel you want to use them or when they work. I'm not familiar with any common chord progressions, but because i know the modes of the major (i can't shred them, i just know the theory of each and what sounds they create) i know exactly what chord i can use to give the melody a certain sound at a certain point when i choose. This is coming from someone who plays and writes black/death metal.
thanks Josh
Thx Josh !
Hey I kinda understand it now! Thanks!
You rock dude
Great video. The intro songs you play always make me think that the info is gonna go over my head but it ends up being very clear and insightful. I was wondering if you have any videos on using modes to build chord progressions? Perhaps using different tonic centres for different sections of the song? This shit is pretty cool though
I have found a sort of comfort zone for myself in periodically switching between e natural minor and e dorian, switching to e phrygian for some heaviness... But I guess its time for me to explore more possibilities by restricting myself to the relative modes within a particular diatonic scale. But the temptation to break out of it always crops up, with some interesting results but eventually i end up hitting a brick wall
Holy shit, MOAR!
Thanks
Hi Josh. You are very intelligent and articulate. I am enjoying your RUclips channel. Have you listened to Savatage? Awesome band from the 80s and 90 metal scene. Criss Oliva
was an incredible guitar player and writer back then. His brother john Oliva is part of TSO which was born from Savatage. You can find Savatage on youtube check them out if you already havent. Criss tone was awesome back then.
yeah my thing was the minor dorian mode nd diminished as a practice warm up.. u said u was doin the major mode as practice ex... cool I too play by ear trained that way
great lesson! im just having trouble working out what mode certain pieces of music are in, for example the music at the very start of the video, i know that the B Ionian (or major scale) works over the backing track, but what mode does that mean its in??
Is the intro an early version of Returning? The lick at 0:18 is very reminiscent of the arpeggio lick in the last solo!
Is there an mp3 of that full jam at the beginning anywhere online? I’ve been going back to this shit consistently for 8 years and I’d love to hear the rest lol. Still the lead work that has probably hit me the hardest.
In C major the chords are: C Dm Em F G Am Bm7b5. Playing C major over C = Ionian, C major over Dm = Dorian, C major over Em = Phrygian, C major over F = Lydian, C major over G = Mixolydian, C major over Am = Aeolian and last C major over Bm7b5 = Locrian. What does this mean? It means that the mode is determend by the chord you're playing over in a key. So if you play the C major scale and use Dm as a root, then you have D dorian, etc :)
need that backing track at the beginning
Any opinions for new passive pickups for my esp eclipse? I love the 81/60 combo but I kind of want to try something new!
Another middleton!!
Bro you're a fuckin genius player thanks man you explained everything way better then my teacher !!
Thanks Josh, no lie music theory little over my head little bit as a beginner but pretty much its 7 notes scale inside 5 frets on 3 chords, instead of the other scale of 7 notes that be frets 2 4 5 7 9 11 12 on same chord , these 7 notes would be like minus first Do as open note, Re Me Fa So La Te Do, right? lol Im trying and enjoyed the lesson Josh, Thank you
i have hard time to figure out how to play the intro riff of after lifeless years(how the gallop working there) .Any help
you're a beast josh! thanks for making these! do you think you might be able to do some sort of lesson on solo writing? i'm happy with the riffs that i come up with but i feel like my solos are lacking weight
Yeah I don't know what the notes are on the guitar, I have to remember what the string notes are too for tuning....but for that i remember Elephant And Donkeys Grow Big Ears
So does starting on the third is he next one after Dorian?
are you playing in Brighton any time soon ?
Where can I get that ESP?. Reminds me of a Custom silverburst Les Paul
Hoping I get a chance to see you guys again, you killed the Alrosa Villa last time the wife and I saw you. Granted, there weren't a lot of people there, given the shitty snowy weather that night. Cheers!
I find it easier to learn how a mode sounds, its' flavour (so that you can name the mode by hearing it) if you will and then learn them all from the same root, say E. Like the way Josh illustrates it towards the middle of the video.
What are the chords & modes used in that beginning piece?
Can anyone point me in the right direction for theory - I have played for years and just never learned as like many others I use tabs and just feel that theory time is now
Any chance you could post the intro backing track online?
Ok....gonna try to this brief as possible. First you must set up what I call the grid. Modes to me are just a way of visualizing the fretboard. Learn the framework of the ionian mode (I actually call it the "c type" mode or the first or master mode).all it us is all the natural notes (no sharps/flats) on the fretboard. That's all the modes ( in order,end to end)..visualize them end to end..the end of the c mode is the beginning of the d mode (Dorian)..end of d mode is begginning of e mode and so on. Then when playing in other keys,just move that whole framework up or down the length of the fretboard. Then all the sharps and flats in other keys,will "automatically" be there! You can find these modes mapped out in that fashion in the book 'The Guitar Grimiore". Shows the modes all together at once and separated to show how they fit end to end . That's where "shred freedom" sets in,which is actually just visualizingthe fretboard . Learn the 5 pentatonic patterns and how they fit end to end also. You'll find that other scales like harmonic minor etc..kinda just fit in there somewhere. Then, again,just move the whole framework up or down the neck to play in other keys. With this knowledge,I can shred over any backing track on you tube ( even if I've never heard of it before,because they usually say in description what key its in.Thats all I need to know. ( just adjust that framework up or down to match the key song us in.) Very liberating and the "key" to almost effortless improvisation. More to it but "trying" to be brief..lol
nice intro, I understand the scale, it's the sped I have issues with, any hints on speed and keeping it clean?
Try playing the scale with a metronome slow but astight as possible, practice the scale everyday if you can and speed up the metronome everyday by 5 bpm :)
Worth a try, thank you for replying. Much appreciated :)
Practice, Practice, Practice! You have to develop the muscle memory in your fingers, hands, wrists, and forearms. Practice often and with either a metronome or a steady drum beat. Start slowly and play as smooth(and accurate) as possible. Slow = Smooth, Smooth = Fast. If you can't play the scale(s) smoothly, turn DOWN the tempo until you're accurate and smooth at that speed...once you can do that, then increase the tempo and practice at that speed. There's no quick way to learn how to play guitar exceptionally well. It takes hours upon hours upon hours of practice. I practice at least an hour a day, if not 2-3.
try the gnu solfege
Hey Josh, do you still plan to do a solo album ?
I swear that first little song in f maj sounded like the freaking soundtrack to the first level on crash bandicoot warped
hey dude i have question thats not related to the topic of the video :) , in metalica's enter sandman , the main rife goes 0--7---5----6---5 right , but then it ends 0----3----0-----2----0-----2-----3-----2-----0 . is this all part of the same scale ( e minor ) ??? i know for a fact its not , but whats the theory behind that !!!? can you expain the riff to me pls . thanks for everything you doing .cheers from Tunisia .
Could be chromatic Metallica does that a lot.
Intro solo Lydian ?
1. Major scale, all keys, and their signatures. 2. Relative minors of those majors, which will share the same key signature. 3. The two alterations of those above natural minor scales, which are the harmonic minor firstly, the melodic secondly. 4. intervals between notes of scales. 5. major, and by the above relation what chords are in minor scales. 6. don't even fuck yet with how chords get built on the two minor scale alterations. 7. you now would know two modes of the major scale. Those would be the natural major, and natural minor modes mentioned above. the minor is everywhere in rock, and heavy music. 8. the harmonic, and melodic minor scales are themselves the basis for their respective modes, but they are higher level, more complex to use, because of the chords harmonized on them. LASTLY: scales are all about outlining a chord, or progression of chords. This is because a given scale played against a chord will contain most importantly the notes that make the chord, and also additional color notes that add different flavors to those given chords you're playing. An example of a color that's possible would be a major 6th played against a minor 7th chord, which implies the Dorian mode.
This has hopefully provided some insight, but was more me just putting ideas in my own head into words to see if I could be clear. Unless you are Hendrix, or Dimebag Darrel, theory is pretty helpful, and will introduce you to cool sounds you might not consider otherwise. Theory won't make you good per-se, but don't listen to people who say theory sucks, or is limiting. It is not, it is the opposite of limiting.
That is exactly how I thought of it.. if im on C. Because Its the Do.. for major.. make my C the re.. or Mi and so fort. Just changing wich note I start but the same key.. that makes the modes. I hope i make sense.. because I don't even understand how to read notes.. I have no basic training. So bare with me if im wrong. Its just a theory so I hope im right or close to it. Hahaha
Are you tuned to E standard?
so correct me if I'm wrong aren't you just shifting the tonic up?
I found this very confusing
+Todd Lavigne Mode is a bullshit term, what it really means is *mood* as in emotion. It works by setting up a mood - either by droning(repeating) a note or chord - which makes the listeners brain evaluate everything else they hear relative to that note. It literarily just works as mood do. If you're happy you might look at things during the day optimistically, but if you're feeling grumpy/mad everything else is going to be like shit too.
In actual interval theory it's all explained through the notes relation to the root note of the scale, but non of that matters and most people don't give a shit. So fuck that noise.
Here's a crash course: There are 7 modes (one for each note duh)
1. Ionian (major)
The first note of your scale is the root note/tonic. By drumming this note in the way of a chord or whatever everything will sound as harmonious as possible in the scale your playing. In other words, it sounds happy as fuck.
2. Dorian
3. Phrygian
4. Lydian
5. Mixolydian
6. Aeloian(minor)
''Duuh, but how can major scale be minor'' you ask. Well that's because the 6th chord is depressed and selfish. So when it's played it contaminates everything else your hear to also sound sad and pathetic. Just like that really depressing guy in school that thinks everything is shit. The sixth chord of a C scale is A minor. So when you mr.macfancypants saying ''Guy,s the song is in A natural minor'' all he's really saying is the song is in the C scale and you're supposed to play the A note a lot. Now for the G scale it goes GABCDEF# where the E is the sixth note. Meaning that if Mr.McFancyPants comes along again and says ''This time we're playing in E natural minor'' he really means you play the G scale but drone the E note.
Go ahead and try this right now with the C scale. Play whatever chord progression but remember to actively go back to A minor, the whole shit is going to sound depressing.
7. Phrydgian
Phrydgian sounds metal as supermans balls. That's because it's ''unstable'' In snobby music theory this is explained by saying that the note is very close to the root of the scale and therefor your brain is getting pissed because your inner OCD maniac is going apeshit. Exactly like a painting tilted just slightly. If the painting was tilted by a lot then a lot of people wouldn't mind but when it's tilted just slightly everyone loses their shit because it's so close to being straight but no one's fixing it. That's how phrygian works
There you go, I can't think of a simpler way to put it. If you're still lost, well, u dumb.
+Dennis Persson LMFAO. This was THE best lesson on modes I have ever seen in my short time learning theory. Damn,hilarious as fuck.Well said man,well said.
Odd Jørgen Høibø
Danke C: Haven't actually taken any lessons and have only been playing for just about a year so that actually means a lot to me :P
I've been playing for half a year,last couple of months I've been lazy though and just practiced what I already knew like licks and haven't bothered with theory. But I shouldn't forget theory alltogether. I've been missing out on alot by skipping it these last months, I'll try and go back now tho,and focus more on the theory aspect so I can broaden my musical repertoire.
Your explanation of the modes is spot on but still I believe I'm like on the fence regarding how to understand them xD I'll delve into the stuff tomorrow though AFTER I've read up on the major scale again...
*sigh People overcomplicate it most of the time when trying to teach about mode(mood)s
Odd Jørgen Høibø
Yeah. Something important to remember though is that most of this stuff goes out the window if you try modulation (playing multiple scales) because then an extra layer is added where the relation of scales are taken into account. Eventually it gets so ridiculous you might aswell ignore it. When writing a song just play around, find chord progressions you enjoy and then dissect the chords shapes in order to solo. Generally it's a lot easier that way. Also remember to just go to town. Smack the shit out of your instrument, do crazy bends, play chromatics (just random notes that makes sense within the atmosphere of the song) Generally just experiment. If it sounds good to you then it's music.
To anyone who reads this.......what scales should I be learning? Seems like there are hundreds of them and I don't really know where to start?
+p4fizzle Pentatonic is usually the first that everyones learns, because it's the easiest. After that, just find out what scales sound the best to you or what scales do your favorite musicians play. The second I learned was Harmonic Minor, because I do like the sound of it, it is Yngwie Malmsteen favorite scale and I think that Sylosis wrote a lot of songs in that scale too. But only I'm getting into the modes, I still don't understand much of it very well.
MrBX5 Awesome man thanks! Just saw Sylosis at Wembley, absolutely brilliant!! Appreciate the tips, to someone who has not studied music, all these scale names and words are kinda confusing lol
+MrBX5 So you dont really need to know all these fucking modes n shit? Ik the Pentatonic, Harmonic Minor and Natural Minor scale, I love slash and he's a huge inspiration, Do I really need to know all these modes n shit people say you need to know?
RossLinden97 "need to know" is very relative, you only need to learn what will get you to play what you want to play, BUT the modes are all just one scale, the mode only changes what part of the scale (position) is in the key, it wouldn't be bad if you learned it. My advice, learn the scale, maybe as the minor (aolian) mode (which is one of the most used in metal) at first, and then just learn in which note the other modes start. Trust me, is not that hard. When I learned, I didn't even knew that it was all the same scale, I started with the minor (aolian) and after I got it I started to learn phrygian and that's when I realized that it was all the same scale, after I realized that, I just memorized the order of the modes and in which position of the scale they started.
MrBX5 Okay so lets say i learn the Aolian mode, Can I use it in any key that I want? So lets say I want to use the mode in A, I just start the mode on the A note on the low E String? And does the same go for all the modes? Oh and also, do you have to know all the modes or can you just use the ones you find best sounding to you?
How long did you take guitar lessons?
I think from ages 10-18
+Josh Sylosis Hey man, love the effort you put into these videos for your fans! Truly epic!
If you have time, are you able to suggest a place/way to get lessons fairly cheap? For 8 years worth of lessons I assume you did not pay £20 per hour like most schools seem to offer. If you did, then back to youtube for me I guess :)
p.s. See you at Wembley in Nov! So sick and so stoked that you guys are on such a HUGE tour with some heavyweights of the scene!
WHEN ARE YOU COMING TO HOUSTON TEXAS!! PLEASE!! WE ARE ALL WAITING FOR YOU HERE, WE LOVE SYLOSIS IN AMERICA!!
Thanks for making the modes less intimidating.
if you're teaching them don't talk that way! like music theory is difficult or something..most people will be afraid and they will just go away ..you have to consider that and start talking with a joy on your face that has a big matter in fact lol
Useless