Take

it easy
one

Mastering
modes
Guita,rists consta,ntly a,sk qnestions a,bout mod,es: wha,t a,re they? IIow do I use them? IIow ca,rr I pla,y this E Ph4rg'ia,n in my solos? Rea,d on, a,s R,OD SINGLAIR, revea,ls a,ll you need to know...
Nr ol the main problems people
har.e rvhen they're learning rnodes is that they attempt to learn all of the scales u.ithout an understanding of the basic n'rodal system and, more irnportantly

f\on't

give yourself a

IJheadache - learn

Dorian position properly then move on to the next, You ean use the Dorian in pieces where chord I is minor and chord IV is majon Have a listen to tracks like George Ha,rrison's 'My Sweet Lord' or 'Flight of the Sorcerer' (the 'Hitch-Hlker's Guide to the

Galaxy'theme).

nemember - a mode is just a rnajor scale from a different starting note, So learn your major scale shapes and a,ll the modes will be easier to play.

plal'ed all the modes or.'er a s1'nth chord to

rnake this point (co

note choice around the current chord. The

ke1'board diagrams at the bottom of the page show you the chord spellings of Dm7 and

nrrr

r).

DELIIE IN':[O DOR,IAN

This n'ronth rve'll look at the Dorian mode. a favourite of many guitarists including Carlos Santana and Al Di Meola.

its application. To obtain mrLximum benefit {rom this series you should already have an understanding of major scale theory and chord construction at least up to Tth chords. But hang on - if you don't, stick u'ith this colurln and try the practical exercises. This will help to introduce your ears to new sounds and your hands to new shapes. Meanwlile you ahvays can update your major scale knowledge by reading tl're theory colurnn on page 119. So, let's begin at the beginning. There are seven major scale modes, and each can be constructed by starting on a different point of the scale and climbing ser.'en notes. I've

Learn the fingering (rrc r) then listen to the recorded version (co svrn z). Have you noticed that the Dorian mode fingering is a major scale ffngering starting from the second note? Now that you know the scale, let us look at ways to produce rnelodic phrases. The scale is, nfter all, just a tool - the pencil without the aftist. nrc z (cn nvrn 3) takes the notes of a D Dorian mode, but rearranges the order ofthe notes into the following sequence: I,3,2,4,3, 5, playing up the scale in staggered intervals of thirds. This technique of playing scales in interval steps rather than scale lines can produce interesting new ideas. Erperiment rvith these ideas by trying a combination of different intewals; 4ths or 6ths'"vork particularly well. Now that your ffngers and ears have been stretched, it'.s time to improvise. But ffrst where can you use a Dorian Mode? As with all melodic soloing, it can help to base your

G9 laid out note for note. Start the bachng track and improvise using the rnode (nrc a, co nvrr 4). Remember, don't just run up and down the scale (this is the most naff form of improvising). Develop phrases by using sections of the mode and applying your full range of guitaristic techniques. Okay, hope{irlly by this point you will have irnpressed the neighbours with your modal moderrrity, but new questions will arise. You want to construct a mode from any starting note, not just D, so you need to learn the scale fbrmula, whic}r tells you the space between each note in the mode. Have a look at the neck diagram in nrc 4. Itt deliberately laid out on one striug so )rou call see the intervals. So we know that'TSTTTST' represents the formula for Dorian rnode, and it works in any key. Apply it to the starting note of C, and the new notes fall into place (rrc 5). The maths works for any key because the intervals are ahvays the same (rtc 6). Next month we will continue our journet' through the modal systen'r and delve into the exotic delights ol Phrygian and beyond. E-ra

CHOR,D OF Dm7

CHORD OF G9

'2'EEIE!@E

MODES
DORTAN
Here ue the tEo Dorie shalE. too need the fieldish oDe on ihe righ! to pley the scale shoEa i! the tab. bo! lhe

on+finger-per-fret yecioD o! lhe left is a bit friendlier. esptrialll rf Jou re peformiug in the gl@@ of a sdohj jazz ca.f,6. The advetage of !!e loth.fret versioD is that you gt a full two and a half Etares- ExIEriEe!! with ways to link ihe tto stralH together ia you sol6.

o9 -o>o,o

Dona: T-o s

e iE;J

Kat6.

eDdrlg

oD

tligh

D.

Dm7

fhe ctrold squeD froE tbe bekiEg tra.k. Use the D Dorie Eode ro iE!rcFi* orer tl16e chords.

eq

oo,'

Doriu ascending in staggered 8rds. Again, I've filished the scale on the htgh

D,

Eq

DORTAN MODE FORMTILA OF D

I
@l

!t_T-J

r-T-l

T-J

LSJ

I-T-J

Okay, so you would!'t play it all on one string, but at least tltis way you cu see how the node is Iaid out.

DORTAN MODE FORMULA OF C

Tfansposing into C is easy...

T----r

il

rt_T_lr

T_ILSJI-T-J

IIq

DoRraN MoDE FoRMrtr.A oF a

T--Jr
.,.and A ls even easier - oDly one 'stl

lr

Ll_-t_l-.:T---lLsJL-T-r

blek uot ro torr:i about

@r