Understand the subtle differences between the Dorian and Aeolian modes, and learn new licks that exploit all these modes have to offer.
Chops: Intermediate
Theory: Intermediate
Lesson Overview:
ā¢ Understand the difference between the Dorian and Aeolian modes.
ā¢ Create modal vamps to better internalize the sound of these scales.
ā¢ Target specific notes within a scale to generate musical effects.
Click here to download a printable PDF of this lesson's notation.
In our previous lesson, we toyed with some variations on the minor blues progression, and hopefully you can now hear the difference between them. Now let's use the minor 7 chord as a tool to help us understand the much-hyped subject of modes.
As I'm sure many guitarists will agree, understanding modes can be a nightmare. The reason for this is that you can tackle modes from two totally different angles. In my experience, the angle most often taken by people learning and teaching on YouTube is the easy way, and when it comes to learning, we all know that shortcuts are only going to leave holes. Let me start by describing a mode the way a classical theory teacher might explain it. If you play the white keys on the piano, you have the notes C-D-E-F-G-A-B, commonly referred to as the C major scale. When we play through these notes starting on the second tone, we get D-E-F-G-A-B-C. The notes are the same, but we're treating D as the root. We're taught to call this the Dorian mode.When we do this starting on each note of the C major scale, we get the following:
- C to C ā Ionian
- D to D ā Dorian
- E to E ā Phrygian
- F to F ā Lydian
- G to G ā Mixolydian
- A to A ā Aeolian
- B to B ā Locrian
Musicians all over the world learn to think of modes this way. Then at a jam night when someone says, āHey, let's jam in E Lydian,ā these players go through a strange, convoluted decoding process:
āOkay, don't panic. Lydian is based on the fourth degree of the major scale. So E Lydian has the same notes as ... (counts down frets on the guitar) B major. So if I want to play E Lydian, I need to play a B major scale. But I have to remember to use E as the root.ā
Sounds silly when you read that on a page, right?
This method is sometimes called āderivativeā because you're taking your mode from the parent key and you never really understand the difference between the modesājust how to find the right notes.
By contrast, the method I encourage you to learn is often called āparallel.ā With this approach, we compare all the modes to each other using the same root note.
If we take a step back to our dominant 7 chord lessons, you'll remember how much we used the Mixolydian mode, so let's quickly look at this scale from both approaches, starting with the derivative method
G Mixolydian contains the same notes as C major:
GāAāBāCāDāEāFāG
CāDāEāFāGāAāBāC
Just take a look at those two sets of notes and ask yourself: Do you understand the Mixolydian mode now? Of course you don't, that's just confusing. So let's try parallel:
GāAāBāCāDāEāF#āG
GāAāBāCāDāEāFāG
Rightānow you can clearly see that the Mixolydian scale is a major scale with a lowered 7 (b7).
In this lesson we'll explore the relationship between the Dorian and Aeolian modes. Both work over minor 7 chords, but yield dramatically different sounds.Ā We can useĀ both of these sounds when playing over a minor blues and both will convey different feelings.
First, let's compare C Aeolian to C Dorian and go from there:
C Aeolian CāDāEbāFāGāAbāBb (Rā2āb3ā4ā5āb6āb7)
C Dorian Ā CāDāEbāFāGāAāBb (Rā2āb3ā4ā5ā6āb7)
In Fig. 1 and Fig. 2Ā you can see (and hear) a simple fingering for each scale. As you play up the scale, see if you can predict what each note will sound like. Pay close attention to the 6th degree, which is the only difference between the two modes.
I believe the best way to learn modes is to play chord vamps that capture the true sound of the mode. Each mode has a sound and when you think of the mode you need to think of the sound that it creates when used, so here are two modal vamps that outline these two modes. Fig. 3 is an Aeolian vamp and Fig. 4 is based in Dorian.
Did you notice how different the two modes sound? (If that sparked interest it may be worth checking out Frank Gambale's DVD,Ā Modes: No More Mystery.) Now let's check out some licks from each mode to hear the moods they create.
Our first lick (Fig. 5) starts by highlighting the b6, and right off the bat I've hit you with the defining note before finishing up with some more traditional minor pentatonic phrasing.
The second lick (Fig. 6) teases the b6 a few times, first in a repeating motif in the first measure, then again in the second measure. What you notice in the second measure is that the b6 pulls very strongly down to the 5. I wouldn't consider it a note you can sit on for long, yet it has a powerful sense of sadness when used properly.
Our final Aeolian lick (Fig. 7) has a bit more range, starting with some standard blues-rock phrasing, then sliding up to the b6, bending to the b7, restating the b6, and coming to rest on the 5. I find this especially expressive in a ballad context.
For the Dorian phrases, the main difference is that the 6 is quite a hip note to sustain over a minor chord because it implies a minor 6 sound. You'll notice that the final note in Fig. 8 has us sitting on that 6.
The next lick (Fig. 9)Ā starts with a more traditional blues sound, but then comes to rest on the 6. You can even experiment with the minor 6 pentatonic scale (a favorite of Robben Ford), which consists of Rāb3ā4ā5ā6. You can think of it as a minor pentatonic scale with a 6 replacing the b7.
Our final lick (Fig. 10)Ā offers a bit more range, starting out in the 1st-position minor pentatonic shape before moving to the 4th position. Notice how we target the 6 before resolving on the root.
Jam a bit over the provided backing track belowāit has a C minor tonalityāand see which sound you find yourself more at home with. With experimentation you'll hear how each mode captures a completely different feeling, yet both provide potent ways to express yourself.
Next time we'll apply these modes to a full minor blues progression to see how we can create something musical out of all this theory.
Build your own legendary boost pedal with StewMac! Enter the I Love Pedals giveaway now and return daily to boost your chances.
StewMac Two Kings Boost Pedal Kit, With White Enclosure
Can't wait 5 YEARS for an Analogman King of Tone? Now you can build a pedal that captures the tone of the amazing original. Raved about by players like John Petrucci, Gary Clark Jr, Samantha Fish, and Warren Haynes, you no longer have to wait to add it to your rig.
Inspired by a heavily-modded Marshall Blues Breaker, this 2-in-1 pedal is something completely different. It's transparent but still warm and gritty, with a full range of frequencies available, all while keeping the core tone of your guitar and amp.
Watch the official video documenting the sold-out event at House of Blues in Anaheim. Join Paul Reed Smith and special guests as they toast to quality and excellence in guitar craftsmanship.
PRS Guitars today released the official video documenting the full night of performances at their 40th Anniversary celebration, held January 24th in conjunction with the 2025 NAMM (The National Association of Music Merchants) Show. The sold-out, private event took place at House of Blues in Anaheim, California and featured performances by PRS artists Randy Bowland, Curt Chambers, David Grissom, Jon Jourdan, Howard Leese, Mark Lettieri Group, Herman Li, John Mayer, Orianthi, Tim Pierce, Noah Robertson, Shantaia, Philip Sayce, and Dany Villarreal, along with Paul Reed Smith and his Eightlock band.
āWhat a night! Big thanks to everyone who came out to support us: retailers, distributors, vendors, content creators, industry friends, and especially the artists. I loved every second. We are so pleased to share the whole night now on this video,ā said Paul Reed Smith, Founder & Managing General Partner of PRS Guitars. āI couldnāt be more proud to still be here 40 years later.ā
With nearly 1,400 of the whoās who in the musical instrument industry in attendance, the night ended with a thoughtful toast from PRS Signature Artist John Mayer, who reflected on 40 years of PRS Guitars and the quality that sets the brand apart. āThe guitars are great. You canāt last 40 years if the guitars arenāt great,ā said Mayer. āMany of you started hearing about PRS the same way I did, which is you would talk about PRS and someone would say āTheyāre too nice.ā Whatās too nice for a guitar? What, you want that special vibe that only tuning every song can give you on stage? You want that grit just like your heroes ā¦ bad intonation? The product is incredible.ā
Stretching the boundaries of reverbās realm through dynamic and pitch control.
Nice core reverb sounds. Invites cool compositional and arrangement directions. High quality.
If you lack patience, it will be hard to unlock its coolest secrets.
$329
Gamechanger Audio Auto Reverb
gamechangeraudio.com
When the first Moog synthesizer appeared, it freaked out a lot of musiciansānot least for the way it blurred the divisions between instruments and their roles. Was it percussion? A keyboard? A reed instrument? Many effects makers build from this philosophical foundation. The Latvian company Gamechanger often seems to revel in itāan attitude thatās manifest in the companyās Auto Series pedals, which includes the Auto Reverb.
Thereās no reason you canāt use the Auto Reverb in a very straightforward fashion. The plate, spring, and hall settings are all very nice digital representations of their analog inspirationsāand Iād be perfectly happy playing an instrumental surf set with the spring mode, for instance. But because you can control the parameters like the reverbās level, decay, tone, and the filter with changes in pitch and dynamics, the Auto Reverb can function in highly orchestral ways, transforming itself from subtle to outlandish as a musical piece shifts in intensity or rises from low to high keys toward a blurred, hyper-spacious climax. While these attributes make the Auto Reverb a great fit for prepared guitar and conceptual piecesāand invites many themes and compositional ideas within those formsāit can just as easily be configured to create an especially dynamic and dramatic pop song arrangement on stage or in the studio that might otherwise be relegated to automations within a DAW. Itās fun to use, if not always intuitive. But knowing its ways can expand your musical options significantly.
Black Sabbath to Reunite for First Time in 20 YearsāOzzy Osbourneās Final Performance
The original Sabbath lineup will reunite on July 5 in Birmingham, England, and be joined by Metallica, Pantera, Slayer, and more.
The concert will feature founding members Tony Iommi on guitar, bassist Geezer Butler, drummer Bill Ward, and singer Ozzy Osbourne. Profits from the show, called "Back to the Beginning," will be donated to charities including Cure Parkinson's.
On future Black Sabbath plans, Ozzy's wife, music manager, and TV personality Sharon Osbourne had this to say (via Reuters) about Ozzy: āWhile other bandmembers might continue to make records and perform, Black Sabbath's gig at the birthplace of the band will certainly be the 76-year-old's final performance.
"For Ozzy right now, it's definitely: 'I love you and good night'," she said.