The Mixolydian Mode Explained on Guitar
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- Опубліковано 4 чер 2024
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Mixolydian is like any other scale. But as a mode it also offers a unique and rich harmonic system that has been used in countless songs and can be used in your own songs.
This lesson will help you to understand what Mixolydian is, where it comes from and how it is typically used.
Modes needn't be confusing. And they certainly are a useful tool in any musicians repertoire. By using the ear training exercises in this lesson, you'll be able to relate what's being played to the fretboard.
More here: www.fretjam.com/mixolydian-mo... - Навчання та стиль
I’ve struggled with modes for years. Then I discovered your explanation of Dorian. Understood it immediately and within minutes was ripping it up with every suitable backing track I could find. Now I’m back for the rest of them. Your coaching method is first class. Thanks.
Me too!
BTW. It is so GREAT to see so many enthusiastic comments. You have inspired many guitarists. You should be very proud as people who watch this are very lucky. Rock On!
Paul Lesson Thanks Paul, what a lovely comment!
@@fretjamdotcomstill!😊
Excellent presentation. It can be hard to explain how pitch is relative to less advanced players and you do it clearly and simply.
I'm learning more from these videos than I ever have from any other guitar teacher. Your way of explaining in all ways but simply, and then demonstrating is hugely beneficial. For learning music, this channel is my favourite. Many thanks.
Best lessons that I've found on utube so far. Thank you Sir.
"I wouldn't advise you purposefully write songs in a mode as this would be creatively quite limiting..."
Miles Davis purposefully wrote the whole album Kind of Blue modally, he said the opposite: that it liberated the music from the constraints of chord progression. Sorry to quibble, this is really a great teaching video.
great point ... however, I personally struggle to think of any of content on Kind of Blue (one of my favourite things to listen to of any genre) as particularly good examples of 'song writing'. To me, hey come across as themed improvisations, with structure and occasional motif. For me, the modal concept in KoB acts as a self aware limitation from which the band achieve a creative nirvana. Examples of excellent song writing (in the world of jazz) for me at least, would include 'Cheek to Cheek' and 'Misty', both of which have changing tonal centres etc. which 'work' and in conjunction with words and actual singing to tell a story. Sure, the musicians allude to all kinds of lyricism in their solos (for example, Connonball Adderly in 'So What'), but this works in tension with the concept. Kind of Blue is a much more glacial, and an abstract experience to be held up as a classic example of song writing IMO.
to each his own, they are both right.
Thank you so much. This will take some time to digest, but it is so well presented. Thanks!!
This is an excellent demonstration of how modes work within a chord sequence. Subscribed.
Best mixolodian lesson I've found... Subbed with much appreciation 😁👍
No face, no EGO, no pointless waffle, just straight t point with song refrences, graphs and illuminating written chords.as a drummer you are one guitarist I dont find annoying . Brilliant teacher. Thank you. Subbed.
Not being annoying is one of my goals in life. Though ironically that can be annoying. Thank you.
Best instruction on UA-cam .Keep up the great work.
It all makes sense "now"
Your way of teaching is really what a jazz musician needs.
I haved played mostly rock, which is cool, lots of variations, but modal music can be very creative.
Thx for taking the time for sharing all these vids
Very explanatory and insightful video. Thank you!
The chord sequence at 6:45 can also be seen as i IV (Dorian Mode) when you switch it around.
Most insightful video on this subject I've seen! Most channels I've seen show this straight on the neck running down the scale like crazy and, for some reason, they insist on beginning the scale on any finger but the index. Don't get me wrong, I can do that myself, but for someone who's trying to understand what you're doing and saying, you have to get some things out of the way for an easier understanding. All I wanted was to learn the applications of this mode and this video explained it very well!
Thank you, just found you and I will get back to it very soon.
Great explanation. This will enhance my improvisation
Quite simply, the clearest explanation I have ever seen.
Very insightful stuff, thank you!
Fantastic explanation. Many great take aways! Thanks
I make a lot of music and I've been getting good enough at it that I figured I should learn what the hell I'm actually doing. So I started to learn some scales and the second I started playing this one I recognized my favorite out of everything I ever wrote and it was amazing to see how almost every note fits onto this scale and all the ideas I had for it which I ended up not using (alternate progressions/layers) fit onto this scale and I even used the "transition" note that you were saying relates to jazz. Which felt really cool to learn considering I always felt a strange connection to jazz.
Now I understand how powerful learning scales is because if I had known this stuff, I probably could have figured out how to play what's in my head in a few days rather than 7 months! These videos and scales literally have been making sense out of my entire life and it's so fucking exciting all I wanna do is talk about it!
+brandonse167 Very interesting to read! Yes a lot of these musical "systems" tend to naturally find their way in to our compositions. You hit the nail on the head in terms of how this knowledge is valuable. Once you recognise a composition is part of a system (e.g. modal), you have the roadmap to explore it to its fullest potential without the unnecessary trial and error.
FINALLY!! The best explanation of how the key of the mode relates to the key of the scale. That was the missing link for me.
You really have a gift! Thank you so much
Excellent Lesson... Thank You!
What a great lesson. Cheers!
Another excellent lesson, with probably the clearest statement of how modal scales differ from the underlying major scale.
Agreed, I love this channel.
Great explanation! Thank you!
Very easy to understand teaching. Thanks. Subbed.
Excellent presentation. Thank you
Holy shit this video is amazing. I've always wondered how to recognize mixolydian given the chord progression versus say a major pentatonic. Thank you
Outstanding job! In the late 70's, early 80's it was a very allusive idea. Once you understand it, one has the thought "this is easy". However, as you show there are so many ways to think about it. When playing over C7, I view F diatonic over the entire instrument. Many great guitarists however will learn it as C with b7th. Great job. Don Mock, Frank Gambale are a great place to start. Peace
Best mixo modal video I've seen. Very good🙂
My favorite mixolydian song is "Oh sweet nuthin" by the Velvet underground...n that live version especially where those two solos are just mind blowing...
Loved this!!! Great content!
I've always viewed this as the Grateful dead scale, seems a lot of their songs are in Mixolydian. I play in it often but never really had a name to it, I just considered in a Major scale with a few minor-scale notes added in. Now I know, Thanks!
This guy is the best on UA-cam...period...
Thanks a lot, coz now understand that, mixolydian also can be refers as dominant 7th chord, this is bcoz as mixolydian characterized by minor 7th as well as dominant 7th chord. So the keything here is to play mixolydian over dominant 7th chords progression.
Nice lesson
keep it up!
A very difficult topic easily explained, thanks :)
a Most EXCELLENT lesson, thanks! I'm gonna support you when I get paid.
Thank you so much for your generosity!
Gracias, thanks for the help!
Such a good video thanks!
Frank Zappa used mixolydian alot w other blues scales n he had nice tone n style..checked out for ideas,early mother's used alot this type scales..thnx for lesson.
Great lesson
Well done, sir!
Brilliant lesson. TY. :)
So cool. Thank you very much.
This is so good!
Thank you very much.
Finally! Thanks a lot!
Thanks from the past!
Thank you
if youre playing A7 and Ç7 what its root note?
I agree,it’s a life long study, ur every time I get something down something else jumps up. Seems to get the Pentatonix scale the blue scale down cold then mixelodian
Man, your channel is so great for learning guitar! Thanks!
I have a question though:
Do I need to follow the tone of every chord during my improvisation, or can I stick to A mixolidyan during the whole thing? (For a blues in A7)
It depends on whether or not the progression resides within a single Mixolydian key. With blues, for example, the tonic Mixolydian won't work over all 3 chords. You'll have to change for the 4 and 5. If, however we had the following progression - A/G/Bm/Bm - A Mixolydian would cover those changes because they are harmonised from A Mixolydian. It takes some time to be able to identify diatonic (single tonic scale) vs non-diatonic (scale changes) progressions, but it's a valuable use of your learning time.
fretjam
Thank you so much! I searched the web for this information but did not find it ! You make things clear. All my best regards.
✨Thanks from Japan🎶👍
Behold! The Tom Verlaine and Richard Lloyd's favorite scale
if youre playing A7 and Ç7 so what its root note?
Great video!
The V of G mixolydian is Dm or Dm7? Cheers.
Both. Dm is its triad (1 b3 5), Dm7 is its seventh chord (1 b3 5 b7).
This is BRILLIANT!! I couldn't figure out why I was able to get away with playing an E minor Pentatonic over a Santana like Am7-D7 song. My 3 string per D Mixolydian starting on the 10th fret is like an extended E Pentatonic, which explained here is a BeeBop Dominant Pattern. I accidentally taped into my inner Dizzy Gillespie! At least sort of. :)
Excellent observation! Yes, since Am/D can be connected to the G major or E minor keys, you can use G major/E minor pentatonic as a tonic scale comfortably. Combine it with fuller D Mixolydian licks and you have the basis of a lot of melodic mileage.
E minor = A dorian = D mixolydian:)
How do you go about building triads or "progressions" from the notes of the scale?
I understand it theoretically but I'm confused on its application. Great lesson btw (best guitar instructor on YT).
+David One practical way to do it is to lay out the intervals of the scale across the 6th (and/or 5th) string and build barre chords on each of the degrees. Mixolydian would be M m d M m m M (d = diminished). There are other ways but I can't really explain using text alone. This video might help: ua-cam.com/video/-y3zJ-1yEMI/v-deo.html
Ah that makes way more sense now.Thanks.
fretjam video
Mixolydian mode always sounds very uplifting and triumphant to me. Think Beethoven's Ode to Joy (in Ionian - Major mode - apparently).
It's a magnificent and magnanimous scale. It's certainly not a down or introspective mode. It's extrovert and bold.
Of course you can go deeper, and find out its corresponding Hindustani parallels. It's also used in Irish music. What you will find with any scale, is, that it has been used, re-used, re-hashed and re-appropriated more times than a fly's dinner! There really isn't any one scale/mode that is used only for one thing, across all cultures times. There are only so many notes on the fretboard/piano keyboard.
I know that the Major (Ionian mode) scale is supposed to be uplifting and happy, but the Mixolydian just has that edge of extra 'God', 'Hairs on the back of your neck standing up', kind of thing to it. It doesn't matter. It's what it means to YOU. And it's how you utilize it in YOUR music, so it makes sense. No wrong or right. I just find it interesting the very common parallels between different musics, and also the very different ones too that totally contradict.
Modes rock!
I completely agree with this comment, the songs I have been writing recently have all have been utilizing the mixolydian mode and it has such a huge sound if used correctly.
Hendrix, The Beatles and even some modern artists such as Lorde use it frequently, it gives their songs a "Fresh" and "Timeless" feel in my opinion.
It's all here!
I still want to hear c. What are the main benefits of playing modal? Is it worth taking the effort to really understand it?
muy bueno chabon! thanks
exactly what I needed thank you
great!!
Finally the question I always asked if 0:58 is finally answered
I just found you. the holy grail of modes. Where were you 30 years ago? thx!
+Steverino Arch Nursery, strumming on a cereal box with elastic bands :)
Duane Allman primarily used the mixolydian in his playing. Granted he's been dead almost 46 years... but yeah. I'm hearing a lot of allman brothers in this lesson. I had a plan on how to tie this into your comment... but I forgot.
I like the fact that you went beyond simply the 1 - b7 combination, and included the 1 - 5 and the 1 - b7 - 4. Nobody else had the gonads for that.🤣
For example when i try to improvise at the part where it shifts from A7 to C7 i have a hard time defining the mode i am playing sound-wise. Working it theoritically and in practice is so much different, i just can't seem to make the mode sound good because i don't know the target notes that sounds good on the mixolydian mode. This is difficult
well after a little bit more messing around i have found that landing on the minor 7th or landing on it then quickly sliding upwards gives what i suppose is the mixolydian flavor. It sounds pretty nice !
Amazing lesson, once again, thank you so much!
Over the years I've accustomed myself with relating modal chord progressions to the parent major scale.
For example, when thinking about G mixolydian, and chord progressions, instead of laying out the chords, starting from G -> I ii diii IV v vi VII (like you did in this lesson), I always think in C major terms, but write the fifth degree 1st -> V iv div I ii iii IV. and work my way from there. So a simple Mixolydian progression would be a V IV V, instead of the I bVII I
Example, simple Dorian progression (thinking from C major): ii V
This is essentially a notation issue, because what people hear is sound and not roman numerals. But for the sake of "getting my sh-" together, should I learn each mode and the order of the chords relative to that mode?
I hope that I'm not too confusing, cheers :)
***** Makes perfect sense. You're right, it's a notation issue and what's most important is that you can recognise these movements by ear and the interval sequence of the chords in that mode.
If you choose to see the Mixolydian tonic as V, then I can't see how it would cause any problems. Writing it as I is really just to confirm it as the tonic chord.
***** Same here. I just think it's easier to think in terms of the Parent scale.
Thank you! I'm really anxious to know what you're "cooking" for the next lesson :)
Best theory videos on youtube 😎🙏
in your example of a change from G Mixo to Dm how is the Dm a 5 chord ? i know the tonal center is coming from the 5th degree of its parent Cmaj scale making it Mixo but i dont see where this 5 minor chord is coming from. and last question for modal progressions,all the chords when used in a modal context are the same chords minor and major as the parent scale?
Dm is the 5 chord of G Mixo because it is rooted on the 5th degree (D) of G Mixo. It also forms a minor triad because of how Mixolydian's intervals are stacked from that degree.
To answer 2nd question, exactly right. All the chords used by the modes are the same as their parent scale. We just change the key center to the mode we're playing within that parent scale.
thank you for always answering my questions mike.u are literally the best. ur like the mentor ive never had. i hope to someday meet you in person and personally thank you for everything you have done with your career. you helping me undrstand theory at its core is making me want to never stop learning music. the more momentum im gaining is turning me into a person that shows no signs of slowing down. Im only 19 and with the understanding i have of theory so far i just forsee myself doing this for the rest of my life to create my beautiful legacy. im literally up all night till like 4am studying and applying these concepts. You are creating such positive karma with what you are doing. Much love and respect.
So great to read Noah. You are sure to become an exceptional musician with the passion you clearly have and the hours of playing/studying. It's that dedication which gets people where they want to be.
the best thing about it is that when i come against something thats challenging its very easy to just absorb what i can and try my best to get a good understanding, its never a problem when learning new concepts and thats how i know im on the right path cuz it really does not seem like work at all, and along with your excellent teaching skills making it all the better. i dont even intend to stay up so late learning, i just get lost into playing then i find that its late haha.
Do you have to change mixolydian scale for each chord Change in the blues?
You don't have to but it will probably sound better than keeping the same scale root.
2TU thank you
Is modes and positions the same thing, like....mixolydian is the 5 position of a major scale?
@6:08 - "Two major chords, one whole step apart, is a strong clue of Mixolydian". Couldn't it also imply a movement between 4th and 5th in plain vanilla major? I suppose you also need to know that one of those two major chords is the tonal center, is that right?
Correct. It's also about resolving to that 5th degree of major. So a progression of A / G / F#m / D (repeat) would imply A Mixolydian because there's a whole step major between A and G and a resolving center around A.
What determines the flat 7th? Was that just thought up? I don’t understand why it’s been flatted..
play a g major scale with your first finger on the third fret of the e string then play that same scale starting from the fifth note up to the fifth note once you here the sound put your first finger one fifth note this is your new position play what you heard from there.you will notice the 8 notes you are playing look like the g major scale you started with on the e a and d string but there is a difference the seventh note is a semi tone lower.when I started I played a major scale on the e a and d strings then started the scale from the 2nd note on the 5 fret then start the scale from the 3rd note on th7th ffret and so on what you see is different scale shapes from your first scale in this case major dorion and pharigian hope this helps.one last thing,playing your major scale from 3rd note of g with your first finger on the third note on the e a and d strings gives you a scale that looks like a minor scale but 1 note has moved the second is one fret lower than normal minor this gives the new scale a Spanish sound,like I said find all 8 modes starting from first note move up to the second note play up to the second note and so on,good luck
With the Sweet Home Alabama example: I bVII IV
D7 CMaj G Maj
isnt this V IV I in Gmajor?
Or are they the same thing?
+GRockBlues This has actually been the subject of debate. But what you can take from this is two things. One is an awareness of how resolution (i.e. where the tonic and key center lies) can be somewhat ambiguous. Another is that, yes, D Mixolydian is (relatively) the same as G Major. Whether you see it as D Mixo or G Major means you understand the chord relationship being played and therefore know where to put your fingers. And that's the key thing here: being able to recognise chord movements and translate that to the fretboard, no matter what you call the result.
fretjam thank u so much...your lessons are so amazing...thank you for taking the time to answer my question...
I think lots of self taught players struggle with modes because plenty of players do not learn the major scale first. We learn minor pentatonic and then add the natural minor notes, so we think in minor scales instead of major. I am like that and so is every rock or blues player I know. I have been learning modes since the late 1980s, but it never sticks because I relate everything to the minor scale shapes. It is like those minor scales are my native language. I found a hack for modes and Mixolydian is the easiest one. I know its root is one tone below Aeolian's root and it uses the same notes, e.g., if I want A Mixolydian I play the B Aeolian, but with the root on A. Down side is it does does not lead to a proper understanding of harmony and chords of a key etc. No worries, because I am guitar hack anyway.
How do you make those chord changes in the background at 5:30? What kind of software do you use for it?
+bruno raspa It's a VST plug-in called DSK Strings.
Would that mean that "Won't Get Fooled Again" is an "A" Mixolydian mode build on a "D" major root scale?
+Fred Herrman Yes the main part of the verse is Mixolydian. So the tonic can be seen as being on the 5th degree of the major scale.
How do I incorporate this into black metal?
*_I am both transfixed & discombobulated in my mute & absolute incomprehension tinged with envious awe,,,,_*
If you had a basic rock backingtrack ....and demonstrated this stuff so we could see it,it would help tremendously.
🙏
So basically you can use the mixolydian over this 1,4,5 chord progression because it begins on an A7 (dominant chord), and a dominant A7 is the 5th chord in the key of C, right? But if that means that the key of the song is actually in c major (as g mixolydian has no sharps or flats, just like c major) why are the chords notated as 1,4,5 with the dominant A7 as the ‘1 chord’, rather than the tonic C major chord being notated as the ‘1 chord?’, which in turn would have to make the A7 as the ‘5 chord’? (TL;DR, why is the A7 the ‘1 chord’ instead of the ‘5 chord’?)
Nevermind, this is covered really well in part 4 of the mode series, if anyone was confused with this, watch that video
I always thought Sweet Home Alabama was in G Ionian... In fact, while the voice seems to be focusing on D as a "home", the main guitar riff (to me) still kinda sounds it reaches home when it hits G. Maybe I just can't make my brain think in mixolydian... :)
McFly Key is ultimately subjective and this song could in reality be heard as either D or G. If you hear it as G Ionian, then there's no need to make your brain think otherwise. Bottom line, G Ionian uses the same chords as D Mixolydian, so either way you can see/hear that relationship, and that's really what this is about.
Some songs that use exactly the same progression as SHA will sound more solidly in Mixolydian because of the timing of the chord changes and how they "prepare" the tonic. But again, as long as you can identify that relationship between the chords, and the scale/modes they relate to, you're on the right track. It doesn't matter so much what you call them once you get to that stage.
@@fretjamdotcom I used to be puzzled why I thought of Sweet Home Alabama being a D key song but being "naturally forced" to noodle fills and solo thinking in G key and now I understand why 😄
7:30 Sweet Home Alabama xD
Hm I think ACDC likes this I-bVII-IV progression
Philip Hernandes Well spotted.
Yeah, like " Gone Shootin' "
Don't understand it either but very interesting and grasping this must improve your playing big time. However, all this theory and putting-into-practice must take years to study, learn and perfect so I don't suppose the guy's gonna give it away cheaply.
Woahh
Perhaps I tend to oversimplify, but if the key is G, I play the C scale, which has F natural. It gives the bluesy sound. If I'm playing in the key of E, I play the A scale etc...
+Jon Hand Yes some people prefer this "root connection" method where you play the related major scale pattern of the mode. As it happens I'm working on a lesson that covers this method.
fretjam so i can play the c major scale over a g mixolydian chord progression? Or can i only play g mixolydian scale over a g mixolydian chord progression
2:40 you blew my fucking mind
you can watch this video or take my course. its called if you hit a wrong note, you are only a half step away from the right one.
HOLY SHIT I dont understand
+Jerimiah Stephens Tell me more. What do you already know?
I dont get it. That pattern he uses for A7 an then C7 are major scales that have the major root on the low A string. The pattern he uses for A7 if I go by chord charts has its root at D which is fifth fret 5th string. He seems to be using string 6 low E for the pattern. Cant figure out the reason since the chord chart has the correct scale for that root on 6th string as the E form pattern. He is using the A form pattern. If you go by the caged system. Not sure if what i just explained will make sense. but basically according to my chord charts he is using the wrong pattern for root at fifth fret A root
never mind i just figured it out. ahahah
Jerimiah Stephens lol
“Mix-o-lid-ian” -also used by highland pipes
Time is relative, so is music.
The thing I don't get is if G mixolydian is just C scale starting on a G, then why would you write b7 and not 7. It's F right? So from E to F is half a tone. Why would you specifically have to show that it's b7? Then why not b4? I think it's a great tutorial and to the point, but I might be lacking some basic knowledge to really wrap my head around this.
It's a b7 in relation to the G tonic. You can see it however you want of course. But typically we reference intervals in relation to the center of the mode we're playing. So Mixolydian is 1 2 3 4 5 6 b7 (from G: G A B C D E F)
mix this mode with a pentatonic scale and you have instant Eric Johnson!