Music theory tells us why something works in music. It's certainly possible to rediscover old music theory knowledge through trial-and-error brute-force note progressions. For me, I'd rather spend my time studying music theory for a bit of time. It's awesome to access the fruit of scholarly work of hundreds of music scholars who came before me; I don't need to rediscover the knowledge that they've already worked through.
Yeah theory opens up new worlds for composers. It's vital for doing anything Progressive which is the sheer nature of Progressive. But the polar opposite of this is a song like Sweet Caroline. Just the raw genius of Neil Diamond at work plus some brilliant arranging on top. That took theory but Pop music is about the writing, then bringing in role players to embellish it in the studio. Perfect example is George Martin arranging the string quartet in Yesterday. Paul was not a big theory guy but his song filtered through George Martin is a masterpiece. Eleanor Rigby too. Even if the writer doesn't know theory someone else in the equation should for maximum output!
Music Theory is amazing. I am working on improving my songwriting and composition, and have noticed little improvements here and there. Thank you Jake!
Jake in his previous video: "Don't give out all your writing secrets" Jake in each of his videos: "Here world, take my awesome secrets and listen to my awesome compositions".
No anyone who dose this good in Music is every capable of "giving all his secrets away" . People the way he is, the way I am, It's Impossible , we are like the 4 Muses. It is discipline, understanding, hard work and Love for the Guitar/music.
People like him cannot Give away All their writing secrets. He's ahead of the curve. He's absolutely never capable or being limited, sacrifice = Reward. Devotion, Training, Faith, he's unstoppable, Honest and Right-
Forgot to mention in the video so I threw him on the thumbnail- theres a lot of of Steve Vai influence in this piece. I'm not saying I can play like Steve, I just swear this sounds like one of his tracks but I can't put my finger on which one, hopefully it's not a ripoff!
@@VladyslavHladchenko Now that you say it, I'm sure some plinfluence made its way in here. Still can't play anything like him... the solo from Electric Sunrise makes me weep
Fire Garden album but without the Southeast Asia feel / spice. I lack the vocabulary to express it. In Synesthesia terms, this piece is light blue with flickering pastels and curvy hills, Fire Garden is dark green with orange and red dots and a spikey landscape. But they're both in the same countryside. No, I do not do acid. :-)
"I'm not that creative, sorry". You sell yourself waaaaay short bro. But that is always the sign of a really good musician. Keep writing man. Love watching your creative process, which it is
I can understand why he keep saying that. He actually do great things, awesome explanations, nice compositions, but this all may feel "basic" or "mediocre" to him.
If it's not like the end of his seven mode song where the full band just slams on a disgusting chord long enough to justify checking off the "sure, we did Locrian, whatever" box I'm going to be very disappointed. Locian can be awesome but Jake's refusal to ever work with it is just too amusing to let that go.
you can kinda cheat by playing any C ionain chord progression and play all as slash chords with B base So something like C/B, Em/B, Am/B, Bm7b5, C/B Still sounds horrible though so I dunno
I wrote a 4 minute classical piece for violin and piano in Locrian, and it’s been called the best thing I’ve ever written by multiple people. It uses A Locrian, with a ton of accidentals and modulations. However, an E natural is not one of the accidentals it frequently has. In order to have a i chord, I just took the 5 out of where I wanted the harmony to rest, giving me an Am3 (just A and C). It worked really well. In order to have that not feel super weak, I used a Bb5 chord before it whenever I wanted it to resolve, so it wouldn’t feel so comparatively empty. There’s also quite a long piano solo, which has a bunch of augmented and diminished chords, but all ends up resolving, quite satisfyingly, back to an Am3. TLDR: Locrian works if you really want it to. I dunno how you would create anything in Locrian with a full rock band.
Modulating at every chord change would be the trick for Locrian, but then the song would be compromised of just half diminished chords. I think quartal harmony would be the best way to use Locrian. When you avoid thirds, you avoid tonality and the sense of one chord leading to the other.
Out of the 2.7 bazillion guitar teachers I’ve run across here on UA-cam, you’re the one that teaches I gravitate towards the most. You turn complex ideas into something that is easier (for me) to understand and apply. I truly appreciate you sharing your time and knowledge with us. By the way, I could swear I heard some Steve Vai influence in Lotus Lattice....very nicely done!!!
A drummer once told me that the best way he'd found to count 7:4 time was to use the name of the name of a certain Hollywood actress, Gina Lollobrigida. WOrks for me :)
Signals Music Studio jake I have to be honest, this is my new Flying In A Blue Dream. I did just check out Plini's album and yes he's brilliant. Writer, arranger, guitarist, odd time wizard. But...I don't find anything quite as jarring or moving as your Lotus Lattice. Yes you have a lot of great writing tools, etc. But mostly it's your instincts and who you are as an artist that make you a future force to be reckoned with. Keep up the great work, if you did an entire Prog/Rock album in Lydian I'd be the first to buy it.
Love your videos dude, I'm Chilean and I'm learning music theory and English and since you speak so good I can understand everything you say. Thank you
Love your channel! I am finally learning theory after 30 years of by ear. Lydian and phrygian are my favorites. I can't thank you enough for helping unleash my true potential.
I've been writing music in FL Studio (Fruity Loops) for 20 years and only managed to make a few complete tracks. I only recently started taking piano lessons and learning theory blew my mind. I'm beginning to understand WHY a piece of music sounds good and HOW to make it sound good. Suddenly, everything I've done for the last 2 decades makes sense. Theory was the missing puzzle piece.
@@MrElgordojorge The fourth Note of the lydian scale is the tritone (the sharp 4/the flat 5) so the #4 signals the fourth episode but also the fourth scale degree
For anyone that is wondering why that jump from E to A works so well, even if these notes are "kinda far" from each other on the guitar neck, is because both of these keys are right next to each other in the circle of fifths/fourths. In fact, there's only one note that is different between them (A major has a D, while E major has D#), which makes the transition between them works really well and almost seemingly. That's why modulations from C to G (fifths movement) or C to F (fourths movement) works so well, because they're also right next to each other in the circle have only one note different between each. When you modulate using the circle of fifths/fourths, you get a really different sound than when you use a direct modulation by a halfstep or whole step, which are in fact way more common than the circles modulation. It all depends on the feel you want for your song, either kind of modulation can work, one being more discrete (modulation with the circle of fifths/fourths) and the other one being more in your face (direct modulation). That video was awesome as always, Jake! Just wanted to add that little information and context to try and help people even more! Cheers!
@@benparsons4979 Yeah, but a lot of people that don't know much of theory could think of it as "just an interval", instead of associating this particular "interval" to the circle of fourths, in this case. Like, it's easy to see that a fourths-modulation works, but what is important for people to know, in my opinion, is WHY does it work? It works because it follows the circle. And for guitar players, I wanted to show how and why does a fourths/fifths modulation works and seems less abrupt than just playing everything one or two frets higher/lower, which is a way more common thing to do and might be considered easier to do. So yeah, Jake said it was a fourth above the original key, but taking this simple mentality, other people would go and try to modulate using seconds, thirds or sixths intervals and wouldn't get a similar or as satisfying results in their own modulations.
I've got to admit your channel is the best out of all the channels I've subscribed to. The way you go about breaking down the musical process and imparting it in a way anybody can understand and apply, it's refreshing. And the music you're making... outstanding. I've not commented before now, but this track you've produced is so inspirational. I'm even considering joining your Patreon page... Thanks for everything that you're doing, Jake!
Jake, you are the best music teacher I've ever seen on UA-cam. The way you break down the theory and putting it into practice is really masterful, yet easy to digest. Thank you for all the high quality lessons. 🙏🙏
Exceptionally, incredibly useful. To see somebody walk through the whole process, to discuss different possibilities and explain why one was chosen instead of another, and why this move instead of that, is really, truly helpful. Thank you so much!!
This sounds like every Satriani lydian mode song he’s ever released and I love it. You are the best music teacher in the universe! You make things appear so straightforward with your step-by-step breakdown of what you’re doing. You demystify what I believe is deliberately kept mysterious....they’ll be coming after you!
Learning music theory definitely killed my creativity - because I didn't learn enough at the time. These people who say it's restrictive aren't wrong, they just need to push through the basics to get to the liberating parts. I'm very grateful to channels like this, Rick Beato, and David Bennet Piano (among others) for helping me to pick up the pieces I overlooked the first time I had the opportunity... :)
Jake your comments at 22:40 about theory is spot on. I'm an old middle aged fatman that only started looking at theory a few years ago and it has opened so much to me! For those who say theory stifles your creativity? Turn your blend knob on your creativity and theory and watch what happens. This is probably my favorite so far of the four modes you've done!
It is the same three notes! Didn't recognize it at the time, being a sega genesis kid, but as soon as I pulled up the track now I was like "o yah, those three notes". 7th - 9th - 6th
Jake, your music theory comments are spot-on. To paraphrase Guthrie Govan, you can’t write a poem unless you learn the alphabet first! Thanks for being the best guitar teacher on UA-cam. Keep up the great work!
Thank you SO MUCH for these videos! I went theoryless for quite a while, but these have really opened my eyes. None of the other theory channels I've found are anywhere CLOSE to your level of consistent quality, and I end up watching all of the videos more than once!
Man I gotta say you’ve got some of the best theory based content on UA-cam for guitar. Really has helped me add a lot of flavors to my boring pentatonic stuff
You never fail to prime my creative pump. And I couldn't agree more about the power of both theory and recording in the process of writing music/songs. Great piece that came out of it for you.
Jake, I convinced myself, finally, that I could write quality stuff when I started experimenting more from a theory based side, using the modes. Theory is the way to more options and greater creativity.
I'm 44 years young, and I bet you are even younger than me. really appreciate your work, you are great teacher and I hope you keep on doing your videos, it hlpes to so many people. Regards from Spain
Excellent tutorial (as usual). Love everything about these lesson videos.. absolutely perfect for where I am right now. Have you thought about writing a big fat creative music concepts book with projects to follow along with?
I'm working on a giant fundamentals/foundations course, something to get the average guitarist up to the point that they can call themselves a musician. It will have a book too. Once that's done, I'd like to do something along the lines of a "music cookbook" that goes through different genres and how theory fits into them. It's a lot of work though, and balancing it with making this videos is a struggle, so it'll be a while till that comes out. However I'm hoping to have my fundamentals course out in a few months. Fingers crossed!
Jake, You have by far the best channel on UA-cam for guitar players and music theory. I will be anxiously awaiting the fundamentals/foundations course, something to get the average guitarist up to the point that they can call themselves a musician. Thanks for all you do. I need to get over to Patreon to help you keep on keeping on. Thanks again
Awesome video and track man! You're one of the few songwriters that can make any scale work! This one especially, explains how most of progressive music works. Dream Theater instantly came to my mind with these riffs
Dude, you are a big inspiration for me, I haven't developed yet the skill to write music, but I'm improving thanks to your guidance. Seriously thanks for the time you spend doing all this videos for us, you're amazing!!!
The further the video goes, the more I can tell how pleased with yourself you are for this one. Then, I hear the finished product and can only say: You should be. Fan-tucking-tastic, man. I thoroughly enjoyed how you broke it down, explained your mindset and what you were doing, let us hear everything together, and then gave us a great conclusion. I've enjoyed all the content on your channel for years now, but man, I REALLY want more of this!!
Really love this breakdown of the use of 7/4 and Lydian. It immediately screamed Dream Theater to my ear, which I love, so definitely helped my creative process!
This video blew my mind in a really good way, especially the ending. I know guys who spend thousands on gear and can't play a lick, but they do dress the part and pay the social role to a stereotypical tee. ;-) My mind is so warped it changes time sigs every few secs & I ultimately un-syncopate my way into self-indulgent sonic insanity. 🤣 Thanks for all you do. You keep guys like me picking up my axe.
This last point about writing and recording together is so important. I often use my software to convey ideas quicker say using a midi track then I can figure out across my guitar and than when I pick up my instrument, I end up changing a lot of things to fit my style or playing capabilities. It's two different mediums and you essentially start collaborating with yourself because eyoure thinking about the material in two different ways, kind of like solving problems in two different languages can make your perspective change on the roboem.
I am super late but this channel seems to properly summarise theory in an interesting way that most channels dont do. By showing us, from scratch what your intention is, then how you build an idea and how you can use theory to add to it. Most channels forget the important step of APPLYING the theory in the earliest step. Through this video you use lydian and 7/4 to correlate a specific emotion or mood and that is how people remember it better
I love Lydian. I grew up listening to Steve Vai and my brain just falls in to the mystery and wonder of Lydian - beautiful little piece to demonstrate the feel and flavour!
Lol are you kidding me? Boomer musicians imo, are the kings of boring, boring blues. And then they think it's also the best music ever, superior to anything new that they don't understand. I don't think I've ever seen one play Lydian riffs in 7/4, unless they were a Dream Theater prog nerd maybe.
We are nowhere near the Late 2000’s lol If you mean the late 2nd Millenium DC Theres 970~ years left If you mean the late 21st century theres 70~ years left If you mean the late 00’s they occurred 12~ years ago So i Don’t know what you mean dude LMAO
That was way too good to be free. Thank you very much for your time. I am not big in music theory but i couldn't agree more to the talk in the end of the video. Music theory is there for a reason. Your compilation grew on me and sounds awesome. Hats off too you. Never stop doing what you do.
I stopped listening to them after Portnoy left but if that's accurate then it seems like a better phrasing would be "so basically Dream Theater just sat on basic lydian shapes for an entire era." Not that sticking to the basics is bad, if it sounds good it's good.
@@liambenn1214 My mistake, I guess I stopped listening immediately before Portnoy left then. Thought Systematic Chaos was his last with them for some reason. Either way it doesn't really change the point being made, Dream Theater are very knowledgeable musicians but they obviously didn't discover the lydian mode or how to use it in this kind of rock context. If someone plays a very basic bit of theory and it sounds exactly like something someone else played, the logical conclusion isn't that the former is ripping off the latter but that the latter simply wrote something basic that anyone using that bit of theory could independently reproduce.
Your videos and instruction are top notch. The pacing, content, and presentation are pretty much perfect for music instruction. I'm also blown away by your "examples". Your music is also quality and enjoyable to listen to just as music!
You really deserve many more subscriptions, great teacher with clear ideas and very information. Really helping me advance and understand in what is often described by others as a complicated maze.
I have watched many many of your videos. This is the best one by far. To be specific, love how you break down the 7/4, the song was amazing, and your parting thoughts. Theory as stifling creativity argument was great. Advice to get recording equipment and use it is sooo right on!
Easily the best lesson i've ever seen dealing with time sig, modes, and recording. Could not have been better explained. You have found your calling. Killer tune.
Jah cares for his own for I have been meaning to learn some other modes and tried to randomly search on UA-cam. And today, boom! Landed on this here channel and just got so immersed into the rich infor and tips. Let me be the first Zambian to subscribe in the new month, March 2020. Ama lovin' this fe sure. Bless!
Again you've helped me with something I'm currently writing. Little things like reusing the slide motif to introduce the solo, not having to move up to a lydian 4th, but just a regular 4th, doubling the solo with a pluck synth for reinforcement. Great stuff. Thanks so much.
Excellent! You ended this video speaking about what i was thinking about half way through this lesson... This way by far the best i've seen on thoughtfulness in composition... i will embody this... i, like You, compose in the studio and i feel very empowered right now... Thanks
Friggin fantastic; thank you for this video! Your theory knowledge and application, not to mention your musicianship, never cease to impress. Your channel deserves incredible success!
This is fantastic and such a breath of fresh air from YTers pushing gear, GAS, and more crap I don’t truly need. Instead videos like these make me crave music theory (is MTAS a thing?) and inspire me to play and experiment more. Your depth, intelligence and thought process while laying down this outline, building from simplicity is 💯% pure musical genius‼️
Absolutley awesome. I wish now 32 years later I had studied theory as advised by my awesome teacher when I was 16, instead of wanting to play power chords and play in a cover band. Don't get me wrong my time doing that was awesome and my band had killer times for several years. But now at 48 and only playing again for 2 years after a twenty year break, I love watching these videos and just gathering bits of info and flavour to add to my playing. Thank you.
Jake, I've strugged with rationalising modes in my head for a long time. Your videos are not only easy to understand but really practical. The way you are able to explain tricky concepts such as modes easily is so valuable. Thank you so much!
I really like this video series! Not only that you make the ideas behind your creations accessible and easy to understand, you actually create really interesting compositions. Keep on doing these, you inspire me a big time!
I've really become a fan of your channel recently. As someone that started with a drumming background, then moved to singing, I have composed a lot of music with only the most basic theory knowledge, primarily in chiptune genre and metal, and your videos are tremendously insightful, and inspiring. On the topic at the end of the video, I think most of the people who say they don't need theory are just in denial. I hope you create more vids in the future!!!
Been watching your videos for the last few days. And oh my. You have cleared up so many questions I've had. Your approach to teaching is amazing. Keep it up. Cheers
This is a year old already but I'm so glad I stumbled across it. Just flat out blew my doors off. Can't wait to dive in to your other videos and start applying them.
I am getting ready to turn 66 (old line rocker) but I gotta confess - THIS was the most productive and informative music "lesson" I have ever had! Thank you Jake.
I’ve been watching your videos for a few weeks now, and playing around with concepts I’ve absorbed. Last week, I was separately inspired to try to write a piece in the Lydian mode, and have been wondering if my approach to composing in Lydian makes sense. This video totally validated my thinking, and I feel super excited. You’re awesome!
All Jake's material is outstanding, but this one is my fav. Thanks much, especially for plugging the theory part. So many people I know who are good but they think they're great. They certainly could be on their way to greater things if they just learned a little theory. Cheers!
Thank u for goin into depth from start to finish with this lydian mode simple riff and expanding on it. Been playing guitar for 26 years & i love writing my own songs (or trying to) but i never finish them because i dont know where to go next. Learning music theory totally helps with writing music. I never understood modes & now i kinda do so thanks again.
Good job, Jake! Excellent choices of tones and movement. You are 100% correct about theory. It’s hard to imagine a player that doesn’t see it as a major tool for everything musical.
Thank you to jakes patreons!! He's asked everytime, and I havent ever thanked you guys! but Jake is the best music teacher on youtube, and I have grown from watching his videos :) He's the GOAT music theory teaching. Best of wishes Jake, thx for the rad content, and helping me to make sense of modalities. I am so much further now than the last 2 years before I found you, to actually understanding the mechanics of modal change.
The way you come into and try to improve and mastering prove that you're a kind of intelligent,you make me understand the music theory since I been following your video,thank you keep going on.i appreciate your work make me better . 🤛 from Switzerland
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![How To Make A Classic Rock Hit Single 35 Years Late [RIFFING WITH MODES #5 - MIXOLYDIAN]](/img/tr.png)
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Music theory is key. I played crap for 30 years, in 8 months of music theory, my world has blossomed.
Thanks, Jake and the Patreons!
Music theory tells us why something works in music. It's certainly possible to rediscover old music theory knowledge through trial-and-error brute-force note progressions. For me, I'd rather spend my time studying music theory for a bit of time. It's awesome to access the fruit of scholarly work of hundreds of music scholars who came before me; I don't need to rediscover the knowledge that they've already worked through.
Yeah theory opens up new worlds for composers. It's vital for doing anything Progressive which is the sheer nature of Progressive. But the polar opposite of this is a song like Sweet Caroline. Just the raw genius of Neil Diamond at work plus some brilliant arranging on top. That took theory but Pop music is about the writing, then bringing in role players to embellish it in the studio. Perfect example is George Martin arranging the string quartet in Yesterday. Paul was not a big theory guy but his song filtered through George Martin is a masterpiece. Eleanor Rigby too. Even if the writer doesn't know theory someone else in the equation should for maximum output!
"is key" I see what you did there... :D
Jake and the Patreons would be a dope band name lmao
Music Theory is amazing. I am working on improving my songwriting and composition, and have noticed little improvements here and there.
Thank you Jake!
Jake in his previous video: "Don't give out all your writing secrets"
Jake in each of his videos: "Here world, take my awesome secrets and listen to my awesome compositions".
lol. Hopefully nobody will show up later & claim copyright infringement on the song he made here.
No anyone who dose this good in Music is every capable of "giving all his secrets away" . People the way he is, the way I am, It's Impossible , we are like the 4 Muses. It is discipline, understanding, hard work and Love for the Guitar/music.
People like him cannot Give away All their writing secrets. He's ahead of the curve. He's absolutely never capable or being limited, sacrifice = Reward. Devotion, Training, Faith, he's unstoppable, Honest and Right-
guys, there is no such a secret. all the theory he is talking about was written centuries ago :P
WHAT IS THIS MAN STILL HIDING
Forgot to mention in the video so I threw him on the thumbnail- theres a lot of of Steve Vai influence in this piece. I'm not saying I can play like Steve, I just swear this sounds like one of his tracks but I can't put my finger on which one, hopefully it's not a ripoff!
i would say more Plini influence :)
@@VladyslavHladchenko Totally agree, this feels a lot like Plini.
@@VladyslavHladchenko Now that you say it, I'm sure some plinfluence made its way in here. Still can't play anything like him... the solo from Electric Sunrise makes me weep
It sounds like 70s Genesis. Something written by Tony Banks.
Fire Garden album but without the Southeast Asia feel / spice. I lack the vocabulary to express it.
In Synesthesia terms, this piece is light blue with flickering pastels and curvy hills, Fire Garden is dark green with orange and red dots and a spikey landscape.
But they're both in the same countryside.
No, I do not do acid. :-)
"I'm not that creative, sorry". You sell yourself waaaaay short bro. But that is always the sign of a really good musician. Keep writing man. Love watching your creative process, which it is
I can sell myself short too, but I really do suck.
I can understand why he keep saying that. He actually do great things, awesome explanations, nice compositions, but this all may feel "basic" or "mediocre" to him.
¹
@@meadish I have to sell myself long just to get to suck.
impostor syndrome pretty much, the fact that he can find a way to the thing is in itself creativity
Im excited on how he'll do with the locrian mode
Yikes
If it's not like the end of his seven mode song where the full band just slams on a disgusting chord long enough to justify checking off the "sure, we did Locrian, whatever" box I'm going to be very disappointed. Locian can be awesome but Jake's refusal to ever work with it is just too amusing to let that go.
you can kinda cheat by playing any C ionain chord progression and play all as slash chords with B base
So something like C/B, Em/B, Am/B, Bm7b5, C/B
Still sounds horrible though so I dunno
I wrote a 4 minute classical piece for violin and piano in Locrian, and it’s been called the best thing I’ve ever written by multiple people. It uses A Locrian, with a ton of accidentals and modulations. However, an E natural is not one of the accidentals it frequently has. In order to have a i chord, I just took the 5 out of where I wanted the harmony to rest, giving me an Am3 (just A and C). It worked really well. In order to have that not feel super weak, I used a Bb5 chord before it whenever I wanted it to resolve, so it wouldn’t feel so comparatively empty. There’s also quite a long piano solo, which has a bunch of augmented and diminished chords, but all ends up resolving, quite satisfyingly, back to an Am3.
TLDR: Locrian works if you really want it to. I dunno how you would create anything in Locrian with a full rock band.
Modulating at every chord change would be the trick for Locrian, but then the song would be compromised of just half diminished chords.
I think quartal harmony would be the best way to use Locrian. When you avoid thirds, you avoid tonality and the sense of one chord leading to the other.
Out of the 2.7 bazillion guitar teachers I’ve run across here on UA-cam, you’re the one that teaches I gravitate towards the most. You turn complex ideas into something that is easier (for me) to understand and apply. I truly appreciate you sharing your time and knowledge with us. By the way, I could swear I heard some Steve Vai influence in Lotus Lattice....very nicely done!!!
HA! I bet you can't even name HALF of these 2.7 bazillion guitar teachers!!!
A drummer once told me that the best way he'd found to count 7:4 time was to use the name of the name of a certain Hollywood actress, Gina Lollobrigida. WOrks for me :)
"Let's end on the lol beat"
"The crash hits on the 'and" of 'brig'"
"i like to have sex with men" works for me lol
@@TheeCapN hott
We italians are useful sometimes
Signals Music Studio jake I have to be honest, this is my new Flying In A Blue Dream. I did just check out Plini's album and yes he's brilliant. Writer, arranger, guitarist, odd time wizard. But...I don't find anything quite as jarring or moving as your Lotus Lattice. Yes you have a lot of great writing tools, etc. But mostly it's your instincts and who you are as an artist that make you a future force to be reckoned with. Keep up the great work, if you did an entire Prog/Rock album in Lydian I'd be the first to buy it.
Love your videos dude, I'm Chilean and I'm learning music theory and English and since you speak so good I can understand everything you say. Thank you
Love your channel! I am finally learning theory after 30 years of by ear. Lydian and phrygian are my favorites. I can't thank you enough for helping unleash my true potential.
I personally thank you, dear awesome patreon supporters, for allowing this musical genius to share his extraordinary gift with the world.
Sounds a lot like Plini, very nice !
Indeed, Plini uses Lydian and Dorian a lot.
I've been writing music in FL Studio (Fruity Loops) for 20 years and only managed to make a few complete tracks. I only recently started taking piano lessons and learning theory blew my mind. I'm beginning to understand WHY a piece of music sounds good and HOW to make it sound good. Suddenly, everything I've done for the last 2 decades makes sense. Theory was the missing puzzle piece.
"Outshined" and "Spoonman" are songs that feature very groovy riffs in 7/4.
@Conner Stewart I think that's 7/8.
@@XistoKente it snare on 3 and on the and of 6
"Riffing with modes #4" haha I see what you did there Jake ;)
What did he do? Sry
@@MrElgordojorge The fourth Note of the lydian scale is the tritone (the sharp 4/the flat 5) so the #4 signals the fourth episode but also the fourth scale degree
This is the ultimate inside joke for musicians
The lessons are going in order of the modes. Lydian is the 4th mode, it's not really a joke
@@joshstead6078 the joke is that # is both number as in episode number four and
also looks like the sharp symbol - Lydian has a sharp 4 (#4) -
For anyone that is wondering why that jump from E to A works so well, even if these notes are "kinda far" from each other on the guitar neck, is because both of these keys are right next to each other in the circle of fifths/fourths. In fact, there's only one note that is different between them (A major has a D, while E major has D#), which makes the transition between them works really well and almost seemingly. That's why modulations from C to G (fifths movement) or C to F (fourths movement) works so well, because they're also right next to each other in the circle have only one note different between each. When you modulate using the circle of fifths/fourths, you get a really different sound than when you use a direct modulation by a halfstep or whole step, which are in fact way more common than the circles modulation. It all depends on the feel you want for your song, either kind of modulation can work, one being more discrete (modulation with the circle of fifths/fourths) and the other one being more in your face (direct modulation).
That video was awesome as always, Jake! Just wanted to add that little information and context to try and help people even more! Cheers!
Thank you brother. Im looking at it now!!!
he literally said it's a fourth...
@@benparsons4979 Yeah, but a lot of people that don't know much of theory could think of it as "just an interval", instead of associating this particular "interval" to the circle of fourths, in this case. Like, it's easy to see that a fourths-modulation works, but what is important for people to know, in my opinion, is WHY does it work? It works because it follows the circle. And for guitar players, I wanted to show how and why does a fourths/fifths modulation works and seems less abrupt than just playing everything one or two frets higher/lower, which is a way more common thing to do and might be considered easier to do. So yeah, Jake said it was a fourth above the original key, but taking this simple mentality, other people would go and try to modulate using seconds, thirds or sixths intervals and wouldn't get a similar or as satisfying results in their own modulations.
how bout major to minor modulation like e minor to major or vice versa
@Matthew Waldron :O
I've got to admit your channel is the best out of all the channels I've subscribed to. The way you go about breaking down the musical process and imparting it in a way anybody can understand and apply, it's refreshing. And the music you're making... outstanding. I've not commented before now, but this track you've produced is so inspirational. I'm even considering joining your Patreon page... Thanks for everything that you're doing, Jake!
honestly, His style of teaching is what i've always looked for in a music teacher.
I'm going to look at his training courses
Great sound! I like prog rock, and composing music, and I know sometimes a 4/4 won’t sound very prog. This sounds awesome ...
Jake, you are the best music teacher I've ever seen on UA-cam. The way you break down the theory and putting it into practice is really masterful, yet easy to digest. Thank you for all the high quality lessons. 🙏🙏
Exceptionally, incredibly useful. To see somebody walk through the whole process, to discuss different possibilities and explain why one was chosen instead of another, and why this move instead of that, is really, truly helpful. Thank you so much!!
Sounds cool, giving me major plini vibes
This sounds like every Satriani lydian mode song he’s ever released and I love it. You are the best music teacher in the universe! You make things appear so straightforward with your step-by-step breakdown of what you’re doing. You demystify what I believe is deliberately kept mysterious....they’ll be coming after you!
sounds like a few zelda songs mixed together: lost woods, zelda's lullaby and zora's domain (the oot version)
If he would’ve modulated to a minor 3rd (instead of a 4th), it would’ve sounded even more Zelda or video game-y!
Also song of healing
Dracula's room in Super Castlevania 4 for the SNES.
I came here specifically to find this comment 🤣 glad I'm not the only one who heard it
Definitely does it also reminds me of hollow Ichigo from Bleach
Learning music theory definitely killed my creativity - because I didn't learn enough at the time. These people who say it's restrictive aren't wrong, they just need to push through the basics to get to the liberating parts. I'm very grateful to channels like this, Rick Beato, and David Bennet Piano (among others) for helping me to pick up the pieces I overlooked the first time I had the opportunity... :)
Thank you, Jake. Lydian is quickly becoming one of my favorite tonal pallets.
Jake your comments at 22:40 about theory is spot on. I'm an old middle aged fatman that only started looking at theory a few years ago and it has opened so much to me! For those who say theory stifles your creativity? Turn your blend knob on your creativity and theory and watch what happens. This is probably my favorite so far of the four modes you've done!
Please make more of this video's for the other modes 🙌🏻🙌🏻🙌🏻🙌🏻
Amazing content
Jake's my new favorite music teacher. Clear and concise and relays ideas to the point. And.... thank you patrons.
Simon Posford is the man, great lesson Jake, keep it up
I've been a musician for over 50 years and, every time you post a video, I learn something new. Keep up the good work!
2:48 sounds like Lost Woods from Zelda a bit.
Thats because Lost woods accents a tritone in the melody f - a - b is the melody. So it has a f lydian vibe.
a bit like L's theme from Death Note too when it comes down
@@Arbfor This was my immediate though too, damn. Lydian seems to have a reflective, ethereal quality.
@@J.D.... Thanks for the inspiration. ua-cam.com/video/A0EilIaAdsc/v-deo.html
It is the same three notes! Didn't recognize it at the time, being a sega genesis kid, but as soon as I pulled up the track now I was like "o yah, those three notes". 7th - 9th - 6th
Jake, your music theory comments are spot-on. To paraphrase Guthrie Govan, you can’t write a poem unless you learn the alphabet first! Thanks for being the best guitar teacher on UA-cam. Keep up the great work!
Lotus Lattice is way too good of a prog title, lol. Good job on that.
Thank you SO MUCH for these videos! I went theoryless for quite a while, but these have really opened my eyes. None of the other theory channels I've found are anywhere CLOSE to your level of consistent quality, and I end up watching all of the videos more than once!
Man I gotta say you’ve got some of the best theory based content on UA-cam for guitar. Really has helped me add a lot of flavors to my boring pentatonic stuff
best theory based content period, not only the guitar. I don't play any instruments and do stuff strictly within a DAW - this channel is a gold mine.
You never fail to prime my creative pump. And I couldn't agree more about the power of both theory and recording in the process of writing music/songs. Great piece that came out of it for you.
Jake, I convinced myself, finally, that I could write quality stuff when I started experimenting more from a theory based side, using the modes. Theory is the way to more options and greater creativity.
I'm 44 years young, and I bet you are even younger than me. really appreciate your work, you are great teacher and I hope you keep on doing your videos, it hlpes to so many people. Regards from Spain
The one i was wating for.
Jake is undoubtedly the best music educator on UA-cam. Hands down.
Excellent tutorial (as usual). Love everything about these lesson videos.. absolutely perfect for where I am right now.
Have you thought about writing a big fat creative music concepts book with projects to follow along with?
I'm working on a giant fundamentals/foundations course, something to get the average guitarist up to the point that they can call themselves a musician. It will have a book too. Once that's done, I'd like to do something along the lines of a "music cookbook" that goes through different genres and how theory fits into them. It's a lot of work though, and balancing it with making this videos is a struggle, so it'll be a while till that comes out. However I'm hoping to have my fundamentals course out in a few months. Fingers crossed!
Jake,
You have by far the best channel on UA-cam for guitar players and music theory. I will be anxiously awaiting the fundamentals/foundations course, something to get the average guitarist up to the point that they can call themselves a musician. Thanks for all you do. I need to get over to Patreon to help you keep on keeping on. Thanks again
Awesome video and track man! You're one of the few songwriters that can make any scale work! This one especially, explains how most of progressive music works. Dream Theater instantly came to my mind with these riffs
Great lesson as usual. The tab/sheet bit left me wondering, though, why you'd tie a full note to a half note instead of dotting a full note.
The idea was to represent 4 plus 3
@@SignalsMusicStudio Ooooooh! I see it now. Thanks.
Dude, you are a big inspiration for me, I haven't developed yet the skill to write music, but I'm improving thanks to your guidance. Seriously thanks for the time you spend doing all this videos for us, you're amazing!!!
Did you know that if you say "line cliche" three times, the 12 Tone guy jumps out of your mirror?
The further the video goes, the more I can tell how pleased with yourself you are for this one. Then, I hear the finished product and can only say: You should be. Fan-tucking-tastic, man. I thoroughly enjoyed how you broke it down, explained your mindset and what you were doing, let us hear everything together, and then gave us a great conclusion. I've enjoyed all the content on your channel for years now, but man, I REALLY want more of this!!
This was inspiring and very interesting. I enjoyed it very much, thank you! :)
Really love this breakdown of the use of 7/4 and Lydian. It immediately screamed Dream Theater to my ear, which I love, so definitely helped my creative process!
Doesn't Rush have a Patent on 7/4? Just askin' … ;)
they have one on 7/8
I heard a bit of Rush near the start. I can definitely hear Geddy Lee singing on this.
I think it's Genesis :)
I'm totally in for that modulation. Simple but shiny and working well.
Finnaly the lydian mode
7:30 Jeez when that distortion entered adding up to the whole idea, it just took me instantly to DT's The Best of Times.
This video blew my mind in a really good way, especially the ending. I know guys who spend thousands on gear and can't play a lick, but they do dress the part and pay the social role to a stereotypical tee. ;-) My mind is so warped it changes time sigs every few secs & I ultimately un-syncopate my way into self-indulgent sonic insanity. 🤣 Thanks for all you do. You keep guys like me picking up my axe.
You might like some of the shit I make.
@@swim_ad, definitely different in a cool sorta industrial way, man. Take care.
I'm only halfway through the video and this has been the single most useful and mind opening experience into prog I have had after years of listening.
I was waiting for that delicious #4
This last point about writing and recording together is so important. I often use my software to convey ideas quicker say using a midi track then I can figure out across my guitar and than when I pick up my instrument, I end up changing a lot of things to fit my style or playing capabilities. It's two different mediums and you essentially start collaborating with yourself because eyoure thinking about the material in two different ways, kind of like solving problems in two different languages can make your perspective change on the roboem.
"Cloudian Line" is the name of my Signals Music Studio cover band.
I am super late but this channel seems to properly summarise theory in an interesting way that most channels dont do.
By showing us, from scratch what your intention is, then how you build an idea and how you can use theory to add to it.
Most channels forget the important step of APPLYING the theory in the earliest step.
Through this video you use lydian and 7/4 to correlate a specific emotion or mood and that is how people remember it better
Sounds spicy when it modulate to A Lydian. 😊
I love Lydian. I grew up listening to Steve Vai and my brain just falls in to the mystery and wonder of Lydian - beautiful little piece to demonstrate the feel and flavour!
This is literally how the Risk of Rain soundtrack sounds like.
You just blew my mind.
In the hands of a Master, the Lydian mode can bring tears to the eyes. Spectacular job!
Jake has all the tips for millennials who want to be boomer musicians in the late 2000’s LOOOOOOOOOOL
Lol are you kidding me? Boomer musicians imo, are the kings of boring, boring blues. And then they think it's also the best music ever, superior to anything new that they don't understand. I don't think I've ever seen one play Lydian riffs in 7/4, unless they were a Dream Theater prog nerd maybe.
We are nowhere near the Late 2000’s lol
If you mean the late 2nd Millenium DC Theres 970~ years left
If you mean the late 21st century theres 70~ years left
If you mean the late 00’s they occurred 12~ years ago
So i Don’t know what you mean dude LMAO
😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂
That was way too good to be free. Thank you very much for your time. I am not big in music theory but i couldn't agree more to the talk in the end of the video. Music theory is there for a reason. Your compilation grew on me and sounds awesome. Hats off too you. Never stop doing what you do.
So basically you just wrote a “black clouds and silver linings era” dream theater song?
I stopped listening to them after Portnoy left but if that's accurate then it seems like a better phrasing would be "so basically Dream Theater just sat on basic lydian shapes for an entire era." Not that sticking to the basics is bad, if it sounds good it's good.
Cyan Light I’m talking about the last album portnoy was on, this reminds me a lot of the beginning to the count of Tuscany
@@liambenn1214 My mistake, I guess I stopped listening immediately before Portnoy left then. Thought Systematic Chaos was his last with them for some reason.
Either way it doesn't really change the point being made, Dream Theater are very knowledgeable musicians but they obviously didn't discover the lydian mode or how to use it in this kind of rock context. If someone plays a very basic bit of theory and it sounds exactly like something someone else played, the logical conclusion isn't that the former is ripping off the latter but that the latter simply wrote something basic that anyone using that bit of theory could independently reproduce.
Reminds me of some images and words stuff too
Your videos and instruction are top notch. The pacing, content, and presentation are pretty much perfect for music instruction. I'm also blown away by your "examples". Your music is also quality and enjoyable to listen to just as music!
i like Lydian!Lydian mode sounds mysterious,dreamy and bring you to a different world,a very special mode
You really deserve many more subscriptions, great teacher with clear ideas and very information. Really helping me advance and understand in what is often described by others as a complicated maze.
To say the least, your enchanting composition was a brilliant result of knowledge and manipulation of music theory. Thanks for another stellar video!
WOW! Amazing! RUSH , then some Dream Theater feel and then POW its SATRIANI! REALLY GREAT! One of the best channels on YT! Well done!
There aren't many, if any videos on YT that I watch more than once, but Jake's are always worth revisisting.
I have watched many many of your videos. This is the best one by far. To be specific, love how you break down the 7/4, the song was amazing, and your parting thoughts. Theory as stifling creativity argument was great. Advice to get recording equipment and use it is sooo right on!
Easily the best lesson i've ever seen dealing with time sig, modes, and recording. Could not have been better explained. You have found your calling. Killer tune.
Jah cares for his own for I have been meaning to learn some other modes and tried to randomly search on UA-cam. And today, boom! Landed on this here channel and just got so immersed into the rich infor and tips. Let me be the first Zambian to subscribe in the new month, March 2020. Ama lovin' this fe sure. Bless!
Again you've helped me with something I'm currently writing. Little things like reusing the slide motif to introduce the solo, not having to move up to a lydian 4th, but just a regular 4th, doubling the solo with a pluck synth for reinforcement. Great stuff. Thanks so much.
I love how often Shpongle is mentioned in the channel. Masters in creating such a specific ambience, they deserve more love. Thanks for the lesson!
Excellent! You ended this video speaking about what i was thinking about half way through this lesson... This way by far the best i've seen on thoughtfulness in composition... i will embody this... i, like You, compose in the studio and i feel very empowered right now... Thanks
Your videos are totally awesome. You really are a gift to not only guitar players but musicians of all instruments and genres Thank you!
Friggin fantastic; thank you for this video! Your theory knowledge and application, not to mention your musicianship, never cease to impress. Your channel deserves incredible success!
This is fantastic and such a breath of fresh air from YTers pushing gear, GAS, and more crap I don’t truly need.
Instead videos like these make me crave music theory (is MTAS a thing?) and inspire me to play and experiment more.
Your depth, intelligence and thought process while laying down this outline, building from simplicity is 💯% pure musical genius‼️
There is something about Lydian that has always intrigued me and this is a great example of why.... great insight !
Absolutley awesome. I wish now 32 years later I had studied theory as advised by my awesome teacher when I was 16, instead of wanting to play power chords and play in a cover band. Don't get me wrong my time doing that was awesome and my band had killer times for several years. But now at 48 and only playing again for 2 years after a twenty year break, I love watching these videos and just gathering bits of info and flavour to add to my playing. Thank you.
I hope you recorded a full version of that song! It's awesome Jay.
Jake, I've strugged with rationalising modes in my head for a long time. Your videos are not only easy to understand but really practical. The way you are able to explain tricky concepts such as modes easily is so valuable. Thank you so much!
I really like this video series! Not only that you make the ideas behind your creations accessible and easy to understand, you actually create really interesting compositions. Keep on doing these, you inspire me a big time!
I've really become a fan of your channel recently. As someone that started with a drumming background, then moved to singing, I have composed a lot of music with only the most basic theory knowledge, primarily in chiptune genre and metal, and your videos are tremendously insightful, and inspiring. On the topic at the end of the video, I think most of the people who say they don't need theory are just in denial. I hope you create more vids in the future!!!
I dig it! I also really like how you sit down and show us your process for trying out ideas.
Jake.... your vids are second to nobody! I've never heard it better explained at the end about theory.
Love coming back to this lesson every 6 months!
Been watching your videos for the last few days. And oh my. You have cleared up so many questions I've had. Your approach to teaching is amazing. Keep it up. Cheers
This is a year old already but I'm so glad I stumbled across it. Just flat out blew my doors off. Can't wait to dive in to your other videos and start applying them.
I am getting ready to turn 66 (old line rocker) but I gotta confess - THIS was the most productive and informative music "lesson" I have ever had! Thank you Jake.
I’m flying a flag for music theory with you Jake!!!! I find it super exciting as you progress and have these amazing aha moments.
I’ve been watching your videos for a few weeks now, and playing around with concepts I’ve absorbed. Last week, I was separately inspired to try to write a piece in the Lydian mode, and have been wondering if my approach to composing in Lydian makes sense. This video totally validated my thinking, and I feel super excited. You’re awesome!
Awesome, definitely not a music score. An ethereal, rock-out tune that exceeded my expectations. Nicely done, Jake!
All Jake's material is outstanding, but this one is my fav. Thanks much, especially for plugging the theory part. So many people I know who are good but they think they're great. They certainly could be on their way to greater things if they just learned a little theory. Cheers!
Thank u for goin into depth from start to finish with this lydian mode simple riff and expanding on it. Been playing guitar for 26 years & i love writing my own songs (or trying to) but i never finish them because i dont know where to go next. Learning music theory totally helps with writing music. I never understood modes & now i kinda do so thanks again.
Good job, Jake! Excellent choices of tones and movement. You are 100% correct about theory. It’s hard to imagine a player that doesn’t see it as a major tool for everything musical.
Thank you to jakes patreons!! He's asked everytime, and I havent ever thanked you guys! but Jake is the best music teacher on youtube, and I have grown from watching his videos :) He's the GOAT music theory teaching. Best of wishes Jake, thx for the rad content, and helping me to make sense of modalities. I am so much further now than the last 2 years before I found you, to actually understanding the mechanics of modal change.
The way you come into and try to improve and mastering prove that you're a kind of intelligent,you make me understand the music theory since I been following your video,thank you keep going on.i appreciate your work make me better . 🤛 from Switzerland