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The relative Minor of a Major scale is the 6th of the scale, and it uses all the same notes of that Major scale. So all you have to do to play the relative Minor scale is to play all the notes of that Major scale beginning on the relative Minor note. . . . . right? If that is correct, then I’m grasping it.

I would imagine that this theory would transfer to the other modes. If this is true, I would assume that:

We have the Major scale, and
the relative Dorian of the Major scale is the 2nd of the scale, and
the relative Phrygian of the Major scale is the 3rd of the scale, and
the relative Lydian of the Major scale is the 4th of the scale, and
the relative Mixolydian of the Major scale is the 5th of the scale, and
the relative Aeolian (aka Minor) of the Major scale is the 6th of the scale, and
the relative Locrian (rarely used mode) of the Major scale is the 7th of the scale.


If this is true, then I would assume:

In the Key of C Major,
the relative Dorian is D Dorian, and
the relative Phrygian is E Phrygian, and
the relative Lydian is F Lydian, and
the relative Mixolydian is G Mixolydian , and
the relative Aeolian (Minor) is A Aeolian (Minor), and
the relative Locrian (rarely used mode) is B Locrian.


If this is true, then I would assume:

If I want to play a G Mixolydian scale, I would play all the notes in the C Major scale beginning on G. If I want to drop into a D Dorian scale, I would play all the notes in the C Major scale beginning on D.


If this is true, then I would assume:

If I want to play an F Mixolydian scale, I would play all the notes in a Bb Major scale beginning on F (F G A Bb C D Eb F). Reasoning – F is the 5th note (relative Mixolydian) in the Bb Major scale (Bb C D Eb F G A Bb).

If I want to play a G Dorian scale, I would play all the notes in an F Major scale beginning on G (G A Bb C D E F G). Reasoning – G is the 2nd note (relative Dorian) in the F Major scale (F G A Bb C D E F).

If I want to play an Ab Lydian scale, I would play all the notes in an Eb Major scale beginning on Ab (Ab Bb C D Eb F G Ab). Reasoning – Ab is the 4th note (relative Lydian) in the Eb Major scale (Eb F G Ab Bb C D Eb).

My questions are:

Is all this true? If so, how useful is it? Does anyone have a different understanding of notes in scales of different modes rather than tying it into the Major scale to decrypt it?

Hydroman52

Hydro:

Holy crap....... You put some thought into that.....

I follow you and hope someone chimes in on this. I have come across modes while transcribing over the last couple of years. Mostly it deals with chords though (if that makes sense....). I will find a song that has all of the chords (well, most anyway - maybe not the 7 - diminished) of the G Major scale, but resolves back to D, rather than G. I think that would classify it as Mixolydian mode....... :unsure: That is what I have put on my transcriptions anyway.....lol

J

Well I'd say it's very useful, if you very well know all your major scales that is.

Other ways, well.....I think lots of guitarists play and memorize scales in patterns, or in steps. (the whole and halfstep thing)

How do you approach it?

Buttuh....I think you got it very well figured out, brrrrravo!

Thanks Rick and Vanessa,,I picked it up,,thats a great understanding on that matter,,,I printed it..

Willem

Hydro

I missed this post during the week and got here via Neils comments in his weekly news update.

Neil's Response In Weekly News Episode 151 - 1 February 2013 - 7.01 Minutes In

Dermot

I appreciate all the replies.

MJ – It sounds like you are light years ahead of me. I haven’t even begun to think about approaching it from a chord point of view, yet.

Vanessa – I understand what you are saying. Patterns are much faster to execute than decoding to the major scale when improvising on the fret board. Ultimately, that’s where I want to go with this. Since you’ve suggested it, I’ve dedicated some time to exploring the patterns approach. There is some light at the end of the tunnel!

Willem – I wasn’t sure that anyone would understand what I was trying to say. I’m glad that you figured it out.

Dermot – Thanks for the heads-up. I needed that confirmation to know that I am heading in the right direction. There aren’t a lot of people that I run into in my neck of the woods that can explain this in a way that I can understand it. Now I can continue with some confidence that I don’t have it totally scrambled up.

Neil – I appreciate the comment that I am on the right track with this line of thinking. This is a big step forward for me. I’m seeing that this method is correct, but probably not the most efficient way of viewing modes in relation to the guitar. It's a good starting point and I'm keeping an open mind . . . . more questions later.

Hydroman52