Seven shades of music

or

how to quickly apply the modes on guitar

by

OWIDJU

© 2020
All rights reserved
 Sections

Intro

Credits

Lydian
Ionian
Mixolydian
Dorian
Aeolian
Phrygian
Locrian
 Intro Back
This book is for those who struggle to understand the
seven Greek modes and how to deal with them while
playing a guitar.
I show here how to explore these musical nuances on
your instrument in a simple way, based on pentatonic scales
(those that only have five notes…).
Hints for using the modes melodically (riffs/licks):
• try to end on the root;
• focus on how the mode you play differs from what you
already know (like major and minor scales).
Hints for using the modes harmonically (chords):
• give space to the root chord;
• don’t use many chords.
I don’t present the modes in the classical view (first
being Ionian, then Dorian, etc.) but from the perspective
given by their brightness. If you think of these shades as
being like nuances of color, then the brightest is Lydian. So I
start from there.
In order to better understand the unique trait of each
mode, I based everything on the key of C (Do), the natural
major being the most familiar scale to all of us. But I didn’t
use all the notes from C as different roots for the modes. I
just added the appropriate accidentals to mark the changes
made to C.
For each mode I provide the pentatonic scale that I feel
suited and a lick showing how to use it.
I put all the modes on guitar in the same “box”, using only
three strings. It’s your job to take it further. :)
I offer a vamp (short chord progression) for each mode.
 Have fun!

Credits
Back

I wanna give special thanks to those who inspired me to get

these pages done. These are the following guys from YouTube:

• 12 tone
• Scott Devine
• David Bennet (Piano)

Oh… and thank you, Google!

And thank you, GuitarPro! :)

If you have any questions, notice mistakes in this book or you just
wanna make a suggestion, please throw me an E-Mail here:
owidju@gmail.com.

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 C Lydian
Back

• alias: “the brighter major” or “the Ionian with a sharp fourth”

• feel: glory

• root: C

• trick: F#

• key: G

• scale: C D E F# G

• twin: A Dorian

• vamp: C – D (I – II)

• lick:

• box: