What modes would you use?

[kingkobra]

just got a simple question here.

What modes would you use for B to G to Fsharp?

let me know.

thanks, k.k.

[sumgai]

[glow=red,2,300]BOJER![/glow]
I call Bojer! This is a trick question........

It doesn't matter what the chords are (nor the progression), one can play in as many modes as one is comfortable with, all at the same time. It only a matter of wrapping your head around them.

Understand, a mode is nothing more than a scale that started on a different note than the tonic. If you are really into it, you soon realize that you are playing in 7 modes at any time you pick up the guitar!

Your question might be more easily understood if you were to ask 'what key are these three chords in, and what scale works best with them?' From there, you can consult a book that lays out the modes, and learn that if you are in the Key of B, and you play the blues pentatonic scale (in B), then you are in Ionian mode. But if you were to play that scale over the F# chord, you'd be playing in the Mixolydian mode. (Assuming you were still basing your solo on starting and ending on B.)

A quick and dirty introduction to modes can be found at:

www.wisegeek.com/what-are-the-seven-modes-of-music.htm

It's an axiom of faith that most of your better players are playing modally, without realizing it! We learn scales first, and tend to stop right there. When it comes to describing what we're doing during a solo, it's almighty rare to hear a player say "I shifted to the Lydian mode", even though that's what he did. But if we all knew the basics of modes, he'd need only say what mode he shifted to, and we'd follow him much more closely.

Very good examples of modal playing are nearly anything by Jeff Beck or Bugs Henderson. Of course other players do it, but these two can mix-and-match at will, right between any two beats in a measure, and make it come out sounding like it was the only thing that could have been played just then. That's why they get the big bucks. ;D

HTH



sumgai

[ashcatlt]

Alright, so what key does fit all three of these chords?

Well, as written (that is, assuming these are all major chords) there isn't a western scale that fits. You end up with B C# D D# F# G A. It seems like it wants to be Bmin, but you'd need to change the root chord accordingly.

On the other hand, you could "upgrade" the G to G#min, and be in the key of E, or B Mixolydian if you prefer.

[sumgai]

ash,

Actually, this progression is pretty common, it was used a lot in 60's and early 70's rock. And you're correct, it's properly a Bmin, not a Major. And because of the flatted 6th, the 5th should never be given a dom7th in the turn around.

That said, don't forget that there are lots of what we call "accidentals", and they're so-named for a good reason! Much of the Seattle Grunge scene was founded on not obeying the convention of avoiding accidentals, when you really think about it.


king,

Soloing in Bmin (pentatonic blues scale is fine) would work the easiest here, all things considered. Just be aware that as the chord changes, you are moving out of, and back into, Ionian (the tonic) and Mixolydian (the 5th) modes. The G will be accidental, so you'll have to experiment a bit to be sure that you don't hit totally wrong notes.



sumgai

[ashcatlt]

Well, sure.

There's plenty of contemporary music that ignores this whole idea of standard keys and scales altogether (cf Lorenzo's Tractor). It certainly didn't start with grunge. Of course, if king wanted to play grunge I don't think he'd be asking about modes. For the perfect grunge solo drink a bunch of whiskey and stand really close to the amp so it feeds back like a *****.

This is part of the reason I love the whole tone scale. There's only two on the neck. If you know one of the notes, you know which "key" it's in. Plus you get augmented and (much better) half-diminished chords all over the place.

[kingkobra]

well i guess f# would be phrygian right.

so could i play like a phrygian dominant over that progression?

yeah im just keeping it simple just you know power chords the root and fith. i just have a walking bass line. but those are the root notes of the bass line.