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Modes in Creative Guitar 1

 
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etj92



Joined: 01 Jun 2010
Posts: 3
Location: UK

PostPosted: Tue Jun 01, 2010 10:59 am    Post subject: Modes in Creative Guitar 1 Reply with quote

I'm new to this forum and wonder whether anyone can enlighten me. I'm having real difficulty with modes in the Creative Guitar 1 book. Guthrie's statment on Page 83 3rd para of modes "you can make a natural-minor scale in any key by taking a major scale three frets higher up from its root and starting from its sixth note." has me totally baffled. I don't understand waht he means and, having looked through this section several times, am now totally confused. Can anyone offer some enlightenment
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digitalkettle



Joined: 24 May 2005
Posts: 132
Location: Lincolnshire, UK

PostPosted: Tue Jun 01, 2010 11:37 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Welcome.

He's talking about the 'relative' relationship between major and natural minor scales.

A minor (A B C D E F G)
uses the same notes as (and, thus, is the relative minor to):
C major (C D E F G A B)

See how the A minor starts on the sixth degree of C major?
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digitalkettle



Joined: 24 May 2005
Posts: 132
Location: Lincolnshire, UK

PostPosted: Tue Jun 01, 2010 11:48 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Actually, re-reading your post, this is another way of expressing the same information...

- play your C major scale (C D E F G A B)
- now play your major scale 3 frets higher (this is Eb major: Eb F G Ab Bb C D)
- starting from the sixth degree of your Eb major scale, the notes are C D Eb F G Ab Bb (same notes, just starting from a different place) which is the C natural minor scale

Formulas:
major - 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
nat minor - 1 2 b3 4 5 b6 b7
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etj92



Joined: 01 Jun 2010
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Location: UK

PostPosted: Tue Jun 01, 2010 1:17 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks for getting back so quickly digitalkettle.
Your second post has shown me what he means. I think I was confused because most books talk about a relative minor scale being created by playing the notes of the major scale starting and ending on the 6th degree, so in your example, in the C major scale, playing on the 6th you wind up playing the A relative minor scale. If I understand it correctly, Guthrie is showing how you get a C natural minor scale from the C major scale; I'd never thought of it that way. Many thanks for your help.
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digitalkettle



Joined: 24 May 2005
Posts: 132
Location: Lincolnshire, UK

PostPosted: Tue Jun 01, 2010 1:35 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

No worries, I never looked at it that way myself either.

I think the distinction between the approaches is derived vs parallel.

C major and A minor are derived from C major (and are 'related').

C major and C minor are different structures from the same root, hence parallel.

This might help: http://www.stetina.com/lessons/modes.html
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etj92



Joined: 01 Jun 2010
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Location: UK

PostPosted: Tue Jun 01, 2010 2:15 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

digitalkettle,
Once again thanks for the reply and thanks for the link. Looks like a very useful site.
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Chilton-a-tron



Joined: 11 Feb 2009
Posts: 50
Location: Perth, Western Australia

PostPosted: Wed Jun 16, 2010 11:33 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

modes can be a bit daunting when you first look at it. However i think the best way of getting your head around it is taking it 'mode by mode' learning the 'formula' e.g. 1 2 b3 4 5 b6 b7 for natural minor (Aeolian) and improvising melodies around this learning which notes give the particular mode it's distinctive flavour. In the Aeolian the b3 in particular and to a lesser extent the b7 give it a 'minor' sound but for example it is the b6 that differentiates it from the similar minor mode the Dorian scale (1 2 b3 4 5 6 b7) - so in one way it is the b6 that is a kind of 'calling card' for the aeolian. Finding out for your self the characteristics of each mode really helps understanding modes and how to use them, also i highly recommend not just playing them but actually making yourself sing them will really help.
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