Lm MappingTheModes Beg

MASTERCLAS MASTERC LASSS BO BOOKLET OKLET

Luca Mantovanelli

MAPPING THE MODES: VOL.1 BEGINNER INTRODUCTION Hey folks, thanks for buying my modes masterclass! My intention here is not to give you the usual u sual guide to the modal system, with lots lot s of boring scale diagrams and stuff. Instead, I’m going to show you how you can create cool licks using outside notes, but in all positions, all over the fretboard. This is w hy this masterclass is called Mapping the Modes… we want to to be able to find the important target notes wherever wherever we are on the fretboard. This is how you become a fluent improviser. In this volume I’m going to show you the basic concepts of the modes and how to create licks in different keys.

WWW.JAMTRACKCENTRAL.COM

MAPPING THE MODES: VOL.1 BEGINNER LUCA MANTOVANELLI

MODES BASICS

First, we have to do the basic stuff. If you’ve ever read about modes, you will probably have seen this statement “Modes are alternative tonalities (scales) that can be derived from the familiar major scale by starting on a different scale tone’’. There’s more to it than this, but this is a good way to learn the names and familiarise yourself with the structure of the modal system (and the notes in each one). For example, if we take the C major scale (C D E F G A B) we have a seven-note with the root note C. This is also known as the C IONIAN mode. But if we use the same seven notes, but with D functioning as the root note, we now have D DORIAN (D E F G A B C). We can use all the notes of C major as root notes, so that gives us seven modes… 1) C IONIAN 2) D DORIAN 3) E PHRYGIAN 4) F LYDIAN 5) G MIXOLYDIAN 6) A AEOLIAN 7) B LOCRIAN The important thing is to understand that we haven’t just moved a bunch of letters around. By changing the root note, EVERYTHING changes. The root note is the focal point in a scale, or the “home” note (it’s also called the tonal centre). The function of every other note depends on its distance from the root. In the example above, we started with C Ionian (C D E F G A B), where C is the root note. The 3rd and 5th are also very powerful notes, so that also gives us E and G. But if we then switch to D Dorian (D E F G A B C) what happens? We have the same 7 notes, but the C, E and G have totally different functions - they’re now the 7th, 2nd and 4th. These are not strong target notes; in fact, the 4th is normally not a note you’d want to hold for too long, as it has quite an uncomfortable sound (try holding a G note over a D minor chord). This is why you always have to think about the FUNCTION of notes when learning the modal system. It’s more than just starting a scale on a different note! In this volume I’ll use G major (G A B C D E F#) as our starting scale, so that gives us G Ionian, A Dorian, B Phrygian, C Lydian, D Mixolydian, E Aeolian and F# Locrian. There are two ways of looking at modes - relative and absolute. The absolute mode is the one we’re using (A Dorian, for example). With relative modes, we refer back to the parent major scale (so A Dorian comes from G major). Knowing how the modes fit together with parent major scales can be useful, helping you to find the notes all over the neck.



THE MODES IN 5 SHAPES

(Tab files: modes_5shapes) We’re going to be using a system of five box shapes in this masterclass. These are basically the CAGED shapes. The Tab files show them all in the key of G major, but if you wanted to use these to play individual modes in root position, you’d get these modes… Shape 1: F# Locrian (starting from the lowest note), G Ionian (starting from the 2nd note) Shape 2: A Dorian Shape 3: B Phrygian (1st note), C Lydian (2nd note) Shape 4: D Mixolydian Shape 5: E Aeolian But of course, all five shapes can be used as G major or any of its modes. THE 5 NOTE APPROACH � STARTING WITH INDEX FINGER

(Tab files: 5notes_index) Here’s something we’ll be doing a lot in this masterclass… working with little melodic “cells” (like mini phrases) which approach a target note in different ways. A “target note” is a strong melodic note which can be held over a chord. Normally, the root, 3rd and 5th are the most powerful target notes. Over a G major chord, these would be the notes G, B and D. The idea here is to take these simple melodic cells and work them through all our scale shapes, increasing fretboard knowledge and melodic flexibility. For our first pattern, we’ll start on the index finger (on a downbeat) and run through five notes, ending on a target note. Using the intrinsic layout of the five scale shapes, we only have three possible fingerings for this pattern: 1-2-4, 1-3-4 and 1-3. For example, if you look at the first scale shape (Tab file modes_5shapes_shape1_tab) you’ll see that we’re using 1-2-4 on the low E and A strings, 1-3-4 on the D and G strings, 1-3 on the B string and then 1-2-4 on the high E string. Each of these fingerings has its own pattern of scale notes and chromatic passing notes, leading to the eventual target note… 1-2-4 = 1-4-3-1-2 1-3-4 = 1-4 -1-2-3 1-3 = 1-3-1-2-3 The easiest thing is to play through the exercises, referring back to the 5 mode shapes to see how they relate to the five-note melodic cells.



TRIADS IN THE SHAPES

(Tab files: asc_triads_8ths, asc_triads_triplets) Now we’ll look at the triads available in each shape. You can of course play all the triads from the G major scale (G major, A minor, B minor, C major, D major, E minor, F# diminished) in all our five shapes, but we’re going to restrict ourselves to just one pattern, starting from the highest note on each string. These are the triads in each shape… Shape 1: A minor, D major, G major, B minor Shape 2: B minor, E minor, A minor, D major Shape 3: D major, G major, B minor, E minor Shape 4: E minor, A minor, D major, G major Shape 5: G major, B minor, E minor, A minor Try playing these with the picking pattern I use on the video - play the first two notes with a downstroke and then pluck the third note with your middle finger (hybrid picking). APPROACH � TRIADS � SCALE

(Tab files: app_triad_scale) This is a very helpful exercise for memorising all the concepts in this volume. We’ll play the same exercise in all the five shapes. Check out the first file (Ex1, shape 1) to master the basic approach: starting with your index finger on the 1st string, we play the 5 note approach as before, then the ascending triad starting from the 3rd string and finally the full descending mode to the bottom note of the shape. Exercise 1 runs through the five shapes, starting on the 1st string, and then Exercise 2 does the same, but starting on the 2nd string. The other exercises start on progressively lower strings, always following the same pattern. This is a great workout for developing your knowledge of the notes and triads in each shape. For the triads, always refer back to the “Triads in the shapes” exercises above. For example, Ex1/shape1 contains the B minor triad. APPROACH AND TRIAD CONNECTION IN THE SHAPE

(Tab files: approach_triads_connection) This is basically the same concept of the previous exercise, but we’re not descending through the whole scale; we’re running through the 5-note approach and triad for each string group in succession. In each case, we have the 5-note approach, the ascending triad, then just four notes of the scale, descending to reach the pattern on the next string.



10 LICKS

There are two different backing tracks here, one for Licks 1-5, the other for Licks 6-10. Backing 1 is in F Lydian (F G A B C D E) which is a relative mode of C major. It’s basically a single chord (Fsus2) over a changing sequence of bass notes (F-G-A-B). Licks 1-5 are built from single scale shapes. Lick 1: The first five licks are about melody, so pay attention to the target notes I’m using. This lick uses shape 5 and starts with a whole tone bend to G (the sus2 in the Fsus2 chord). Then I descend to D over the Fsus2/G. D is the 5th of G, so it sounds good! Over Fsus2/B, I play an Fmaj7 arpeggio. Lick 2: This is shape 1, and I played a melody around the most important notes of F Lydian. There’s the characteristic #4th (B), the major 3rd (A) and the 5th (C). The lick ends on G, the sus2 of the Fsus2 chord. Lick 3: Working in shape 2, I played a little repeating melody at the beginning that ends on a different note each time… G, E, F (bending to G). Lick 4: This lick is built around shape 3, and starts with an ascending C major arpeggio ending on a bend to E (the major 7th of F Lydian). The bend in bar 4 is a little bit tricky… bend the G (15th fret) up a whole tone to A , hold the bend, reach up and play the 17th fret (which is A bent up to B) and then release the bend, holding the 17th fret. Lick 5: Over tshape 4, this is quite a simple melody, all built around repeating C and G notes (the 5th and 2nd of the Fsus2 chord). Lick 6: The next five licks are all over the fretboard, and use a different backing. We’re now in A Dorian (A B C D E F# G) which is related to the G major scale. Also, I’m using the approach and triads concept I showed in the exercises. This one starts with the 5 note approach in shape 3, moving to an E minor triad. We then move around shapes 2, 3 and 4 before ending with a blues line in shape 5. Lick 7: This one star ts with an Am7 arpeggio and then triads in shape (Em, Am, D major). We then have the 5 note approach on the 1st string, moving through shapes 2, 3 and 5. Lick 8: Bars 1 and 2 have some rhythm phrasing between shape 3 and shape 2. In bar 3 we get an ascending Em triad and 5 note approach in shape 3 with a little descending chromatic line. Lick 9: This one starts with a repeating A minor triad in shape 2, moving to a 5 note approach and D major triad in bar 3. In bar 4 we have the 5 note approach followed by an Em triad. Lick 10: The first part is in shape 1 with a chromatic jazzy descending line on the first string, moving down to the 5 note approach in shape 5.



FINAL WORDS

And there we have it! I’ve also included a full solo for you to learn and extract ideas from. Take it slow and try to see where I have used the concepts behind the exercises/licks in this volume in my own soloing. Once you’ve got everything mastered, tr y to create your own licks and phrases with the concepts I’ve shown you so far. Be sure to work in different keys and over different backing styles too. Thank you, I hope you’ve learned a lot, and we’ll see you in Volume two! Luca Mantovanelli. P.S Please scroll down to find the TABs!


Lm MappingTheModes Beg

Recommend Documents