When you begin to learn guitar scales, you learn how to advance your guitar playing. Rock guitar players, as well as jazz guitar players, who learn the music theory behind guitar scales really sound better than those stuck in the blues box. They sound more fluid, more dexterous, and more professional. One way that you as a guitar player who is wanting to learn guitar scales can take your guitar playing to another level is through the learning of modes. Modes are derivatives of "straight" guitar scales (although when you get advanced enough you understand that "straight" guitar scales in and of themselves are modes, too). When you learn guitar scales and modes at the same time, you give yourself a much greater base of knowledge from which to construct songs and solos.
Among the guitar modes is the Locrian Mode. You might have heard of the Phrygian Mode before, and the Locrian Mode is quite similar to it. In fact, there is just one note's difference. But that one different note means a lot.
If you play in the Locrian Mode, you take the "key scale" and start and end a solo or break on the 7th note, rather than the root note. So let's say that you're playing a song in the key of D major. To play a solo in the Locrian Mode, you will begin and end that solo on the note of C. This doesn't mean that it has to be the exact same C note; you can start on one C and end on another one that is two octaves higher, for instance. What matters is the fact of the C notes and their placement at the very start and very end of the solo.
Playing in B Locrian means playing something different than the B major scale. It also means playing in C in a different way than you would if you just were going to use the C major or its relative minor (A minor) scale for a solo.
Advanced guitar players love understanding the intervalic relationship between the notes in a mode, as this allows for deeper understanding of how to use the mode. The intervals for the Locrian Mode go like this Root, flatted 2nd , flatted 3rd ,major 4th ,flatted 5th , flatted 6th, flatted 7th . So to play F Locrian in the G major key, the scale that you would use would go F, G, A, B, C, D, E, F3'.
So let's be perfectly clear if you played C Locrian, you would be playing in the key of D but with the "feeling" of a C major scale. You would "think in" the series C, D, E, F, G, A, B, C'. Those are the notes that you would draw upon.
Imagine if you played the B Locrian mode (or "scale") over top a chord progression in the key of B. You would give a very different feel to the song or piece.
But the Locrian Mode is not used all that often. Some guitar players say that this is because the Locrian Mode, being based on the Leading Tone (the 7th note of the key), suggests the Ionian Mode too much to be effective. Others theorize that the Locrian Mode sounds too much like the Phrygian Mode and that the latter is more colorful.
So when you set out to learn guitar scales, keep in mind that the Locrian Mode gives you access to some different sounds than you would be able to conjure by "playing it straight". When you learn guitar scales, don't neglect the Locrian Mode.
Among the guitar modes is the Locrian Mode. You might have heard of the Phrygian Mode before, and the Locrian Mode is quite similar to it. In fact, there is just one note's difference. But that one different note means a lot.
If you play in the Locrian Mode, you take the "key scale" and start and end a solo or break on the 7th note, rather than the root note. So let's say that you're playing a song in the key of D major. To play a solo in the Locrian Mode, you will begin and end that solo on the note of C. This doesn't mean that it has to be the exact same C note; you can start on one C and end on another one that is two octaves higher, for instance. What matters is the fact of the C notes and their placement at the very start and very end of the solo.
Playing in B Locrian means playing something different than the B major scale. It also means playing in C in a different way than you would if you just were going to use the C major or its relative minor (A minor) scale for a solo.
Advanced guitar players love understanding the intervalic relationship between the notes in a mode, as this allows for deeper understanding of how to use the mode. The intervals for the Locrian Mode go like this Root, flatted 2nd , flatted 3rd ,major 4th ,flatted 5th , flatted 6th, flatted 7th . So to play F Locrian in the G major key, the scale that you would use would go F, G, A, B, C, D, E, F3'.
So let's be perfectly clear if you played C Locrian, you would be playing in the key of D but with the "feeling" of a C major scale. You would "think in" the series C, D, E, F, G, A, B, C'. Those are the notes that you would draw upon.
Imagine if you played the B Locrian mode (or "scale") over top a chord progression in the key of B. You would give a very different feel to the song or piece.
But the Locrian Mode is not used all that often. Some guitar players say that this is because the Locrian Mode, being based on the Leading Tone (the 7th note of the key), suggests the Ionian Mode too much to be effective. Others theorize that the Locrian Mode sounds too much like the Phrygian Mode and that the latter is more colorful.
So when you set out to learn guitar scales, keep in mind that the Locrian Mode gives you access to some different sounds than you would be able to conjure by "playing it straight". When you learn guitar scales, don't neglect the Locrian Mode.
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