Learn Guitar Scales : The Locrian Mode
You know that you need to learn guitar scales so that your guitar playing, whether you play rock guitar or jazz guitar or even Country guitar, improves dramatically. You want to sound fluid and creative, not formulaic; you won't want to play the "same ol' same ol'". When you learn guitar scales you'll take your guitar playing even higher with the learning of modes. Modes are simply variations upon guitar scales that, when played in certain ways, cause the music to take some dramatic turns. If you learn guitar scales as well as modes, you will be far ahead of those who only learn one, or don't learn any, of these things.
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.
Playing in the Locrian Mode, to put it simply, entails starting and ending a solo or lead break on the 7th note of the "normal" scale. This is the scale that indicates the key that you're playing in. So, if you were playing in the key of G, and you desire to play a solo in Locrian, you'll begin and end the solo on the F note. It doesn't matter which octave either note is, it just matters that your very first and very last notes are each an F.
Playing in C Locrian Mode is, thus, not at all the same thing as playing in the key of C. You are playing the notes of the D major scale, not the notes of the C major scale. You're just playing them in a certain way.
Advanced guitar players know the great importance of understanding the intervalic relationship between a given mode's notes. The intervals for the Locrian Mode take this form Root, flatted 2nd , flatted 3rd ,major 4th ,flatted 5th , flatted 6th, flatted 7th . So, if you played C Locrian, which is in the key of D, you would play C, D, E, F, G, A, B, C'.
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 playing the C Locrian mode within song written in D. You can probably hear in your head how different it would sound than if you just played the usual D major scale in that song.
The Locrian Mode is not used very much, in truth. There are differing theories as to why. It might be that the Locrian Mode, as it is based on the Leading Tone, is too "suggestive of" the Ionian Mode and thus loses effectiveness. It's also thought that the Locrian Mode sounds so much like the Phrygian Mode that it's barely distinguishable and, so, why should a guitar player learn or use both when Phrygian is so popular?
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.
Playing in the Locrian Mode, to put it simply, entails starting and ending a solo or lead break on the 7th note of the "normal" scale. This is the scale that indicates the key that you're playing in. So, if you were playing in the key of G, and you desire to play a solo in Locrian, you'll begin and end the solo on the F note. It doesn't matter which octave either note is, it just matters that your very first and very last notes are each an F.
Playing in C Locrian Mode is, thus, not at all the same thing as playing in the key of C. You are playing the notes of the D major scale, not the notes of the C major scale. You're just playing them in a certain way.
Advanced guitar players know the great importance of understanding the intervalic relationship between a given mode's notes. The intervals for the Locrian Mode take this form Root, flatted 2nd , flatted 3rd ,major 4th ,flatted 5th , flatted 6th, flatted 7th . So, if you played C Locrian, which is in the key of D, you would play C, D, E, F, G, A, B, C'.
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 playing the C Locrian mode within song written in D. You can probably hear in your head how different it would sound than if you just played the usual D major scale in that song.
The Locrian Mode is not used very much, in truth. There are differing theories as to why. It might be that the Locrian Mode, as it is based on the Leading Tone, is too "suggestive of" the Ionian Mode and thus loses effectiveness. It's also thought that the Locrian Mode sounds so much like the Phrygian Mode that it's barely distinguishable and, so, why should a guitar player learn or use both when Phrygian is so popular?
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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