hey all, i dont know much about theory....in theory, but i know what notes usually work with what and can find what key i'm in etc basicly just from alot of jamming and improv, but while i was jamming along to a song called 'thats that' by Snoop Dog, the song is in the key of C, and i found that while i was using the C major Scale i then saw that i could use the A minor scale, so i did and it fit perfectly, so the song is in C and i was jamming to it using the A minor scale, basicly A as the root note instead of C and then i could swop back between A minor and C major and i was open to alot more and it was awsome lol.

is this what modes are? i just learnt the dorian mode but i didnt really understand exactly what todo with it.

edit, ok so, basicly if i'm using the G Major scale, i can use E minor over it and is it pretty much the same for all the notes?

Modes can be used this way, as just fingering patterns to use while playing in a certain key. A minor and C major use the same notes, all natural / no sharps or flats / just the white keys. D Dorian also uses all natural notes.

But really, a mode like Dorian has its own flavor, just like minor and major have their own sound, and it should usually be thought of in this way. C major played at the 10th fret in a D dorian pattern is still C major.

you should check out the

circle of fifths

it tells you which minor has the same note like major. i cant really explain well. just google it or look here on tb. just a short version

maj notes = minor notes
C/Am
G/Em | has 1# which is f#
D/Bm | has 2# which are f# c#
A/F#m |... 3# f# c# g#
E/C#m | ...4# f# c# g# d#
B/G#m | ...5# f# c# g# d# a#
F#/D#m| ...6# f# c# g# d# a# e# (e# would be F obviously.. enharmonic)

F/Dm | has 1b which is Bb
Bb/Gm | has 2b which are Bb Eb
Eb/Cm | ...3b Bb Eb Ab
Ab/Fm | ...4b Bb Eb Ab Db
Db/Bb | ...5b Bb Eb Ab Db Gb
Gb/Eb | ...6b Bb Eb Ab Db Gb Fb (which would be E obviously..)

So that means when the chord that is played is eg Bb you can check the circle of fifths (whilch after a while should be in you brain ;)) and know you could play a Gm over it. because those have the same note in it. which are C,D,Eb,F,G,A,Bb.

hope you could understand that and that it helps. but best thing to do is to check out the net.

for example here's a graphic. but there are better ones..
http://library.thinkquest.org/05aug/01262/Circle_of_fifths.gif

The major keys have a relative minor. And visa versa.
My friend who knows very little theory but is a crazy musician, bye ear... Said to me when I was first starting out... "You know the Major runs into the minor". :confused:

After looking into it a bit I found out an easy way to figure the relative Minor for any major key...

Just find the 6th degree of the scale. And you can start at that note and play the minor scale and it all fits.

Like your example the 6th degree of the C major scale is "A" so you can play A minor... and in turn

If you play the 3rd degree of the a minor scale you get the relative major.

I hope it didn't cause anyone to grit their teeth at my explanation, it's just how I learned the concept.

you should check out the

circle of fifths

it tells you which minor has the same note like major. i cant really explain well. just google it or look here on tb. just a short version

maj notes = minor notes
C/Am
G/Em | has 1# which is f#
D/Bm | has 2# which are f# c#
A/F#m |... 3# f# c# g#
E/C#m | ...4# f# c# g# d#
B/G#m | ...5# f# c# g# d# a#
F#/D#m| ...6# f# c# g# d# a# e# (e# would be F obviously.. enharmonic)

F/Dm | has 1b which is Bb
Bb/Gm | has 2b which are Bb Eb
Eb/Cm | ...3b Bb Eb Ab
Ab/Fm | ...4b Bb Eb Ab Db
Db/Bb | ...5b Bb Eb Ab Db Gb
Gb/Eb | ...6b Bb Eb Ab Db Gb Fb (which would be E obviously..)

So that means when the chord that is played is eg Bb you can check the circle of fifths (whilch after a while should be in you brain ;)) and know you could play a Gm over it. because those have the same note in it. which are C,D,Eb,F,G,A,Bb.

hope you could understand that and that it helps. but best thing to do is to check out the net.

for example here's a graphic. but there are better ones..
http://library.thinkquest.org/05aug/01262/Circle_of_fifths.gif


your first example, C-F# is the cycle of 5ths, your second
F-Gb is the cycle of 4ths

cycle of 5ths is BEADGCFBbEbAbDbGb
cycle of 4ths is CGDAEBF#C#G#D#A#E#(F)

The 6th degree of any major scale is its 'natural minor' aka, the aeolian mode, 1 2 b3 4 5 b6 b7

you can also play the modes starting on the 2nd or 3rd intervals of the scale, being dorian and phrygian, which will give a different sound in relation to the major

thx for your input guys.

so i've been jamming around, and you can use modes to change key, swop from key to key with ease right? i can seem to do this with ease now with this little bit of new knowledge on modes.

also if i'm learning all seven modes around the C major scale. then say i go play those modes around F major, its all still the same modes right, just shitted up