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Modes: FINALLY Explained!

BOOG

BOOG

Dec 13, 2016
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Cleveland, Ohio
#1
The attached video was about the one and only bit of instruction I've found after four years of searching and researching that unlocked the secrets of modal progressions.
Many many thanks to Pebber Brown for his efforts of putting this together and distributing it. My favorite Pebber Moment is between 17:00-17:25. I hope others can find it useful.
 
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#2
Well, not to be a poop, but that's a half hour of life I'll never get back. He did a complete (albeit greatly redundant) job of saying WHAT the modes are, and how they are formed, but did nothing to explain how they are used.
Sure there's a the 'mixolydian over V7" and 'aeolian over minor". but how can you use them in something besides a modal jam or a blues progression. How do you use a modal concept on "Autumn Leaves" or "Blue Skies"?
He said the same things hundreds of other teacher say about modes. He can play fast though.
 
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#4
Cutting to why do we use modes. IMO ---- modes are moods of a scale. If you want a mood, play the mode that gives that mood. Most songs have one mood, so pick the mode that gives that specific mood. Don't get trapped playing a different mode for each chord in the progression.

Ionian is the same as the Major scale which gives an upbeat happy sound. Ionian will give you that also. So are you going to play Ionian or the major scale. Ionian is modal and the major scale is tonal. Tonal resolves from I to V. Modal does not resolve, there is no I-V resolution.

For modal, we pick the mode that gives the mood we want and then play that mode over a modal vamp. Vamps drone on so the modal sound can develop.

If that gives a different look-see let Google find the rest of the story for you.
 
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#6
BassChuck said:
Well, not to be a poop, but that's a half hour of life I'll never get back. He did a complete (albeit greatly redundant) job of saying WHAT the modes are, and how they are formed, but did nothing to explain how they are used.
Sure there's a the 'mixolydian over V7" and 'aeolian over minor". but how can you use them in something besides a modal jam or a blues progression. How do you use a modal concept on "Autumn Leaves" or "Blue Skies"?
He said the same things hundreds of other teacher say about modes. He can play fast though.
Click to expand...
The value of the video is that Pebber clearly illustrates and articulates how each mode is constructed within one key.
See @BassChuck ,up until watching this particular video I kind of understood it but had not found a clearly defined formula. To me, it is important and I assume there are others looking for the same information and answers.
I'm sorry it wasn't of any value to you.
 
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#7
BOOG said:
The value of the video is that Pebber clearly illustrates and articulates how each mode is constructed within one key.
See @BassChuck ,up until watching this particular video I kind of understood it but had not found a clearly defined formula. To me, it is important and I assume there are others looking for the same information and answers.
I'm sorry it wasn't of any value to you.
Click to expand...

And now, armed with that information, what will you do with it?
 
#10
Thuddy Waters said:
Hey! I used to take guitar lessons from Pebber at Styles Music in Pomona California many years ago.
Click to expand...
Very cool! I've watched many of his video recordings from the college he teaches at. Of all the teachers of music (music classes, private teachers, videos and even my father) he is the most consistent, thorough and logically explained. I consider you lucky to have been in his company. He seems like a really good cat with a lot of knowledge and will tirelessly share it if you show a sincere interest in learning.
 
#11
BOOG said:
Very cool! I've watched many of his video recordings from the college he teaches at. Of all the teachers of music (music classes, private teachers, videos and even my father) he is the most consistent, thorough and logically explained. I consider you lucky to have been in his company. He seems like a really good cat with a lot of knowledge and will tirelessly share it if you show a sincere interest in learning.
Click to expand...
Yeah, Pebber knows his stuff and he's a great player. Of all the guitar teachers that I ever took guitar lessons from, he was definitely my favorite.
 
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#14
Your thread has reinspired me to learn the modes and after watching the video you posted, I found this which was even more useful in my way of thinking.

And I believe when most people are learning the modes they need to be redundant and repeated as to grasp the concept.

So I believe that may be why his video was so long that OP posted and didn't leave much room for examples of modes in various styles/genres, which would also just confuse the person learning even more.

That's just my opinion and no one ever listens to what I say anyways so... Lol

 
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#15
RileyGoodenough said:
Your thread has reinspired me to learn the modes and after watching the video you posted, I found this which was even more useful in my way of thinking.

And I believe when most people are learning the modes they need to be redundant and repeated as to grasp the concept.

So I believe that may be why his video was so long that OP posted and didn't leave much room for examples of modes in various styles/genres, which would also just confuse the person learning even more.

That's just my opinion and no one ever listens to what I say anyways so... Lol

Click to expand...

Agreed, on the repeated and redundant point. My approach was to watch and rewatch and then I wrote out all the notes and patterns of whole and half step changes for both parent and parallel progressions. Learning the parent progressions first made sense to my way of thinking. Aside from that I've just been practicing it both ways A LOT. By the end of this weekend of playing it in time I should have it programmed completely. So, next week I'll start working on the context of mood and feel of each mode.
Thanks for posting the video. I'll check it out tonight.
As for your opinion being listened to... I live with a wife, a daughter approaching 20 and two female dogs. In my world nobody listens or cares for my opinion :meh:
 
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