Re: What's this jazz about the modes?


<g@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:1127937301.178974.184800@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
[snip]
>
> Does anyone here really think in those terms while they play a solo? A
> different mode for every measure in my example? And what step in the
> mode the B note is? I don't generally even think of named scales at
> all, even though the notes I use may largely be chosen from them. This
> wasn't always so, of course. I learned what I know over time, and I am
> still learning.

Well, If I play some Rock tune - take R.O.C.K. in the U.S.A. by John
whatever his name is this year - chords are E, A, D, A thorughout - I'll
play in E mixolydian. Some people I know say, hey that's A major and just
play "in A" (of course they usually try to end and begin patterns on A,
which doesn't work so well). If it's a classic rock tune that's dm, C, G/B C
throughout, I can use D dorian. but, as soon as it's Cream's "White Room"
you get, dm, C, G/B Bb C, etc. Obviously we're out of the "one scale/mode
per piece" idea. You have to start making chord by chord decisions (or I do
anyways). I don't play more "jazzy" type tunes where it's constantly
changing key, or chords are not diatonic to any one scale/mode necessarily.
But in Blues tunes I do typically think about hitting C E G Bb and
connecting them with D Eb F F# and A to make a "blues" scale. But even with
that, I don't just "run a scale" over the 12 bar progression. Having a
"scale" that's C D Eb E F F# G A Bb (B) as a blues scale isn't that helpful
unless you start putting the Eb on the IV7 chord, and the En on the I7
chord. Think of the En as the 6 of the V7 chord and so on.



>
> I can see the utility of describing La Fiesta as being based on the
> Phrygian mode. I can also see how exploring composition in a mode other
> than our usual Major and minor could provide a different perspective.
> I'm just unconvinced about the need to think in modal terms to
> improvise a melody over chords.

You might want to is, say your chord progression was dm7 to ebm7 throughout.
Eb Dorian will capture the C and Db, but not the D and F of the dm7. Dorian
over both (i.e. moving between them) might work as well as trying to find a
single "scale" or set which includes all of the notes.

I'd say, as I always do, depends on the context!

Steve


.

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