My first exposure to modes went something like “the Dorian mode is when you play a major scale, but start on its second note.” Sound familiar? It’s how a lot of us were taught, and because of that, it’s how a lot of us have continued to teach modes. While the statement above is technically true, I don’t think it gives jazz performers the info they really need to apply these valuable sounds. In this New View, we’ll look at:
- The quality of each mode; is it major, dominant, or minor
- The alterations needed to create each mode (how to get C dorian from C major)
- What types of chords work best with each mode
- What types of chord progressions work best with each mode
I suggest you start by checking out the short New View of the Modes Intro video. Then, download the New View of the Modes overview pdf. You can look that over as you watch the New View of the Modes Overview video. All the links are below. (Trust me, it’s worth it to do these first!) I will be adding specific pages for each mode over the next few weeks. And we’ll be covering modes of other scales too. Ready?