Practicing Modes.
A great finger-stretching exercise too!
When playing eighth-notes and sixteenth-notes, always remember to use alternate picking. It will absolutely improve your technique.
The “A Locrian” Mode.
Check out the first six lessons in this series: “A Ionian”, “A Dorian”, “A Phrygian”, “A Lydian”, “A Mixolydian” and the “A Aeolian”.
The “Locrian” mode is not only a minor scale, it is known as a “diminished” mode. That means that the Locrian mode is a minor scale with a flatted 5th (v°), opposed to a Perfect 5th (V).
The “Locrian” mode has a “minor 2nd”, a “minor 3rd“, a “diminished 5th”, a “minor 6th” and a “dominant 7th”.
Below is the key of “Bb major”, but the root starts at the “A” note. This means that “A” is the 7th note in the key of “Bb major”. It also means that this is called the “A Locrian” mode.
Look at it as the “Bb major” scale, but instead of playing the scale as:
Bb - C - D - Eb - F - G - A
the root note begins at “A”:
A - Bb - C - D - Eb - F - G
The notes in this exercise all exist between frets 5 and 8. Think of it as a four-fret frame. Each finger will play at least two notes in this exercise.
Below is another way to look at the exact same scale as above, only from the perspective of the “Roman numerical” placements on the fretboard.
Notice, the “Locrian” mode structure has three minor positions, a diminished fifth and a dominant 7th: “ii, iii, v°, vi and vii”.
I - *ii - *iii - IV - *v - *vi - *vii
Here is how you practice this scale.
Make sure you set your metronome at 60-70bpm to start. As you get better with the scale, slowly increase the tempo until you can play it clean and correct at 90bpm. Remember to use the proper finger placements for technique.
That is it for this series on modal scales.
I hope that you have a better understanding of how to play modes and also use them as finger stretching exercises. Each mode is unique in it’s sound, colors and harmonic textures. Being more familiar with practicing modal scales, will help you to get better in learning how to play melodies and WAY more interesting improvisation.
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Dave