For this lesson we’ll be focusing on two tonal centers: C Major and A Natural Minor. The above diagram is what I use in this lesson’s video and is color coded so that we can see where all of these notes, chords, and modes come from.
Below you’ll find charts that line up with the above diagram for the piano and guitar. Start with what you know about the C Major and A Natural Minor scales (in blue) and then mix in some of the parallel modes (in red). Continue to experiment by adding in other parallel modes (in green), Harmonic Major and Minor (in purple), and Melodic Minor (in pink).
From there it is up to you to start mixing in what you feel could sound great. Try playing A Natural Minor (in blue), but change C Ionian to be C Lydian for one bar. Both Ionian and Lydian have a Maj7 chord, but C Ionian has the note F and C Lydian has an F#. This one momentary change is not in the above chart, but Lydian is. What could you do with a C Lydian chord in A Natural Minor? Where can that take you?
Use the above diagram as a map and find your own path. See where it leads you and make slight adjustments as you see fit. If you find yourself having a hard time using notes like Eb in C Major, then play that Eb in a higher octave than your chord and in the next bar don’t play E or Eb. Leaving out tense notes for a bar can let the other notes make sense of that tension for you.
As always, if you have any questions then please leave them in the comments. Thanks and have fun!
These piano charts show you notes, degrees, and are color coded to help you see how the scales we can use overlap.
The “shape” of the guitar charts are all derived from the Chromatic Scale shown below. There are many ways for guitar players to overlap one scale with another, so these charts keep the modes separate so that you can better see how the Chromatic Scale pattern fits over any other scale or mode.
The modes in the following diagrams are just like the C Major Scale modes, but with one note altered. That altered note is highlighted.
The borrowed modes shown below are just like the C Major Scale modes, but are from other keys that use the notes C and/or A. Notice how the degrees and line up with the mode needed no matter what the name of the note is.
Let's Play Music #17