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How to Use Modes (Part 1 of 2) – The Major Scale in 5 CAGED Positions – Guitar Lesson EP374

Description

This is Part 1 of a 2 Part lesson series on modes. You’ll not only learn what modes are, but you’ll learn how to find them and use them when you play lead to create different moods. In this first part, we’ll start with the major scale and how to find it in 5 positions on the neck (connecting it to the CAGED System).

Part 1 - Free Guitar Lesson

Part 2 - For Premium Members

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Slow Walk-Through

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Video Tablature Breakdown

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Comments

  1. Michael Allen says

    August 14, 2020 at 6:24 pm

    Happy Lesson Friday! Thank you for always finding something we all need to learn and use. Thanks Brian

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    • Jerry G says

      August 18, 2020 at 12:36 pm

      I am familiar with the major scale but never thought it connect to the cage system. Thank a lot for this lesson.

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  2. Alex says

    August 14, 2020 at 7:20 pm

    Thank you for this lesson, Brian. Something about this reminds me of the soundtrack to Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid! I think it may be the backing track more than lead.

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    • Alex says

      August 14, 2020 at 7:29 pm

      You could get a job on the side, composing tv and movie soundtracks. I say on the side, because I don’t want to lose my teacher!

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      • Brian says

        August 15, 2020 at 12:05 am

        Thanks Alex

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  3. Tony says

    August 14, 2020 at 7:27 pm

    Good lesson, very informative.

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  4. Ray B says

    August 14, 2020 at 8:09 pm

    Well, it’s clear to me so far. Looking forward to next week

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  5. San Luis Rey says

    August 14, 2020 at 9:35 pm

    You must have been reading my mind. I was about to go look up some notes from private lessons years ago on modes. Not that I’m such a huge theory guy but just felt it was time to inject something into my playing vocab. (-:

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  6. madams says

    August 14, 2020 at 10:11 pm

    Should there be a blue dot on the B note (7th fret 1st string) for the D chord shape?

    Good lesson.

    Michael

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    • Brian says

      August 15, 2020 at 12:05 am

      You can make the D chord that way yes, I can’t do it with my fingers so I just make it without that note

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      • madams says

        August 15, 2020 at 9:33 am

        Thank you, Brian. Makes sense. As you have taught, I believe, when you use CAGED in a practical way, it makes sense to play parts of the patterns.

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  7. PJR says

    August 15, 2020 at 1:17 am

    Thanks for more gold Brian. Those notes sound so good together, especially when allowed to ring out. The spaces will also help me play it sooner. Looking forward to next week for more.

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  8. JohnStrat says

    August 15, 2020 at 1:27 am

    The very points I am trying to get to know. I am sure by the end of next week it will all be fully laid out clear and concise.
    It an important step I am sure.
    Thanks
    JohnStrat

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  9. Jaime says

    August 15, 2020 at 4:13 am

    Thanks for this lesson! This is a great continuation from the previous ones, I was about to try applying the major scale to CAGED positions and you just made it much easier!

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  10. Tremelow says

    August 15, 2020 at 5:45 am

    I am very glad that you are picking up the subject of modes, Brian. The major scale is not new to me, but I always know that you have way more to tell than just showing us the scale or mode. I always (bold and underscored) learn something from each lesson and am very much looking forward to Part 2 next week!

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  11. Allan says

    August 15, 2020 at 7:00 am

    Very melodic Brian love the peace of it looking forward to next part exellent.

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  12. Raymond P says

    August 15, 2020 at 9:19 am

    I really enjoy the detail in your lessons that you patiently teach us the how and why things work. Great lesson.

    Thanks Brian,

    Ray P

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  13. Guido Clericus Vagans says

    August 15, 2020 at 10:13 am

    I’m a little confused. IMO, if you are in the key of G, and you’re playing a F# note over a C chord, you are simply using a note of the G scale because for me you’re in the key of G, that has F#, and you are not changing mode, but simply create a tension that resolves in the third of the C chord (E). It would be a shift to C lydian mode, by playing a F# note in the lead, if you were in the key of C. So was what I was thinking to have learned until now, but may be I was wrong.

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    • Brian says

      August 15, 2020 at 2:57 pm

      Just learn the major scale this week – I’ll clarify modes next week

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  14. Vernon says

    August 15, 2020 at 10:24 am

    Am I correct? Nothing changed at all in regard to the G major scale pattern, regardless of position on the neck. What changed were the songs chords. The starting note within the G major scale melody gave us Mixolydian, Lydian, etc. So it’s really the starting note within the G major scale that gave us the unique sound/mode. Does that sound right?

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    • Les Brown says

      August 18, 2020 at 3:11 pm

      Yup. That’s exactly it. So “D Mixolydian” is just the G major scale played over a D chord (OR, “starting and ending on” D). ALTHOUGH, as Brian put it, you don’t HAVE to start and end on the note, “D”. You just have to have that chord behind the G major scale. This was a huge “AHA” moment for me, too.

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  15. David E says

    August 15, 2020 at 10:32 am

    Thank you so much Brian -another fabulous lightbulb moment that no other teacher has explained so well. I just love your approach to teaching. especially using the CAGED system. I love your melodic compositions. You are a complete inspiration and you have resurrected my love of guitar playing. I have been lost in the music doldrums for years. I wish I was twenty one again to learn everything you have to teach. But hey, I found you now!!!

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  16. Cardo says

    August 15, 2020 at 10:42 am

    There’s a lot of content here to digest and I’m glad that I’ve got enough theory under my belt to understand it. You go through it very quickly and I would think many players would get frustrated pretty quickly, although the play-along is easy to follow. A key point I think is important: To really hear the modal sound it’s necessary to play the scale over the appropriate accompaniment, that is, music that centers on a scale pitch other than the “one”. Just playing the scale by itself won’t reveal the modal sonic quality. Although you touch on this I think it needs to be emphasized. Studying modes can really feel like what you call “getting into the weeds”, so relating modes to popular songs is good because it gives us something to relate to, other than just digesting the theory. I’ve been playing guitar for about twelve years now and I’m finally getting around to really being able to play the major scale all over the fretboard and I like your suggestion to tie it to the CAGED shapes. Pentatonics are great, but the major scale is fundamental to everything and as you point out, adding two more notes drastically expands the “palette”. My question is how do you determine whether a song’s melody is modal and which mode it is? Is it all by ear or is there a system? I’ve always simply thought as songs being either major or minor and now I see it’s more complicated than that.

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    • Brian says

      August 15, 2020 at 2:52 pm

      You’re getting a little ahead here – as I mention in the video – the goal of this weeks’ lesson is just the major scale… NEXT week I will go into the modal stuff. I touched on it briefly in this one, but will do a deep dive next week

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      • Cardo says

        August 15, 2020 at 2:58 pm

        Great, thanks! I really appreciate your ability to keep the theory useful.

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  17. Frank N says

    August 15, 2020 at 1:58 pm

    Brian, fantastic lesson. I echo the sentiments of my fellow guitar travelers and want you to know how clear your lessons are making the path for all of us. Light bulbs are going on all over the place. Thank you very much for your clear explanations of what I had always thought was unobtainable.

    Frank N

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  18. rickwallenbrock says

    August 15, 2020 at 5:19 pm

    Great Stuff Brian. Thanks. Yes the yellow outline on the root notes is a bit hard to see on my screen. No big deal but thought I would let you know.

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  19. David G says

    August 15, 2020 at 5:26 pm

    Brian, thanks so much for responding to our encouragement to do some modal lessons. This week’s clearly demonstrates that we don’t necessarily need to play a lot of notes to do some interesting things. After working through it and playing major and modal scales up and down the fingerboard, I was inspired to listen again to Maddy Prior and June Tabor singing “The Old Miner” and play along tentatively with Dan Ar Bras’s great solo on that tune. Next, maybe I’ll get back into Martin Carthy and some modal tunings! You’re an inspiration! The one-pager of scales in the five positions is also great as a visual aid. One additional thought: you have a bit in the premium section this week about transitioning from one position to another to continue the scale up or down the fingerboard. More work on that technical bit would be helpful some day.

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  20. Denise says

    August 16, 2020 at 1:57 am

    What an easy way to explain the modes AND to integrate them directly into your playing!
    Denise

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  21. itaylor says

    August 16, 2020 at 5:15 am

    This is so useful. That way of going up and down the neck in the scale through the CAGED chord shapes will really help.

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  22. brian b says

    August 16, 2020 at 8:06 am

    This is a fabulous lesson. I have known the E shape forever. Now see the importance of memorizing the B string for the C shape. The question I have is understanding the minor keys in relation to this. The blues are usually Gm Cm Dm correct? I thought in E position you play Gm leads off the 3rd fret and G major leads off the nut. Very confusing.

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    • Brian says

      August 16, 2020 at 2:59 pm

      I think you’re confusing the major scale with the pentatonic scales. This lesson is only about the major scale – next week you’ll see how you can play in a minor key using the same scale… but I think you’re talking about playing the minor pentatonic scale.

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  23. David G says

    August 16, 2020 at 12:12 pm

    Hi, Brian. I was just thinking the other day that it would be great if you did a lesson on modes — and then you did! Great timing. Thanks!

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  24. Charles C says

    August 16, 2020 at 1:02 pm

    Beautiful. Reminds me of Bill Frisell.

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  25. japie says

    August 17, 2020 at 3:03 am

    Hi Brian,

    Your composition is very nice but the timing / counting is very difficult!
    Do you have a suggestion to solve this problem?

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  26. nostril says

    August 17, 2020 at 3:51 am

    Thanks Brian! I’m really enjoying noodling around with the notes on the scale charts .Hopefully they will stick in the noodle.
    Many thanks

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  27. Greg B says

    August 17, 2020 at 1:59 pm

    Hi Brian,

    Really great lesson. Thank you.

    I have a guitar tangent I hope you’ll be interested in. My first Strat arrived and it’s a 1950’s style two tone sunburst of very similar appearance you yours in the lesson. The interesting part and what makes it unusual is that I played it for just maybe an hour and then handed it straight to my friend Larry, who is a superb guitar tech. He did his normal magic on the neck, frets and intonation. But the reason I’m writing is that he changed the pickups and altered the controls. The pickups are made by Lindy Fralin but to Larry’s spec’s. They are wound differently and the magnets are a bit different too. The bridge pickup is a P90. The center control isn’t tone on the middle pickup anymore. It’s a blend knob, blending the bridge pickup in for all the other combination of selector settings. So for the 5th setting (bridge only) you can use the center control to dial in some neck pickup for as much of that warmth as you like. I wasn’t prepared for how amazing it would sound. It isn’t strictly conventional but the tones and versatility are astounding. Hats off to great techs everywhere, especially the extra special ones. And to Lindy, for the tone.

    Best,

    Greg

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  28. taijitu says

    August 17, 2020 at 2:48 pm

    What a sweet sound. Thanks for another cool lesson, Brian!

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  29. Steven B says

    August 17, 2020 at 7:04 pm

    Well if a real teacher would give you a slap that must make you an unreal teacher which is preferable !

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  30. Buster89 says

    August 17, 2020 at 10:59 pm

    Grea track to practice major scale ! Thanks Brian.

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  31. simplydelboy says

    August 18, 2020 at 4:46 am

    I think this is the finest explanation I’ve seen on modes. It’s also totally released my fingers when soloing over any major key. Genius!!

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  32. Lawrence S says

    August 18, 2020 at 6:07 am

    great lesson. Always so much to take away and practice. Also a great explanaton of the modes amidst all the confusion most folk seem to have.

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  33. Gary Wilshaw says

    August 18, 2020 at 9:15 am

    I absolutely love this Brian, thank you – just about to post my little version on ‘showcase’! I’m interested in modes but have many blindspots.

    On anther topic – I’d love to see how you laid down this backing track. I know it’s a ‘simple’ I,III, IV – but it’s so full & rounded – fantastic.
    Thanks again
    Gary

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    • Gary Wilshaw says

      August 18, 2020 at 9:15 am

      *IV!

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    • slomic says

      August 19, 2020 at 3:55 pm

      He played the, I (G) – IV (C) – V (D) progression, not a I – III, IV!

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  34. Les Brown says

    August 18, 2020 at 2:50 pm

    Thanks for opening another important door in the modes for me. I learned the “starting and ending note” thing a long time ago, and would play against a droning note to get the modal feel, but how much more useful is it when I understand (now) that the CHORD makes the droning sound. I wasn’t smart enough to just pick this obvious relationship on my own, and am so glad AGAIN that I joined your website.

    This lesson is everything you promised it would be.

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  35. Rambalin' Rose says

    August 18, 2020 at 3:38 pm

    The print out is really helpful, THANKS!! Also, the solo has a Hank Marvin sound. Love it!

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  36. Nasti P says

    August 18, 2020 at 4:58 pm

    Very good at explaining. thank you so much.

    Now we hope that in the next lesson we will be explained once and for all how these Modes are used.
    There is a lot of confusion on the Internet, there are many people who want to teach but unfortunately they do a lot of harm to serious people who want to study.
    Thanks again for what you are doing with the hope that you always remain so in explaining.

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  37. Noshan G says

    August 18, 2020 at 9:00 pm

    Modes,Aha! Getting slowly into my mind.Waiting for next week.I think we need to have a different category under”Singer songwrite style” on the left list under the category list.Just a thought.

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  38. Philip E says

    August 19, 2020 at 5:14 am

    Where do I find the pdf file you refer to Brian?

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    • Les Brown says

      August 19, 2020 at 9:21 am

      At the top of the page in the brown box that says Download Tablature — Scale (five positions)

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  39. Les Brown says

    August 19, 2020 at 9:25 am

    So I played the harmonized chords in G major up the scale (G, Am, Bm, C, D, Em, Fdim) into my looper in a rhythmic fashion, and then jammed to it using only the G major scale, shifting positions up the neck. It was a great ear training session for me, Thanks to you. We all really appreciate your lessons!!!

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  40. abraxas1 says

    August 19, 2020 at 11:27 am

    Thanks again Brian. this is great stuff. makes learning the major scale more interesting when tied together with the CAGED system, and also learning both at the same time.

    And the notation in your fretboard tabulature is fantastic. much information without being overwhelming.
    and i love the thickness of the strings. immediately know which way we’re looking at the fretboard.
    printed it right out and put it on my wall.

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  41. Andy D says

    August 19, 2020 at 12:41 pm

    fantastic as always, Brian. This opens up new areas.

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  42. brian w says

    August 19, 2020 at 2:12 pm

    Can you explain the flatted 7th you’re referencing. It’s probably a simple concept but I’m missing it.
    Thanks

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    • Brian says

      August 19, 2020 at 2:17 pm

      in the next lesson (EP375)

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  43. mritalian says

    August 19, 2020 at 6:37 pm

    I thunk I have it. Wonderful lesson, can’t wait until this Friday. Man your right Brian this was a lightbulb moment, can’t wait until we jump into the minor modes.. Keep up the great work

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  44. Rickie L says

    August 21, 2020 at 5:47 am

    In part 2 EP 374 Modes, the video is frozen at the beginning (bar E) also, the yellow dot on the G’s didn’t come out on the PDF. I have had issues with my router before on active melody, probably what’s going on here. I’ll try to go through it later in the day. This is a lesson that will benefit me, big time. Thanks Brian

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  45. thomas w says

    August 21, 2020 at 11:01 am

    Hi Brian, I have been a member for a few years, but never made a comment. I enjoy your lessons a great deal and have advanced some in my playing as well. This particular lesson is quite interesting to my ear because it has the sound I seem to be always searching for. I grew up a blues, souther rock, kicking country guy that my opportunities to gig were bluegrass. So thats weird but diverse. Now I play in my church worship band. It’s a mix of stuff but a fair amount of contemporary worship music. That’s not in my bag of tricks, for the most part my stuff comes out sounding country rock. A decent reverb pedal has helped my tone some. I am grateful for this lesson as it will help me right now where I’m at. I am looking forward to the next lesson with great anticipation also. Any future material that would deal directly with the modern christian worship sound would be great. Its not a style that comes easy for guys like me, it’s laid back spacey style is not my natural way.

    Keep up the good work, what you are doing matters in this crazy world.

    Blessings to you and your family.

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  46. william W says

    August 21, 2020 at 11:15 am

    Brian
    Did this in the early 70’s in the London collage of Music exams in classical guitar. Forgot most of it as the years went by. Since I have been loving my guitar practice again with your lessons a lot is coming back, keep going and stay safe in these times.
    Loving my guitars after all these years.
    William(Bill) UK

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  47. CC says

    August 21, 2020 at 1:53 pm

    Lovin’ this lesson. Is it essential to memorize all 5 positions?…could take a bit…lol

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    • CC says

      August 21, 2020 at 2:10 pm

      Disregard. Got my answer…….(I meant all the notes in the five positions)…answer was YES!!

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  48. Ma Z says

    August 24, 2020 at 12:28 pm

    Sorry, but I still do not know what it is all about.

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  49. Andre H says

    August 26, 2020 at 10:59 am

    Brian, thanks for these 2 modes lessons. These are great. One question: why do you say that play in C Lydian here? You do not necessarily start all little riffs with a C note and the tension with the F# note is also there with D mixolydian. Thanks, Andre

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  50. Raymond H says

    August 28, 2020 at 2:23 pm

    Excellent lesson with a very helpful handout, thank you!

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  51. Roy E says

    December 11, 2020 at 11:01 am

    Thanks Guitar Guru, that’s what I been needing keep’em coming Bro.

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  52. steve k says

    February 24, 2021 at 6:38 pm

    You are my favorite online teacher. However, you sure are windy. You spend so much time on individual notes. To me, that is what the tab is for. I don’t mean to be critical. You do a fine job, I know most people will disagree with me. I have been attempting to play for twenty years. I realize I am thick but I am so close. I am searching all your lessons, daily. Looking for that one that will drag me over. Thanks, I guess I just needed to vent. SK

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