Description
In this week’s guitar lesson, you’ll learn how to play a jam band style lead (think Jerry Garcia) by using the Mixolydian scale. This solo has a few “outside” licks and I’ll show you where they come from so that you can use them in any key going forward.
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There is a mistake at 11:37 – the Mixolydian scale diagram that I put on screen. That last note (on the high E string) should have been on the 5th fret (A note), not A flat!
Yeah I caught that one. It took me a sec while following along lol
Gerry’s back! Love it. I’ll try to work it out on the acoustic first, but I have a feeling it will be better on the telly.
I like it! Thanks Brian another great sound. Can’t wait to learn it!
I really enjoy these lessons, so easy to move along. Thanks Brian!
Lots of cool trip o lets. awesome.
Very authentic sounding. Great vibe. Thanks for the challenge
This is a lot of fun. I need to use this scale more. I saw Jerry Garcia frequently in San Francisco during the 60’s and 70’s.
Great lesson. One of the best, really enjoyed it.
Great lesson, Brian. It really forces you to navigate and connect all those CAGED shapes. Identifying and hearing intervals also helps. The licks are totally transferable to the chord changes of a major blues.
John
Right out of the gate I am happy but confused (I love Jerry’s style!). WHY ISN’T THIS SONG CONSIDERED D major starting on the V chord?
D major scale played over the V chord is technically D mixolydian right? Please answer… I am on the verge of figuring this out…I think LOL.
I think the Dead started a lot of their songs on the V chord …
Daniel,I’m not an expert but this is what I think is going on. Mixolydian is the 5th mode. A is the V chord of D, so yes Amixo is the D major scale. But you start on the A note. Probably target different notes too, but that’s beyond my knowledge. Hopefully someone can confirm.
The tonal center is A – so to me, the song is in A. I would never describe that as being a song in the key of D. That said, you could play the D major scale (which is the same notes as A Mixolydian)
Hi Daniel, Welcome to the world of modes! Yes, they can be confusing, but it’s useful to remember that for most music covered on this site it’ll be mainly only Dorian and Mixolydian to worry about.
You say, ‘D major scale played over the V chord is technically D Mixolydian?’ No.
If you take the D major scale: D E F# G A BC#.
Now think of each note as a Modal centre.
Start with D and that set of notes is D Ionian or the D major scale. Start with E – play through the notes and end on E and you are playing E Dorian. Start with F# it’s F# Phrygian; G is Lydian; A Mixolydian; B – Aeolian (or the relative minor of D); C# Locrian. The pattern for all major scales is: 1 Ionian, 2 Dorian, 3 Phrygian, 4 Lydian, 5 Mixolydian, 6 Aeolian, 7 Locrian.
If you want to hear the sound of the modes it’s best to play them against a chord for context. So, play a E minor or drone an E note and play the notes E F# G A B C# D E and you will hear E Dorian. Mixolydian (A B C# D E F# G) can be played over an A or A7 for context.
So, D Mixolydian would be the fifth mode of G Major. It would have the same notes as G major but start on the D: D E F# G A B C
You can also think of Mixolydian as the Major Scale but with a flattened seventh, as Brian explains. A Mixolydian has that G (the flattened seventh). D Mixolydian a C note.
As for the song being in D Major or A Mixolydian: the D chord appears but it’s fairly fleeting, the song starts and ends on the A chord and the melody/solo centres back on that A note constantly and contains a lot of A major going to G major – so it’s solidly in A Mixolydian.
If this is still confusing don’t worry, it’ll click at some point. I find the Modal Circle of Fifths a really really handy tool – just search online and you should find an image that looks like a circle with different coloured rings.
I hope that’s all correct (I’m no expert either) and helps in some small way…but I still get confused at times and have to sit and work it all out again!
Sorry, just to add – the song is solidly in A Mixolydian for Part 1! In part 2, there’s a key change into…..D Mixolydian.
Finally, and then I will shut up, it’s best to think of the A chord of A Mixolydian as the 1 chord of that mode (not the V of D). Those Dead songs are starting on the I chord…of the Mixolydian mode.
So A Mixolydian harmonised becomes: I: A Major; ii: B minor; iii: C#dim; IV: D Major; v Emin; vi: F#min; VII Gmajor. Notice, it’s the same chords that make up D Major, but the relationship has changed. In Major/Ionian mode it’s the familiar: I ii iii IV V vi viidim. In Mixolydian it’s I ii iiidim IV v vi VII.
When you add the harmonised 7ths for Mixolydian you get:
I7 iim7 iii7b5 IVmaj7 ivm7 vim7 VIImaj7
I welcome any corrections.
Hi Brian, nice lesson, but there was one wrong note in your upper A Mixolydian Box! It should end on the A but it did end on G#.
I think all the members were clever enough to see that. I like this mixing of major, minor, mixolydian a lot and will work it out, thanx
fantastic lesson. some year ago you did a very clear lesson on modes and this helped me understand where the notes from this lesson come from…
always a great job Brian
Challenging to say the least. But it’s a breakthrough.
This lesson takes us beyond the Major pentatonic scale. Focusing on the major third and flat 7, all over the neck, is an interesting way to initiate ourselves to the Mixolydian mode. If this lesson is popular, a minor pentatonic scale + Dorian mode lesson might be an interesting follow-up to EP625. Great stuff!
Wow, this one knocked the wind out of me. Jerry is hard to touch. With this I think you’ve gotten closer than anyone else I’ve heard, and I’ve heard a lot.
I’m super interested to learn how you figured out some of those more convoluted “loopy” Jerry licks. I’m guessing developing one’s ear for the Mixolydian scale up and down would be key, then playing scale patterns off the back of that knowledge.
More please! – Mark H
Thanks Brian, fun lesson to play. Maybe do a lesson on Steve Cropper’s style
Gone, but not forgotten, thanks Brian
Good explanations. This is the easiest way to learn music for me. I have loads of books but never got too far with them-too much work and no fun. Your compositions really motivate.
I keep hearing top gears theme tune/Fleetwood mac! The Chain
Interesting example of Garcia in “all along the watchtower” on Dylan & the Dead album. but it has 3 chords.
You bet, good stuff. I’ll sure come back to this one. I’ve got too many saved now.== Tune made me think of Dickey Betts too. Thanks buddy
This really captured the essence of the Dead. Good stuff Brian.
Hey Brian, A and G major immediately makes me think of the 4th and 5th of D major, and when I play this scale off the d on the A string, it includes the G note. But I have just started to look at this lesson…
Hey Brian, all your lessons are great but I want you to know that this one particularly resonated with me
I’ve always marveled at how Jerry would suddenly play something totally unexpected and then bring it back to something familiar. This is the first time anyone has explained how it’s done.
Finally got to this lesson and it was great. I really enjoyed how you demonstrate and explain how the Mixolydian and pentatonic scales interact. The funny thing is, I still am surprised when I have those light bulb moments. For example when you explained about building licks off the D shape (or C Shape) I realize where the 3rd and 5th are, thinking to myself why didn’t I realize that a long time ago. So now I always know where the 3 and 5 are in relation to any CAGED shape position and can create licks much easier thanks to you.
Brian,
Totally Awesome Lesson! Best explanation I’ve heard for how to get “outside” and use some of those colors in Jerry’s palette! I’m on to EP589!
great composition, stretching out of the chords to the b7 and soloing around that also, very cool sound, very mixolydian
Brian, really great solo. I’m learning the licks of the first 7 bars. But, what confuses me is the chord progression A, G, D of the backing track. Can I use those mixolydian licks with another 12 bar blues backing track in the future (A7, D7, E7) ? Or some notes will clashes and I need to use it only for that kind of A, G, D progression ? Thanks
Thanks Brian, for explaining how Jerry G. got that strange and unique sound of his. It’s VERY easy to underestimate his playing but VERY difficult to replicate. I loved his pedal-steel playing, as well.
Lots of content. Had to go back to 589 and spend some weekends there before attempting this. Love it
Hi Brian!
I always learn so much in your lessons, but this lesson was absolutely amazing.
There was so much information, I decided to start annotating your PDF sheet so that I could go back and retain it better.
Thanks for all that you do!
This is such a good solo! Hard! The timings of nailing the triplets are particularly difficult for me. Lots of counting
This one’s tough.
Dead fans can use lots of these licks over the chorus section of “DEAL” because it uses the same progression. Sounds great!
This is great Brian! My fingers couldn’t stop dancing! Really opened some doors. Thanks.
Wow, this is a tough one for me, great sounding thou!!
Brian, I can’t begin to tell you how much fun, I’m having playing this lesson, my first of the New Year. It makes me feel so accomplished playing this. I don’t know why. Maybe it’s conjuring Jerry with your Slant to it. My Tele is singing on this!! Thank You!!
Todd Brennan
Thanks for this one. Challenging, but so rewarding. That “Tony Rice” inspired lick is soo tasty.