When you begin to learn guitar scales, you learn how to advance your guitar playing. Rock guitar players, as well as jazz guitar players, who learn the music theory behind guitar scales really sound better than those stuck in the blues box. They sound more fluid, more dexterous, and more professional. One way that you as a guitar player who is wanting to learn guitar scales can take your guitar playing to another level is through the learning of modes. Modes are derivatives of "straight" guitar scales (although when you get advanced enough you understand that "straight" guitar scales in and of themselves are modes, too). When you learn scales and modes at the same time, you give yourself a much greater base of knowledge from which to construct songs and solos.
One of the guitar modes to learn is the Locrian Mode. The Locrian Mode is quite similar to the Phrygian Mode, (another guitar scale mode). But when you play the Locrian Mode, there is one note that is different. This one different note makes, well, all the difference in the world.
If you play in the Locrian Mode, you take the "key scale" and start and end a solo or break on the 7th note, rather than the root note. So let's say that you're playing a song in the key of D major. To play a solo in the Locrian Mode, you will begin and end that solo on the note of C. This doesn't mean that it has to be the exact same C note; you can start on one C and end on another one that is two octaves higher, for instance. What matters is the fact of the C notes and their placement at the very start and very end of the solo.
Playing in C Locrian Mode is, thus, not at all the same thing as playing in the key of C. You are playing the notes of the D major scale, not the notes of the C major scale. You're just playing them in a certain way.
Advanced guitar players know the great importance of understanding the intervalic relationship between a given mode's notes. The intervals for the Locrian Mode take this form Root, flatted 2nd , flatted 3rd ,major 4th ,flatted 5th , flatted 6th, flatted 7th . So, if you played C Locrian, which is in the key of D, you would play C, D, E, F, G, A, B, C'.
So let's be perfectly clear if you played C Locrian, you would be playing in the key of D but with the "feeling" of a C major scale. You would "think in" the series C, D, E, F, G, A, B, C'. Those are the notes that you would draw upon.
Imagine if you played the B Locrian mode (or "scale") over top a chord progression in the key of B. You would give a very different feel to the song or piece.
The Locrian Mode is not used very much, in truth. There are differing theories as to why. It might be that the Locrian Mode, as it is based on the Leading Tone, is too "suggestive of" the Ionian Mode and thus loses effectiveness. It's also thought that the Locrian Mode sounds so much like the Phrygian Mode that it's barely distinguishable and, so, why should a guitar player learn or use both when Phrygian is so popular?
So when you set out to learn scales and modes, keep in mind that the Locrian Mode gives you access to some different sounds than you wouldn't be able to conjure by "playing it straight". When you learn guitar scales, don't neglect the Locrian Mode.
One of the guitar modes to learn is the Locrian Mode. The Locrian Mode is quite similar to the Phrygian Mode, (another guitar scale mode). But when you play the Locrian Mode, there is one note that is different. This one different note makes, well, all the difference in the world.
If you play in the Locrian Mode, you take the "key scale" and start and end a solo or break on the 7th note, rather than the root note. So let's say that you're playing a song in the key of D major. To play a solo in the Locrian Mode, you will begin and end that solo on the note of C. This doesn't mean that it has to be the exact same C note; you can start on one C and end on another one that is two octaves higher, for instance. What matters is the fact of the C notes and their placement at the very start and very end of the solo.
Playing in C Locrian Mode is, thus, not at all the same thing as playing in the key of C. You are playing the notes of the D major scale, not the notes of the C major scale. You're just playing them in a certain way.
Advanced guitar players know the great importance of understanding the intervalic relationship between a given mode's notes. The intervals for the Locrian Mode take this form Root, flatted 2nd , flatted 3rd ,major 4th ,flatted 5th , flatted 6th, flatted 7th . So, if you played C Locrian, which is in the key of D, you would play C, D, E, F, G, A, B, C'.
So let's be perfectly clear if you played C Locrian, you would be playing in the key of D but with the "feeling" of a C major scale. You would "think in" the series C, D, E, F, G, A, B, C'. Those are the notes that you would draw upon.
Imagine if you played the B Locrian mode (or "scale") over top a chord progression in the key of B. You would give a very different feel to the song or piece.
The Locrian Mode is not used very much, in truth. There are differing theories as to why. It might be that the Locrian Mode, as it is based on the Leading Tone, is too "suggestive of" the Ionian Mode and thus loses effectiveness. It's also thought that the Locrian Mode sounds so much like the Phrygian Mode that it's barely distinguishable and, so, why should a guitar player learn or use both when Phrygian is so popular?
So when you set out to learn scales and modes, keep in mind that the Locrian Mode gives you access to some different sounds than you wouldn't be able to conjure by "playing it straight". When you learn guitar scales, don't neglect the Locrian Mode.
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