I’ve been using the interactive circle of fifths a little less recently. That’s not because I’ve got bored of it or it has ceased to be useful.
The reason is that it’s slowly becoming etched into my brain, which is a good thing.
I generally refer to it once or twice in a typical practice session, for a bit of inspiration. It’s great to be able to record a jam track in a particular mode and then try out different scales and modes over the top, for effect.
For instance, I recorded a chord progression using mainly chords Em, F and G and a “chorus” section of C, Am and G. These are all chords in the key of C (or Am).
If you simply play the C major scale over the top of this type of chord progression, you will find that you are, with very little effort, switching between different modes.
Over the first section, you will be in Phrygian mode.. This is because you are using chords from C but using the Em as a base, playing the C scale with the E note as your root.
For the middle section, you will find you are switching between C Ionian (major), A Aeolian (minor) and G Lydian modes, depending on how long your chord progression spends on C and Am.
To spice it up further, you could experiment with using different scales over different sections of the chord progression. This is where it starts to get really interesting.
For instance, try playing a G scale over the Em and G scales. The key here is experimentation to figure out in your own head what you think works or not.
You could even play scales or arpeggios for each chord, so when you are over Em, play Em scales, when over F, play F scales etc…
There are no real laws or rules, just pointers and guidelines. OK, that’s not even strictly true. Sometimes something sounds terrible and there is a very good explanation as to why it sounds bad.
But quite often you will stumble upon something unexpected, which works really nicely, and that you haven’t tried before.
To assist with the learning process, it really helps to have some means of recording yourself. I use my PC, an effects box and some recording software like audacity. But an accoustic guitar, mic and tape deck would do just as well.
For more serious recording enthusiasts, you obviously need more serious kit!
Tags: circle of fifths, modes, scale
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