Modes

I pretty familiar with all of the modes and all that, but when i am making a song i dont know how to figure out what modes i should use in the song.

HELP

?...anyone can do that. Whats the point of knowing modes if you cant apply them? I was asking if there any way to figure out what modes work with a certain chord progression etc.

If you are referring to a general group of seven note scales, then you just have to figure out what notes are used in which scales and apply them to the song. If you have the notes you want, you can then come up with a chord. Most people do it in reverse though, if you want the key of the song in A, then you should automatically know which notes are used in an A chord and determine which mode they would use as far as the "root" note is concerned. Those notes are then generally used to determine a scale. I know you probably know this already, but it basically helped my to determine which progressions to use in song writing. Gotta use your ear. Hope it helps...

Also, to add to what you asked before...If you know your modes in order, then you just need to develop a key signature for the song. Chord progressions come from key signatures or assigning a root note. If you choose say "Aeolian Mode" in the Key of E, then you can use the mode to determine which chords you can use by what notes the mode uses. (GMaj, Em, CMaj, etc).

Try this quick lesson to see what I mean...

http://www.theorylessons.com/usingmodes.html

That site is wonderful. I was still kinda blurry on some of the more complex ideas of modes, and that site cleared it up alot.

Glad to help. I just can't wait for him to finish the advanced theory and chord stuff. I'd be interested to know if he knows something I don't, which I am sure he does. He's a pretty good teacher.

When it comes to music that all there is is to listen to it and see what is appealing, there is no set way of arranging unless your talking about composing entire pieces then you must learn theory, knowing WHAT modes are is useless unless you know what makes it that mode or why the scale is in the order it is in, teach yourself the sounds of each and every fret on the neck so you can hear it in your head when you look at it, put it together in your head and put it to the fret board, make your own path.The best thing to do is find a good teacher, someone who can show theory and not just copying songs off a CD or memorizing scales without knowing what to do with them or how to apply them, self teaching is very limiting. keep at it though and good luck.