how to use modes

at the moment i understand the mechanics of modes. that is i understand that each all the modes share the same notes but have a different root note. what i dont know is how to make it clear when i am playing lead what mode i am playing in. do you use differnt notes or what? :confused:

or is the only way to do this to play over a baking trak that is playing a say 1 4 5 progression in the different modes? and then what stops say a 1 4 5 progresion in aeolian being a 4 7 1 in phrygian? :confused:

any help would be apreciated

When you're playing lead, if you want the mode you're playing in to be clear, use the root note of that mode as the root note of your song. That's all you have to do.

Let me elaborate on Jolly's answer. Say you you have this progression:

||Gminor7 || Aminor7 ||Bbmajor7 ||Aminor7 ||

Now, this is in Gminor, but because of the Aminor7, the parent scale is Fmajor, meaning that you would want to be soloing in G dorian (which is the second mode of the Fmajor scale)

thanx

so if u play in g dorian play the note g a lot. cool thats simple enough. would playing the third fith and seventh of gminor seventh also add to this effect?

anyways thanx

Playing G dorian doesn't mean playing G a lot.

The difference between G Dorian and G Aeolian (pure minor) is that G Dorian has an E in it and G Aeolian has Eb
So if you are playing a solo in G minor, and you put in an E, then you're playing the dorian.

Playing the third and sevenths of chords in your solos will sound good by the way.

Bringing out modal tonality is about emphasising the note(s) that make the mode...

For instance, if playing lydian, ham up the # 4th...

:D

Playing a mode in a solo is just using the notes from a mode. Say your going to Solo over a G major chord, and you start your solo with the note D over that chord.

Now say your solo part goes D to E to F# to G (over the G major chord).

If you did that you would be playing in the G Ionian mode (or Major scale).

Well what happens when you change a note in the sequence.

Say you go D to E to F to G.

Now your playing in the G Mixolydian mode.

See what I'm saying.

The Key signature of a Song depends on the melody and not the harmony, which is why there is alot of confusion in modes.

The same applies to chords, the melody can be one key, but you can borrow chords modally in the same way.

An example would be a lead in C major, but using an A minor chord to harmonize it. That's a simple answer, and sounds like just alittle chord substitution. Modal harmonies work the same way.

I dont understand anything of the above, argh why must it be so hard. Can someone point me in a beginner theory direction?

that is correct and it is true that there is quite a bit of consusion in modal theory over just the basics of it.

A good book to check out is: Modes, by Tom Kolb.