Originally Posted by: axe2http
://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=l3RB37UhNGI
can you use this method for minor scales,i think u can

Every major scale already has a corresponding relative minor scale.

The 1st mode of any major scale is the ionian mode. Ionian and the major scale are two ways of identifying the same collection of scale degrees (notes & intervals).

If you give every note of the scale a chance to start the scale, to be the 1st scale degree, then you will eventually get to the 6th mode, aeolian.

The aeolian mode is the relative minor scale.

Aeolian and the minor scale are two ways of identifying the same collection of scale degrees (notes & intervals).

So, while you can use the "method" in that video to write out any given minor scale, you would have to start on aeolian. Let's use the C major scale & its relative minor scale, the A minor scale.

A minor scale: a-b-c-d-e-f-g

Modes:

a aeolian
b locrian
c ionian
d dorian
e phrygian
f lydian
g mixolydian

C major scale: c-d-e-f-g-a-b

Modes:

c ionian
d dorian
e phrygian
f lydian
g mixolydian
a aeolian
b locrian

See? Same collection of modes with a different starting place. :)

This whole exercise is fine for starting to understand the concept of modes. But, what gets lost in this sort of exercise is the most important part: the sound.

The guy in the video does an excellent job of pointing out that he has other lessons in which he plays the modes on the guitar. And he goes a long way toward pointing out the differences in the modes is the resultant sound.

But in my teaching experience, it is always better to immediately concretize everything. Study one mode & play it so you can hear it. Then move to the next mode. And so on. Don't get caught up in trying to grasp some huge overarching concept without understanding & using each part along the way.

Hope that helps!