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What are the best songs to learn to get various 'modal sounds' into your ears ? #251080 05/25/14 07:45 AM Woodshedding - Learning to Play!
Joined: Feb 2006 Posts: 1,129 NYC J Joe V OP Expert
OP Joe V Expert J Joined: Feb 2006 Posts: 1,129 NYC	...preferably, songs that people like !!! Hi all - I'm working hard at paying my dues to learn to play modally - and while playing scales and chord harmonies are important - I'd like to ENJOY more of my practice time. Can anyone recommend some tunes that stay reasonably "in mode" for the 7 various modes (excluding locrian - because it's so rarely uses from what I understand). Also - some vamps for melodic minor, harmonic major, augmented, and diminished practice. Thanks in advance, Joe V.

Re: What are the best songs to learn to get various 'modal sounds' into your ears ? Joe V #251085 05/25/14 08:12 AM Woodshedding - Learning to Play!
Joined: Dec 2002 Posts: 12,947 Wauconda DrDan Veteran
DrDan Veteran Joined: Dec 2002 Posts: 12,947 Wauconda	A quick couple of easy ones. G Harmonic Minor. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bn5TNqjuHiU Dorian https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WzSayxVM_E0 Retired to Make Music - No Plan B My SoundCloud Preview My Current Project .

Re: What are the best songs to learn to get various 'modal sounds' into your ears ? Joe V #251088 05/25/14 08:25 AM Woodshedding - Learning to Play!
Joined: Jan 2010 Posts: 1,492 Schleswig-Holstein, Germany GHinCH Expert
GHinCH Expert Joined: Jan 2010 Posts: 1,492 Schleswig-Holstein, Germany	I recall having seen a list of songs in written in the different modes, but I do not recall where. I'll try to find the source. Edit: Well I found it. Chris Smart on the Jazz Guitar list has put up a list with songs for all modes except locrian and asked the others. Here is the list: 1. Ionian: G Ionian: Cliffs of Dover - Eric Johnson G Ionian: Jesu Joy of Man's Desiring - J.S. Bach G Ionian: Brown-eyed Girl - Van Morison E Ionian: Beast of Burden - The Rolling Stones F Ionian: Call Me Al - Paul Simon F Ionian: Free Falling - tom Petty C Ionian: Down on the Corner - CCR C Ionian: Like a Rolling Stone - Bob Dylan C Ionian: Let It Be - The Beatles D Ionian: Goodbye to Romance - Ozzy Osbourne D Ionian: Ode To Joy - Beethoven B Ionian: Always With Me, Always With You - Joe Satriani 2. Dorian: D and Eb Dorian: So What - Miles Davis (melody is in the bass line) D Dorian: Another Brick IN the Wall part 2 - Pink Floyd E Dorian Scarborough Fair - Simon and Garfunkel E Dorian: A Horse with no name - America E Dorian: Riders On the Storm - The Doors E Dorian: Who Will Save Your Soul - Jewel E Dorian: Eleanor Rigby - The Beatles A Dorian: Fly Like an Eagle - the Steve Miller Band F# Dorian: Godzilla - Blue Oyster Cult G Dorian: Surfing With The Alien - Joe Satriani Ab Dorian: Light My Fire - The Doors (solo section only!) 3. Phrygian: A Phrygian: Mr. Man - Alicia Keys (melody also uses harmonic minor on the V chord) C Bemsha Swing - Thelonious Monk F# Phrygian: White Rabbit - Jefferson Airplane added by sonomatips: Keith Jarrett's tune 'Spiral Dance' fron his "Belonging" album is in phrygian mode. 4. Lydian: Theme music from The Simpsons and the Jetsons C lydian: Flying In A Blue Dream - Joe Satriani G Lydian: Jane Says - Jane's Addiction D Lydian: Hey Jealousy - the Gin Blossoms D Lydian: Oceans - Pearl Jam C Lydian E.T. Theme - John Williams A Lydian: Here Comes My Girl - Tom Petty (intro and verses) E Lydian: Hog Heaven - Frank Zappa 5. Mixolydian: E Mixolydian: Norwegian Wood - The Beatles E Mixolydian: Folsom Prison Blues - Johnny Cash D Mixolydian: Bodysnatchers and Give UP the Ghost - Radiohead E Mixolydian: NO Rain - Blind Melon E Mixolydian: I'm So Glad - Cream Ab Mixolydian: On Broadway - George Benson A Mixolydian: Jessica - The Allman Brothers Band G Mixolydian: Lowrider - War D Mixolydian: Dear Prudence - The Beatles D Mixolydian or G Ionian: Sweet Home Alabama - Lynyrd Skynyrd Db Mixolydian: Sweet Child O' Mine - Guns 'n Roses (solo section in Eb Aeolian) A Mixolydian: Dark Star and Fire ON the Mountain - The Grateful Dead Eb Mixolydian: Here Comes Your Man - Pixies * Scottish bagpipe music is sort of in Bb Mixolydian. 6. Aeolian: A Aeolian: Black Orpheus - Luis Bonfa A Aeolian: Rhiannon - Fleetwood Mac A Aeolian: I Kissed a Girl - Katie Perry A Aeolian: First Tube - Phish A Aeolian: Losing My Religion - R.E.M. B Aeolian: Building a Mystery - Sara McLachlan C Aeolian: You Give Love a Bad Name - Bon Jovi C Aeolian: Sweet Dreams" - the Eurythmics or Marilyn Manson C Aeolian: Blue Bossa - Kenny Dorham (the bridge modulates up a semi-tone to Ionian) C Aeolian: All Along the Watchtower - Jimi Hendrix D Aeolian: Sultans of Swing - Dire Straits D Aeolian: Black Magic Woman: Fleetwood Mac or Santana (ending section of the Santana version is in D mixolydian) E Aeolian: Paranoid - Black Sabbath 7. Locrian (added by akmbirch) British folk song artist, John Kirkpatrick, "Probably the only song in the revival repertoire written in the Locrian mode "Dust To Dust": Available on Amazon (A nice collection!) A Folk Song A Day: April http://amzn.to/11qwHb5 Have fun practising. Guido Last edited by GHinCH; 05/25/14 08:54 AM. Desktop; i7-2600k, 8 GB mem., Win 10 Pro, BIAB 2017; RB 2017 - latest build Laptop: i5-2410M, 4 GB mem, Win 10 Pro, BIAB 2017; RB 2017 - latest build

Re: What are the best songs to learn to get various 'modal sounds' into your ears ? Joe V #251197 05/26/14 04:46 AM Woodshedding - Learning to Play!
Joined: Feb 2006 Posts: 1,129 NYC J Joe V OP Expert
OP Joe V Expert J Joined: Feb 2006 Posts: 1,129 NYC	Guido - this list is EXCELLENT - thanks so much for sharing !!! I know many of these songs - yet can't hear the modal aspects of any in my head. This will be a huge help for me.

Re: What are the best songs to learn to get various 'modal sounds' into your ears ? Joe V #251205 05/26/14 05:56 AM Woodshedding - Learning to Play!
Joined: Jan 2010 Posts: 1,492 Schleswig-Holstein, Germany GHinCH Expert
GHinCH Expert Joined: Jan 2010 Posts: 1,492 Schleswig-Holstein, Germany	I'm still not good hearing the properties of the different modes. But I practise with German children songs like "Alle meine Entchen". It is an easy meoldy using the first six notes of the major scale. See here: http://www.kinderliederbox.de/liederseiten/alle_meine_entchen/alle-meine-entchen.html Now walk through the modes. Ionian: C, D, E, F, G, G, A, A, A, G... Dorian: D, E, F, G, A, A, B, B, B, A... Phrygian: E, F, G, A, B... You get the drift. For me listening to a song in mixolydian doesn't really help. Playing the same song in different modes helps a lot. Guido Last edited by GHinCH; 05/26/14 05:57 AM. Desktop; i7-2600k, 8 GB mem., Win 10 Pro, BIAB 2017; RB 2017 - latest build Laptop: i5-2410M, 4 GB mem, Win 10 Pro, BIAB 2017; RB 2017 - latest build

Re: What are the best songs to learn to get various 'modal sounds' into your ears ? Joe V #251210 05/26/14 06:15 AM Woodshedding - Learning to Play!
Joined: Feb 2006 Posts: 1,129 NYC J Joe V OP Expert
OP Joe V Expert J Joined: Feb 2006 Posts: 1,129 NYC	Hey - great suggestion again Guido....I think this is probably one of the least mastered areas that separates musicians. I know I've 'read' about it for years, but did not pay my dues. Now, at 48, I'm paying them...wish I did it earlier.

Re: What are the best songs to learn to get various 'modal sounds' into your ears ? GHinCH #256065 07/11/14 11:52 AM Woodshedding - Learning to Play!
Joined: Jun 2002 Posts: 174 S soolan Apprentice
soolan Apprentice S Joined: Jun 2002 Posts: 174	WOW thank you GNiNCH taking the time to type that listing. Last edited by soolan; 07/11/14 11:53 AM.

Re: What are the best songs to learn to get various 'modal sounds' into your ears ? Joe V #256092 07/11/14 04:04 PM Woodshedding - Learning to Play!
Joined: Jan 2002 Posts: 7,913 Colorado Springs, CO, USA R rockstar_not Veteran
rockstar_not Veteran R Joined: Jan 2002 Posts: 7,913 Colorado Springs, CO, USA	Guido, What is the Jazz Guitar List? My Songs, photos, writing,etc. My Sound Cloud

Re: What are the best songs to learn to get various 'modal sounds' into your ears ? rockstar_not #256305 07/13/14 04:57 PM Woodshedding - Learning to Play!
Joined: Jul 2002 Posts: 3,739 P pghboemike Veteran
pghboemike Veteran P Joined: Jul 2002 Posts: 3,739	The 7 modes their Fretboard diagrams and chard suggestions http://gosk.com/scales/major-scale-for-guitar.php Understand Modes for Guitar 1 http://www.guitarnoise.com/lessons/understand-modes-for-guitar-part-1/ Understand Modes for Guitar 2 http://www.guitarnoise.com/lessons/understand-modes-for-guitar-part-2/ Understand Modes for Guitar 3 http://www.guitarnoise.com/lessons/understand-modes-for-guitar-part-3/ Understand Modes for Guitar 4 has song references http://www.guitarnoise.com/lessons/understand-modes-for-guitar-part-4/ Lenovo YOGA 900 Window s 10 Home 64bit M4 pro Mac mini 1tb HD 24GB mem casio wk7500 presonus audiobox i2 usb interface casio wk-7500 biab & realband 2025 everything pk both with Current builds

Re: What are the best songs to learn to get various 'modal sounds' into your ears ? GHinCH #858888 07/30/25 09:04 PM Woodshedding - Learning to Play!
Joined: Jul 2025 Posts: 1 D DobBylan Newbie
DobBylan Newbie D Joined: Jul 2025 Posts: 1	I have some corrections to make to your list: Originally Posted by GHinCH F# Phrygian: White Rabbit - Jefferson Airplane Lydian: Theme music from The Simpsons and the Jetsons D Lydian: Oceans - Pearl Jam E Mixolydian: Folsom Prison Blues - Johnny Cash D Mixolydian: Dear Prudence - The Beatles -Verses of White Rabbit are in F# phrygian dominant because it has both b3 and major 3rd -Both Simpsons theme and Oceans are not in standard lydian, but in lydian dominant because of the flat 7 degree -Folsom Prison Blues is not in mixolydian, just standard ionian with blues elements. There's nothing to indicate mixolydian -Dear Prudence is not in mixolydian, but a hybrid of major and minor because it has both the bVI and bVII chords, which mixolydian certainly does not have a flat 6 degree

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