In this free jazz guitar lesson we will learn about the A Mixolydian Mode. In the video we will use the backing track "Em7 A13" from the Let's Jam! Jazz & Blues CD. This track is a classic example of a Dorian style chord progression, but we are going to use A Mixolydian, which is a variation of the A major scale & has a flat 7th.
Watch the lesson: Quicktime or Youtube
Let's start by taking a look at the A Mixolydian Mode.
A Mixolydian contains the notes A B C# D E F# G A. A Major contains the notes A B C# D E F# G# A. The only difference is the G. We use the flat 7 because the chord A13 contains the note G. Now you might say, “why don’t we use E Dorian?” Well let's take a look at that scale.
Well, E Dorian has the same notes as D major - D E F# G A B C# D. Let's look at the D major scale.
A Mixolydian also has the same notes as D Major. All three scales (A Mixolydian, E Dorian, and D Major) contain the same notes, including an F# & C#. A Mixolydian equals E Dorian and D Major. Let’s try all three over the Let's Jam! Jazz & Blues CD.
Here is the cool part. Because I am thinking A Mixolydian, I’ll play differently than if I’m thinking E Dorian. Because I'm used to playing differently over a dominant chord than a minor chord, I will play different riffs, phrases, etc. over this chord progression. So it brings out different ideas by thinking in different ways. I am going to play A Mixolydian over the Let's Jam! Jazz & Blues CD. Try and listen to the sound and experiment with it yourself.
Classic Jazz Licks by Billy Wilkie is a Quicktime video lesson covering a variety of jazz guitar licks in the styles of Joe Pass and George Benson. The licks featured in this lesson will look at soloing using chord shapes, pentatonic scales, "passing tones", and arpeggios. The video also covers the music theory behind these licks and when to play them so you can create your own solos. Also included is the jam track, Things in G, from the Let's Jam! Jazz and Blues CD, so you can practice all the new licks that you've learned. $4.99
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