/gg/ - Guitar and Bass General

A Telecaster with single coils, an HSH Superstrat, a classical guitar, and a steel string acoustic. The tele already sounds pretty jazzy to me in the neck position, but I'm wondering if there's something I'm missing.

People looking to understand modes should read this. Getting the gist of them is this simple.

I'm glad you can see what I'm getting at. Most people just call me retarded when I tell them g mixolydian is the same thing as a minor just with a g root note.

Ionian is a mode, yes, first mode of the major scale. C Ionian is C major, it's a scale. The first mode of the major scale is the major scale, it's a scale. The Phrygian mode is a scale, and a mode of the major scale, but it's a scale differing from the Natural Minor scale only by it's b2nd note. Modes are scales. Don't have to get butt hurt. Wasn't looking to start an argument, but you seem to have some misconception about the first mode of the major scale not being a scale and not being the major scale.

You could argue for an HH hollowbody; remember that the point of having more than one guitar is not just that they sound different, but that they play differently, too.

I think after that, though, you'll have a pretty decent spread of guitars. Not much point having more.

You've missed the point. "Ionian" is a term describing a mode, not a scale.

Remember I'm not defending pedantry, I'm just pointing out that if someone is going to bother saying "Ionian" rather than "major", they might as well use the term properly.

Really? This is exactly my way of thinking of them, I understand the deviations from similar scales and the major scale for the modes of the major scale, but this is simply the easiest way to think of it and teach it, especially if someone has a foundation with say just 1 key and hasn't learned every note and all about intervals. Play C maj starting with D ending at D and it's D Dorian, a natural minor scale with a major 6th, the B note. Just stating for anyone lurking who wants a little boost to check out modes. Not very complex at all. Was a mystery to me for a while.

Fair enough

This is definitely a useful way of teaching/thinking about it (especially on piano) for beginners - it's called the 'relative' approach.

When you get futher in, I'd argue you're much better off using the 'parallel' approach - which (the second of) you hinted at when you said "a natural minor scale with a major 6th". When you use this approach you can add 'flavor' notes into pentatonic scales, very useful for making your soloing more interesting.

It's because the Piano is good while the guitar is trash.

Piano is just much much easier to begin with