question about modes

[PallarAndersVisa]

ok, so you know the standard metal riff, like this
A--7-------8--------7-------8------7----5-----
E----0--0-----0--0-----0-0----0-0----0--------

is that technically E dorian minor? so if i were to solo over that I would start basically play in D natural minor, but using the 2nd note (E) as the root?

[sonicsamurai]

well the main featured note is e so yeah its in e....if its a metal riff dorian would be quite unusual and it isn't cos dorian would have 5 7 9 th frets knowing the shape and following it back down the scale e5 7 8, a5 7 9, d 5 7 ) so its not a...it could be e phrygian or locrian..that would be much more akin to metal...you could extended it in phrygian a 7 8 10, d 7 9 10, g 7 9 ...in locrian a 7 8 10, d 7 8 10, g 7 9.... the letters are for the string and the numbers for the fretting just so you follow me...and i've kept it in e for ya..the 5th fret note ( d) would just be following it back down the scale - you would hiot the d if ytou played through either scale starting from the low open e ...having jammed it i found soloing over it in e phrygian easier...

[PallarAndersVisa]

ah thanks alot dude, that clears a ton of shit up!

[sonicsamurai]

cool you could solo in dorain theoretically if u think about it only your root note for it would be d so u'd have a 5 7 8, d 5 7 9, g 5 7, with e being the next note of the scale which would start off the phrygian so in theory you could solo over the riff in d dorian but seeing as dorian is a jazzy rocky scale it wouldn't be totally appropriate for the tonality of the riff

[texasfury]

Without having more notes to establish what the third is, your riff would most likely be in E Phrygian. The relative minor to this would be the A natural minor scale (or A Aolian if you want you a modal name). But since no third is established with the riff, it could also E Locrian, whose relative minor would be D natural minor.

The only decision is if you want to play in E Phrygian or E Locrian (the most evil of the modes).

[nateb]

Only notes you have there are D, E and F. Depending on where the sun is, you could play that in two different ways. The one that stands out the most for me is in the key of F Major.

-Nate.

Putting thought into words almost made me blow a think bone.

[kmanick]

If you are going to go the E Phrygian way to this remember that A Harmonic Minor will work here just as an easier way to 'shred". When playing Phrygian in a lot of cases going Up to the 4th and playing harmonic minor will work. So if in E Phrygian A Hm will work.
If in F# Phryg go B Harmonic minor. In D Phryg go G harmonic Minor and so on. I find it easier to follow modes in this manner (ala Frank Gambale)

[Robotechnology]

I go with E Phrygian on this one 'cause of the E-string drone. And like kmanick said... Phrygian Dominant (5th mode of harmonic minor) would also sound killer.

[metalhead28]

Hello all, new member here.

Often I basically do what Kmanick said, I would probably view that riff as E Phrygian due to the inclusion of the F note, so to play in E phrygian I would really just be playing in A minor (A Aeolian), but of course favoring an E tonality. Of course you could play A Harmonic Minor which is the same as E Phrygian dominant for a more exotic sound.
That's really how I approached modes all together, if that is helpful to you. I just visualized playing in a different scale but still concentrated on the tonality of the key I was trying to suggest.
For example, if I wanted to play in E Dorian, I'd just think B minor/D Major since it is the same scale.

Of course, ultimately it helps to know the notes that are different in the modes, but as a shortcut to using them this works well.