Brad asks,

“I just downloaded your “Fretboard Theory” and the DVDs. In fact, I also bought the Kindle version of the book so I can review it when I want on my new Kindle Fire (in full color!).

I’m a retired senior and I’ve been seriously studying guitar for about two years, but I’ve made more progress with theory than practice. I’d say I’m still a low level intermediate.

I’m not sure if I should put these questions in the forum or just ask them to you via email. If you think they’d be of interest to the forum, please put them on the forum, or I’d be glad to resend them.

First, a comment. I’d never seen a treatment of modes like yours, and I found it fascinating. I tried the experiment with my instructor of playing around on the C major scale while he played through the C scale chords. We were amazed at how the tonal quality of the constant C major scale changed as the chords changed.

But that brings up my first question. In your current blog, in discussing Clapton’s Cocaine, you commented that you could hear him playing the full E Dorian modal scale over the ii of D. I thought that with your way of looking at the modes, you would really never play what could be called a modal scale – you would just play the D major scale in this case, over the ii chord. Does that just mean that he emphasized the E as he played the D scale over the ii chord?

My main questions concerned the listing of chord progressions as you change the root of the song. I would gather from your discussion in the Rusted Root section of the blog that you can list the progression as a progression of the major scale degrees, or as a new progression of the new root scale. Attached is an example of “Wayfarin’ Stranger” by Johnny Cash. BTW, that might make a good example song for Aeolian roots. Maybe you’ve already got it in your amazing, amazing lists of example songs, but if so, I missed it.

My first question is, would you consider this song in the key of C, Aeolian mode with the root Am? Or would you just say it’s in the key of Am? Again, I gather either is used, judging from the Rusted Root blog. But is one designation preferred?

Attached also is my analysis of the progression of chords in this song. If it’s in the Key of C, AmAeolian, then we have: vi, ii, iii, vi, ii, vi, ii, iii, vi, IV, I, IV, iii(sus), and iiix (E major)

If it’s in the Key of Am, then we have: i, iv, v(?-E7), i, iv, i, iv, v(E7), i, VI, III (?-C), VI, v(sus), V(?-Emajor).

The SpyTunes website, in their book, Guitar Conspiracy p 72 & 73, says that in an Aeolian progression, the iii (Em in this case) could be an E or E7. (http://spytunes.com)

So the questions are, is there a preferred progression to use? C major or AmAeolian?

And how do we designate the alternative chords – the E, E7, E(sus)?

What is the musical theoretical rationale for using an E or E7 in place of the Em for the iii in the Aeolian progression?

I’m afraid these question are kind of nitpicking, but you seem to be interested in keeping musicians on the same page with terminology and I’m asking them in that spirit.

Thanks much, and thanks for your great work.”

Thanks for the email, Brad. Cocaine is unique. Because of it’s simplicity, it can actually fit into a couple different keys. So in this case, you can choose which mode to play over it (or just play the pentatonic). Whatever you play, E is the root and should be emphasized.

Wayfaring Stranger is in A harmonic minor. It’s basically A Aeolian (C major but the root is the vi chord, Am) except on the E. Instead of playing the E as minor, as it naturally occurs in the scale, it’s played as a dominant seven chord. This creates a harmonic V7 pull back to the tonic, in this case Am. To change an E minor chord to an E major chord the G note is raised to G# (you can also add in a D note to make an E7). To play an A harmonic minor scale you do the same thing, raise the G to G#. Only do this over the E7 chord. When the progression is not on the E7 everything is natural minor.

I plan to teach the harmonic minor scale in Fretboard Theory Volume 2. Stay tuned!

Play Until Yer Fingers Bleed!
Mr. Desi Serna
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