|
Modes - another music theory tutorials from me with example
|
View this Thread in Original format
| Sonic_c |
Ok going to run through what I have learned about modes and I will need help here as it was a long lesson with a lot to take in so this is partly my revision and partly for the benefit of anyone looking at modes.
modes
Each Scale has 7 Modes which star of different degrees of the scale (read my other theory posts for info on degrees of scale).
Names of the modes are
Ionian - 1st degree
Dorian - 2nd Degree
Phrygian - 3rd Degree
Lydian - 4th Degree
Mixolydian - 5th Degree
Aeolian - 6th degree (also the relative minor scale of a major scale)
Lockrian - 7th
Now each modal scale has its own unique qualities and there are 2 ways to look at modes.
The first is quite simply like in the demo below in c major
CDEFGAB - Ionian This is a Major mode
DEFGABC - Dorian This is a minor mode
EFGABCD - Phrygian This is a Minor Mode
FGABCDE - Lydian This is a Major mode
GABCDEF - Mixolydian This is a Major mode
ABCDEFG - Aeolian minor mode and A minor the relative minor of C major
BCDEFGA - Lockrian Diminished Mode
The reason they are major or minor or diminished modes is the first chord in the mode would be major minor or diminished therfore the mode is said to be major minor etc
The second is where it gets way more interesting.
Compareing modes with the major scale starting on the same pitch. this is going to be harder for me to explain so here goes.
Scale of D major
D MAJOR – D E F# G A B C#
So if we started on the 3rd degree (Phrygian) the sclae would look like this
F# G A B C# D E
Now what if we knew the unique sound qualities of a mode and wanted to stick with it, ie compose a song in phrygian mode. We are now in a scale that starts with F#
but if we compare our scale above with the scale of F# we notice its different
F# G# A# B C# D# E# -- F Major Scale
F# G A B C# D E -- D major (phrygian)
Notice the 2nd 3rd 6th and 7th noted in our new F# scale are flat
Now as we want to stick in out scale (D major phrygian) starting on f# we can now assume that the first chord in our scale the "home" chord is F# G A which is no longer chord 3 in D major it is chord 1 in our new scale F# . Its hard to understand but I'll do a table to illustrate.
How modes relate to scales starting on same pitch
C D E F G A B - Ionian Normal scale
C D Eb F G A Bb - Dorian flat 3rd and 7th
C Db Eb F G Ab Bb - phrygian Flat 2 3 6 7 (from example above)
C D E F# G A B - Lydian sharpen 4th
C D E F G A Bb - Mixolydian Flat 7th
C D Eb F G Ab Bb - Aeolian relative natural minor so flatten 3rd 6th 7th
C Db Eb F Gb Ab Bb - Lockrian dimished mode Flatten 2nd 3rd 5th 6th 7th
Phew now if that confuses you at first it did me too but on revising it as in writing this i understood it more.
A quick example
This is a 1 7 4 5 chord progression in c major which doesnt sound so nice thats because the 7 chord is diminished
Here
In this example im using C major mixolydian where the 7th chord happens to be major so sound much nicer.
Here |
|
|
| RichieV |
would be much more simple and coherent if you just considered the chord borrowed from the minor mode. Why introduce old church modes if what you are doing is already covered by the more standardized common practice tonality. Also i think you made a mistake in your audio example. The chord on the fifth degree is minor.
The bVII in a major mode is usually used in a descending 4 sequence. So you would go from VII to IV to I . If you are going to use your progression, it would be alot smoother if you went from bVII to IV6 then V. |
|
|
| Sonic_c |
| Hey thanks richie you should post some tutorials up. I am awful at explaining things and you have already done a qualification in theroy. Should be you thats helpin folks like me desperately trying to make sense of it all so we can make interesting music! |
|
|
| Sonic_c |
| quote: | Originally posted by RichieV
IV6 |
Thats the 4th chord right but with a 6 instead of a 5? or a 6 as well as? |
|
|
| RichieV |
the 6 just means its first inversion. That way you get the Bb going to A then G. A much smoother voicing for the bass.
Maybe i will do a few examples. I have some free time lately. |
|
|
| Floorfiller |
| quote: | Originally posted by Sonic_c
Now as we want to stick in out scale (D major phrygian) starting on f# we can now assume that the first chord in our scale the "home" chord is F# G A |
wouldn't the new home chord be F# A C#?:conf:
nice little summary though |
|
|
| Sonic_c |
| Not sure it would be a# as in phrygian D there is no a#. Im still learning so i might be wrong too. |
|
|
|
|
