A Simple Guide to Modes - Music Theory
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Date: 2022-03-28
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Comments and reviews: 10
Jos-
Mr Green's is, to be sure, a very concise and apparently clear summary of what is still perhaps the standard learner-friendly explanation of modes, but, since 'mode' is an intrinsically relational concept - basically: a synonym of 'way' or 'manner' of [doing] something, in this case referring to alternative ways of [playing the sequence of notes we now associate with] a certain scale X (in Mr Green's example the C major scale [C, D, E, F, G, A, B]) depending on which of its 'grades' is chosen as the starting point/tonic - it inevitably suggests that Mr Green's Ionian, Dorian, Phrygian, Lydian (etc.) modes are modes OF C major, a conclusion supported, in principle, by the fact that all of them must contain ALL and ONLY the notes belonging to the key of C major (in his example).
However, under that conception (which, historically speaking, seems to correspond fairly closely to the traditional ancient Greek and Gregorian one), we would expect the modal adjectives 'Ionian', 'Dorian', etc. to be used as alternative modifiers of the name of the single entity that the respective modal scales they identify constitute manifestations of (i.e., again, the C scale, in Mr Green's example). And that is, indeed, what happens when we refer to the scale [C < D < E < F < G < A < B] by the term 'C IONIAN', which, according to the traditional explanation he so aptly summarises, refers to the C scale as played from its grade I (= C).
The problem, however, is that 'Ionian' is THE ONLY modal adjective that is used that way. The other modal adjectives ('Dorian', 'Phrygian', 'Mixolydian', etc.) that distinguish the 'modes' in which the notes of the set -C, D, E, F, G, A, B- can be sequentially played are NOT used as modifiers of C, but as modifiers of the names of the OTHER notes of the C major scale (again, in this example). Thus, the modal scale [D < E < F < G < A < B < C ] is NOT labelled 'C Dorian' (= the C scale played starting from D, its second grade), as we would expect according to Mr Green's explanation, but 'D Dorian', as if it denoted the scale of D (major) when played from its second grade (= E), which, of course, it does NOT; likewise, the modal scale [G < A < B < C < D < E < F] is NOT labelled 'C Mixolydian' (= the C scale as played starting from G, its fifth grade), as would be expected according to Mr Green's explanation, but 'G Mixolydian', as if it denoted the G scale when played from its fifth grade (= D), which, of course, again, it does NOT. Etc.
In sum, current standard terminology produces a flagrant asymmetry between the way the modal adjective 'Ionian' and the way the other modal adjectives are used, and the underlying reason seems to be that the relational content of the concept of 'mode' as 'way in which a certain entity manifests itself' has been lost sight of and replaced with a rather different 'non-relational' conception. As a consequence, whereas the 'X Ionian' scale invariably contains all and only notes from the set -X-, 'X Dorian', 'X Lydian', etc., do NOT. For example, current 'C Dorian' or 'C Lydian' contain Bb and #F, respectively, which do NOT belong to the set -C- and, therefore, according to the early view of modes, by definition canNOT be modes OF C.
Unfortunately, this state of affairs is far from innocuous: it may seriously confuse learners. If I may cite my own experience, it took me some careful analysis of many current explanations of modes to realise that 'F Lydian', for example, did NOT refer to the F scale as played from its fourth (= Lydian) grade (= [Bb < C < D < E < F < G < A], as I initially expected, but to [F < G < A < B < C < D < E], which contains a B that does not even belong to the set -F-.
Under the now standard doctrine of modes, a 'mode' is just a particular disposition of intervals: X Lydian is a scale with a sharp 4th grade with respect to X Ionian (= X major), X Mixolydian is a scale with a flattened 7th grade relative to X Ionian, etc., but such 'definitions' are questionable at best, for it is entirely arbitrary to assume that the Ionian/major scale has the 'natural' intervallic structure. After all, Ionian is just another mode; if two consecutive grades can be separated either by a Whole tone or by a Half tone, as assumed in our Western tradition, it would be more accurate to say that the Ionian/major scale has a flat 4th grade and a flat 1st/8th grade, and, of course, as soon as that were taken into account, the standard formulae of all the other modes would be wrong, since they are defined in relation to the Ionian mode.
Why music theory teachers systematically ignore the crucial difference between the traditional? relational view of modes as modes OF X and the now standard non-relational or 'absolute' concept of 'mode' as 'a particular disposition of intervals' I do not know, but it seems to me that this matter should be explained much more carefully than it usually is.
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Mr Green's is, to be sure, a very concise and apparently clear summary of what is still perhaps the standard learner-friendly explanation of modes, but, since 'mode' is an intrinsically relational concept - basically: a synonym of 'way' or 'manner' of [doing] something, in this case referring to alternative ways of [playing the sequence of notes we now associate with] a certain scale X (in Mr Green's example the C major scale [C, D, E, F, G, A, B]) depending on which of its 'grades' is chosen as the starting point/tonic - it inevitably suggests that Mr Green's Ionian, Dorian, Phrygian, Lydian (etc.) modes are modes OF C major, a conclusion supported, in principle, by the fact that all of them must contain ALL and ONLY the notes belonging to the key of C major (in his example).
However, under that conception (which, historically speaking, seems to correspond fairly closely to the traditional ancient Greek and Gregorian one), we would expect the modal adjectives 'Ionian', 'Dorian', etc. to be used as alternative modifiers of the name of the single entity that the respective modal scales they identify constitute manifestations of (i.e., again, the C scale, in Mr Green's example). And that is, indeed, what happens when we refer to the scale [C < D < E < F < G < A < B] by the term 'C IONIAN', which, according to the traditional explanation he so aptly summarises, refers to the C scale as played from its grade I (= C).
The problem, however, is that 'Ionian' is THE ONLY modal adjective that is used that way. The other modal adjectives ('Dorian', 'Phrygian', 'Mixolydian', etc.) that distinguish the 'modes' in which the notes of the set -C, D, E, F, G, A, B- can be sequentially played are NOT used as modifiers of C, but as modifiers of the names of the OTHER notes of the C major scale (again, in this example). Thus, the modal scale [D < E < F < G < A < B < C ] is NOT labelled 'C Dorian' (= the C scale played starting from D, its second grade), as we would expect according to Mr Green's explanation, but 'D Dorian', as if it denoted the scale of D (major) when played from its second grade (= E), which, of course, it does NOT; likewise, the modal scale [G < A < B < C < D < E < F] is NOT labelled 'C Mixolydian' (= the C scale as played starting from G, its fifth grade), as would be expected according to Mr Green's explanation, but 'G Mixolydian', as if it denoted the G scale when played from its fifth grade (= D), which, of course, again, it does NOT. Etc.
In sum, current standard terminology produces a flagrant asymmetry between the way the modal adjective 'Ionian' and the way the other modal adjectives are used, and the underlying reason seems to be that the relational content of the concept of 'mode' as 'way in which a certain entity manifests itself' has been lost sight of and replaced with a rather different 'non-relational' conception. As a consequence, whereas the 'X Ionian' scale invariably contains all and only notes from the set -X-, 'X Dorian', 'X Lydian', etc., do NOT. For example, current 'C Dorian' or 'C Lydian' contain Bb and #F, respectively, which do NOT belong to the set -C- and, therefore, according to the early view of modes, by definition canNOT be modes OF C.
Unfortunately, this state of affairs is far from innocuous: it may seriously confuse learners. If I may cite my own experience, it took me some careful analysis of many current explanations of modes to realise that 'F Lydian', for example, did NOT refer to the F scale as played from its fourth (= Lydian) grade (= [Bb < C < D < E < F < G < A], as I initially expected, but to [F < G < A < B < C < D < E], which contains a B that does not even belong to the set -F-.
Under the now standard doctrine of modes, a 'mode' is just a particular disposition of intervals: X Lydian is a scale with a sharp 4th grade with respect to X Ionian (= X major), X Mixolydian is a scale with a flattened 7th grade relative to X Ionian, etc., but such 'definitions' are questionable at best, for it is entirely arbitrary to assume that the Ionian/major scale has the 'natural' intervallic structure. After all, Ionian is just another mode; if two consecutive grades can be separated either by a Whole tone or by a Half tone, as assumed in our Western tradition, it would be more accurate to say that the Ionian/major scale has a flat 4th grade and a flat 1st/8th grade, and, of course, as soon as that were taken into account, the standard formulae of all the other modes would be wrong, since they are defined in relation to the Ionian mode.
Why music theory teachers systematically ignore the crucial difference between the traditional? relational view of modes as modes OF X and the now standard non-relational or 'absolute' concept of 'mode' as 'a particular disposition of intervals' I do not know, but it seems to me that this matter should be explained much more carefully than it usually is.
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Veera
Sir, Good morning, The modes of Major Pentatonic scales( 1)Suspended Pentatonic 2)Minor Pentatonic#5 (3)Scottish Pentatonic (4)Minor Pentatonic. All Musians known the above matter.Gebarally Musians Said that Two Pentatonic Blues are exist.They are (1) Major Pentatonic Blue (2)Minor Pentatonic Blue.But An idea thought in Mind that another Three Pentatonic Blues are there. They are (1) Suspended Pentatonic Blue :Notes:C ,D( flat),D ,F, G , B(flat), C.(2)Minor Pentatonic #5 Blue :Notes :C ,E (flat) ,F ,A(flat) ,B(flat) ,B , C. (3)Scottish Pentatonic Blue:Notes: C ,D ,F, G ,G# ,A ,C. Sir,I asked your Opinion ,My Thought of idea is correct or not ?. I request you,tell me your opinion.Thanks Sir.
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Sir, Good morning, The modes of Major Pentatonic scales( 1)Suspended Pentatonic 2)Minor Pentatonic#5 (3)Scottish Pentatonic (4)Minor Pentatonic. All Musians known the above matter.Gebarally Musians Said that Two Pentatonic Blues are exist.They are (1) Major Pentatonic Blue (2)Minor Pentatonic Blue.But An idea thought in Mind that another Three Pentatonic Blues are there. They are (1) Suspended Pentatonic Blue :Notes:C ,D( flat),D ,F, G , B(flat), C.(2)Minor Pentatonic #5 Blue :Notes :C ,E (flat) ,F ,A(flat) ,B(flat) ,B , C. (3)Scottish Pentatonic Blue:Notes: C ,D ,F, G ,G# ,A ,C. Sir,I asked your Opinion ,My Thought of idea is correct or not ?. I request you,tell me your opinion.Thanks Sir.
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James
Phrygian = boldness, exuberance, passion, courage, leadership, but in excess pride, rashness, irascibility, violent anger.
Lydian = good cheer, optimism, sublimity, friendliness, laughter, love and song.
Dorian = sleepiness, lethargy, laziness, slowness, mental dullness, forgetfulness, calmness, internal equanimity, well being.
Mixolydian = solidity, firmness, steadfastness, rhythm, but with a certain indolent tenacity.
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Phrygian = boldness, exuberance, passion, courage, leadership, but in excess pride, rashness, irascibility, violent anger.
Lydian = good cheer, optimism, sublimity, friendliness, laughter, love and song.
Dorian = sleepiness, lethargy, laziness, slowness, mental dullness, forgetfulness, calmness, internal equanimity, well being.
Mixolydian = solidity, firmness, steadfastness, rhythm, but with a certain indolent tenacity.
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education
Very interesting that early on the modes were altered until finally settling on the major or minor. The slight change in interval order has a big effect on harmony . I like to hear modal variations , each with its own character & contrast .when using Modes on the same tonic the effect is more striking . Thank you Gareth for all of your lessons .
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Very interesting that early on the modes were altered until finally settling on the major or minor. The slight change in interval order has a big effect on harmony . I like to hear modal variations , each with its own character & contrast .when using Modes on the same tonic the effect is more striking . Thank you Gareth for all of your lessons .
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Ilovetosingem
Hi Gareth. Thanks for this lesson. I was playing modes 40 years ago and didn't know the word modes in music. I just noticed that in popular music the notes were generally the same as the major scale starting on a different note, and my whole world to improvising changed. Thanks again and keep safe.
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Hi Gareth. Thanks for this lesson. I was playing modes 40 years ago and didn't know the word modes in music. I just noticed that in popular music the notes were generally the same as the major scale starting on a different note, and my whole world to improvising changed. Thanks again and keep safe.
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Martin
So, for example, the Aeolian mode in the key of F begins with the note D in F, and the Aeolian mode in the key of G begins with the note E in G, and the Aeolian mode in the key of Bb begins with the note G in Bb, and so on and so forth....Is this correct?
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So, for example, the Aeolian mode in the key of F begins with the note D in F, and the Aeolian mode in the key of G begins with the note E in G, and the Aeolian mode in the key of Bb begins with the note G in Bb, and so on and so forth....Is this correct?
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luis
Bravo, sir! I've struggled to understand modes for a while now, but your explanation perfectly illustrated the concept to me. I'm sure it gets a lot more complicated but I'm happy the basic idea finally clicked.
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Bravo, sir! I've struggled to understand modes for a while now, but your explanation perfectly illustrated the concept to me. I'm sure it gets a lot more complicated but I'm happy the basic idea finally clicked.
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Will
It seems like what you do is pretend a different note is tonic and apply the major key to it and depending on your starting note is the mode. Eg if your in -CM- when you start in the note D it is Dorian,right?
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It seems like what you do is pretend a different note is tonic and apply the major key to it and depending on your starting note is the mode. Eg if your in -CM- when you start in the note D it is Dorian,right?
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avodonosov
Gareth, if I play white keys, how do I know whether I am playing C major, A minor or one of the modes? It would be great if you could bring some light on this in one of the future videos.
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Gareth, if I play white keys, how do I know whether I am playing C major, A minor or one of the modes? It would be great if you could bring some light on this in one of the future videos.
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Peter
Is this just the modes from the Key of C--are there therefore modes on all key scales? My apologies as a beginner who is not ready for modes yet-.as is obvious from my question!!
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Is this just the modes from the Key of C--are there therefore modes on all key scales? My apologies as a beginner who is not ready for modes yet-.as is obvious from my question!!
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