DeMystifying Music Modes
Where do the modal scale names come from and what does that tell me about music?
Keep in mind history is usually written by the winners, that being said Greek philosophers did have names for scales coming from different regions of Greece such as Aeolia which we now call the Aeolean made. During the churches rule 500 years later after Greece, the church usually named the modes 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 because 7 is sacred number for many of the churches reasons. It was when one Manlius Boethius an Italian philosopher of Aristotle’s work ascribed names to them around 450CE, these names that were rejected by the church initially, yet around 900 CE historians and authors started ascribing Boethius incorrect names of the Mideval Church modes to common language. Then later the difference came again to describing scales in terms of major and minor scales.
The best way to use the modes is not based on the individual notes, but rather the chord progression or cycle and which note it returns to, or resolves to. We’ll use 12 bar blues to explain why certain modes have certain tonal and atmospheric qualities.
In the key of A minor or C major, we have A minor, B diminished, C major, D minor, E minor, F major, and G major. We can start a cycle from each note and return back.
Aeolian- A, B, C, D, E, F, G, A
Locrian- B, C, D, E, F, G, A, B
Ionian- C, D, E, F, G, A, B, C
Dorian- D, E, F, G, A, B, C, D
Phrygian- E, F, G, A, B, C, D
Lydian – F, G, A, B, C, D, E, F,
Mixolydian- G, A, B, C, D, E, F, G
Intervals
Initially the 2nd and the 7th note from the start is what creates tension in the scale mostly, so some scales resolve by a whole step (2 frets) some by a half step (1 fret). The 3rd and 5th of a scale determine its major, minor, or diminished qualities. So A, C, E is a minor sound so the Aeolian scale is minor, same with Phrygian, and Dorian. Whereas Ionian has C, E, G, which is a major sound so it is a major scale, same as Lydian and Mixolydian. Locrian has a root, flat third, and flat fifth which makes a diminished sound so it is the diminished mode. The space between notes are called intervals and half step intervals (1 fret) away create more dissonance than whole steps (2 frets away) so you can pay attention to how many half steps and whole steps are in the 12 bar formats below too.
This is important because harmony and space between root notes determine the mood, so the best way to show that is through the 12 bar chord progression.
Using the 12 bar format
I, I, I, I
IV, IV, I, I
V, IV, I, V,
A Aeolian
Am, Am, Am, Am
Dm, Dm, Am, Am,
Em, Dm, Am, Em
So you can see that all the chords are minor in this mode so we call it the minor scale!
B Locrian
Bdim, Bdim, Bdim, B dim
E minor, E minor, B diminished, B diminished,
F major, E minor, B diminished, F major.
As you can see Locrian has no solid foundation the entire time. It goes minor, major, and diminished all in one progression. So if you are improvising in this key you’ll have a hard time finding a center to cling too.The resolution to this scale is also diminished which provides a fragile foundation like shattered glass.
C Ionian
C major, C major, C major, C major
F major, F major, C major, C major
G major, F major, C major, G major
You can see that all the chords are major in this mode so we call it the major scale!
D Dorian
D minor, D minor, D minor, D minor
G major, G major, D minor D minor,
A minor, G major, D minor, A minor.
Dorian is minor heavy with a touch of brightness from the G major, so its classified as a minor mode.
Take a look at the rest of the modes and see which ones are more minor than major as a good indicator of the mood.
E Phrygian:12 bar
|Em|Em|Em|Em|
|Am|Am|Em|Em|
|Bdim|Am|Em|Bdim|
Notice the B diminished in the format. Use in flamenco music a lot.
F Lydian: 12 bar
|F|F|F|F|
|Bdim|Bdim|F|F|
|C|Bdim|F|C|
Notice the half step transition between the 4th and 5th. Two majors and a diminished chord.
G Mixolydian: 12 bar
|G|G|G|G|
|C|C|G|G|
|Dm|C|G|Dm|
Two majors to one minor chord. Commonly used in latin music.
You can put these modes to work in many other chord progressions and see how that changes your music!