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In our musical modes explained article, we’ll take you through the various music modes and make sense of them using simply music theory, so you can start applying them to your melodies and chord progressions.
- What Are Music Modes?
- How Modes Help with Songwriting
- How to Build The Modes
- Ionian Mode
- Dorian Mode
- Phrygian Mode
- Lydian Mode
- Mixolydian Mode
- Aeolian Mode
- Locrian Mode
Musical modes are a type of scale with distinct melodic characteristics. The 7 modes, Ionian, Dorian, Phrygian, Lydian, Mixolydian, Aeolian and Locrian, come from the earliest forms of western music. Before we figured out the mathfor dividing the octave into 12 equal tones, we had to make do with an imperfect system. Modes were the solution. Instea...
If you’ve been writing a lot using the vanilla major and minor scales, your next song can benefit from some modal flavour! Each mode has its own unique colour and mood. Their melodic signatures can bring a lot of drama and freshness to your sound. They’re not hard to learn either. Once you start experimenting with modes, you’ll recognize a lot of t...
The sound of the modes come from their unique constructions. So what are they and how can you remember them? The modes have an order. Ironically, you can use the mnemonic I Don’t Particularly Like Modes A Lot to remember it! There are 7 modes in music: 1. Ionian 2. Dorian 3. Phrygian 4. Lydian 5. Mixolydian 6. Aeolian 7. Locrian I’ll go through and...
Let’s start with the major scale. It’s equivalent to the first mode: Ionian. Since your “key signature” won’t change as we go through the modes, you’ll be able to play each mode using the C major scale formula. If you need a quick refresher on key signatures, use our circle of fifths guideas a quick reminder. As you can see C major has no sharps or...
For Dorian, write the C major scale but instead of stopping at the octave (C), write the next scale degree as if you were continuing up the octave (D). If we erase the C we started with, we now have an 8 note scale from D1-D2. This is the 2nd mode: D Dorian. Notice how it’s pretty close to the D minor scale. It’s similar—but with some very importan...
Now write the next note in the scale. If you delete the D you’ll have another 8-note scale from E1-E2. This is the third mode: E Phrygian. It’s similar to minor, but the flatted 2nd scale degree immediately sets it apart. The characteristic minor 2nd interval has a recognizable sound. The second chord in the opening progression of “Pyramid Song” by...
Lydian is the fourth mode. If you write the next note in the scale you’ll get F Lydian. We like this mode so much we did an entire piece on Lydian. “Bull in the Heather” by Sonic Youth features Lydian’s raised 4th scale degree prominently in the verse guitar melody:
Mixolydian is the 5th mode. If you continue the method of writing the next scale degree and deleting the first you’ll get G Mixolydian. Mixolydian has some characteristics of the “blues scale” because of the flatted 7th. Listen for it in the sitar/vocal melody of “Norwegian Wood” by the Beatles:
Aeolian is the sixth mode. Continuing up the scale, you’ll get A Aeolian. It’s also called natural minor, because it’s a minor scale without the raised 6th degree or 7th degree of melodic or harmonic minor. Aeolian is the default minor sound in pop music, so it can be found all over music history. “Losing my Religion” by R.E.M. uses the Aeolian mod...
Locrian is the 7th mode. It’s used far less often than the other modes, so there’s not many examples out there. But that doesn’t mean it’s not worth exploring on your own with the methods you’ve already gone through in the rest of this article.
Feb 16, 2024 · Learn how to master the major and minor music modes with this excerpt from Berklee Online's Music Theory 301 course by the late Paul Schmeling (1938-2024). The term modal scales is applied to a group of scales commonly used in pop and jazz music.
Examples of Modal Music. The dominance of music modes faded away as harmonised music using the major and minor scales developed. The Ionian mode has remained as the major scale, whilst the Aeolian mode has remained as the minor scale. However, composers throughout the years have still turned to the modes when composing. Folk songs often use modes.
- Ionian Mode. The Ionian mode, also known as the major scale, is the foundation of Western music and serves as the basis for many other scales and modes.
- Dorian Mode. The Dorian mode is the second mode of the major scale, beginning on the second scale degree. In the key of D, the Dorian mode consists of the following notes: D E F G A B C.
- Phrygian Mode. The Phrygian mode is the third mode of the major scale, starting on the third scale degree. In the key of E, the Phrygian mode consists of the following notes: E F G A B C D.
- Lydian Mode. The Lydian mode is the fourth mode of the major scale, starting on the fourth scale degree. In the key of F, the Lydian scale consists of the following notes: F G A B C D E.
In the modern musical world, we use the term modal music to describe music that uses modes to create the harmonic structure of a piece of music, rather than traditional harmony. A Brief History of Music Modes
What are music modes? A music mode is a collection of notes following a distinct order that all work in harmony. Sounds familiar? Well, if you haven’t guessed it – music scales and modes are pretty similar in how to use them. There are a total 7 modes of music and they go way back.
