There is no absolutes in music, there are so many variables. Those who think they know everything, really don't understand the concepts. I have been playing guitar for 33 years and the more I learn, the more I realize how little I know. For any theory has exceptions, or could be proven wrong. For example there are a few modes that I find useless, and yet another has written a magnificent piece of music or passage using it. So when I make a statement that there is only one useful mode in the Harmonic minor, I am speaking in broad terms, not condemning those who defy the odds, and actually find the use of such modes. I know some Jazz players that say they in in this mode then that mode and what have you, and they are not....
I put this together for Guitar tricks news letter about 7 years ago...it kind of explains my thinking on modes:
The system of modes is one of the most misunderstood,
and mis taught area of practical theory. The most
common misconception is that the "modes are just
different starting points of the Major scale". Which
is completely misleading. Truth is, each of the seven
modes is a scale unto itself. That's it! Just like any
other scale, each mode has it's own tonic, or root.
The only difference between the modes is the degree of
tonality. It's impossible for me to make a short
history report of the modes, so this article will be
kind of crude, and to the point. Hope you enjoy it.
Other than the seven tone Diatonic scale created by
the Greek mathematician Pythagoras in 550 B.C. The
first usage, and writings about the "musical modes"
was approximately 350 B.C. That is when the philosophy
writings of Plato, and Aristotle included large
sections that describe the affect of the different
musical modes on mood, and on character formation.
In Aristotle's "politics" he says that the Mixolydian
mode can make you sad, and grave. The Dorian mode
settles the mind, and is gravest, and
manliest, and avoids extremes. The phrygian mode
inspires enthusiasm, and is exiting, and emotional,
and the best for expressing "Bacchic fury". The
relaxed modes are the lydian, and Ionian which make
people stupid.
Plato identified the Lydian, and Mixolydian as being
for Maudlin drinking songs. He called the Ionian
relaxing, the Dorian the real Greek mode, and said it
creates a feeling of sincerity. Plato also stated
that the Dorian would remain legal for use in war, and
crisis. The phrygian for peace, dignity, temperance,
and worship. Plato wanted to have government control
using the modes, and did not allow a multiplicity of
notes, and instruments were only tuned to approved
modes. Modes of the Plato Aristotle Era were numbered
mode 1, mode 2, and so on.
Four hundred years later (50 A.D.) the Christians
begin using the modes in worship. Different modes were
used at different times for parts of their services.
In 520 A.D. Manlius Boethius, an Italian philosopher,
translated Aristotle's on logic into latin. Boethius
embraced Arisotle's concept of mood creation, and
character formation using the modes, and what was now
called "the church modes" were matched up against
ancient Greek modes for ascribed meanings, which were
then used for church services.
In 600 A.D. Pope Gregory the Ist, classified all the
music used in the church. While it is likely that
Gregory knew of Boethius assignment of ancient Greek
names to the modes used for church music. The church
continued to use the numbered system. It was not until
about 900 A.D. that other authors began to apply
Boethius's ancient Greek names to the medieval church
modes.
The later Middle Ages, or Gothic Era, which lasted
from 1150 to 1450, saw the rise of music with multiple
voices called "polyphonic music". Trouble in the
church gave rise to non-religious music. Towards the
end of the Gothic Era, the character of music changed.
Composers began to use imitative techniques, together
with harmonies crafted from thirds, and sixths.
The Renaissance (1450-1600) is thought to be a "period
of awakening", and music continued to evolve.
Instrumental music became an art form. The church
modes now consisted of eight modes, evenly split
authentic, and plagal modes of the "Gregorian Chant".
They consisted of the Dorian(authentic),
HypoDorian(plagal), Phrygian(authentic),
HypoPhrygian(plagal), Lydian(authentic),
HypoLydian(plagal), Mixolydian(authentic), and the
HypoMixolydian (plagal). All of the Medieval church
music was based on the HypoLydian mode which is known
today as the Ionian or natural major scale. The other
seven modes were used for meditative chant, and to
tell sad stories. It wasn't until the 16th century
that the Aoelian, HypoAoelian, Ionian, and HypoIonian
were added to the modes. The sixthteenth century is
known as the "golden age of polyphony" because of the
emergence of the polyphonic (vocal) music. There was
now a definite tendency toward major, and minor, which
system formulated after 1600.
In roughly 1675, the modes were considered to be
permutations of the Ionian, and Aoelian, which the
Western Major/Minor scale system was based. That's
when the modes became familiarized into what we know,
and use today. The Greek names became convenient
labels for particular scales. Although the Locrian
mode was not used much at all prior to this, the
Locrian was incorporated into the modal system. Many
books talk about the ancient modal system, and do not
acknowledge this black sheep mode, except to say "it
was not used because of it's diminished 5th", and
nothing more is said. The Locrian was only a
theoretical possibility till this time in history.
Although it took several hundred years to move from
polyphonic music to
the homophonic idea of the major-minor scale system,
centuries were needed to move from open fifths,
fourths, and octaves to emphasis on the thirds, and
sixths. Melody became asymmetrical, tonality moved to
polytonality, and the twelve-tone system, and serial
technique were invented.
The names of all the modes in this new system became
commonly known as the Ionian, Dorian, Phrygian,
Lydian, Mixolydian, Aeolian, and Locrian. Although
seven modes still exist up to this time, only the
Major(Ionian), and Minor(Aeolian) are considered
suitable for Western Music. The composition of
polyphonic vocal music put the church modes under the
impact of standardization. The major and minor modes
were the only modes thought to be capable of exerting
a tonic function.
The Ionian mode is very effective at producing a
strong tonic function. The Aeolian is often used as
the final in a deceptive cadence. It brings
resolution, but the feeling is still there that a full
resolution has not occurred, and that the only way to
achieve this is by the arrival of the Ionian. Thus the
tendency of the Diatonic is toward the Ionian, rather
than the aeolian mode. So once we are in the Aeolian
it is quite natural to drift back to the Ionian.
The Aeolian mode is generally avoided in common
practice classical music, because it's cadence is less
decisive than the Harmonic Minor scale's. But the
softer, and more relaxed sound of the Aeolian
tonality, has been used by many twentieth century
composers. The Aeolian is also found in modern pop,
and dance music. The Harmonic minor is well known in
classical music, because it is the harmonic foundation
of minor mode music. It's tonality is very powerful,
and unambiguous. There are seven modes of the Harmonic
minor just as with the Diatonic, but none of the modes
in the Harmonic minor have common names, and it is
only the Harmonic minor (in it's Aeolian form) that is
tonally effective. The tonality of the Melodic minor
is even weaker than that of the Aeolian. However the
two modes of the Melodic scale (ascending melodic
minor, and the descending melodic major scale) can
both be considered "melodic improvements to the
Harmonic minor. Classical composers have still mostly
ignored the Melodic major.
Well what about the other five Diatonic modes? And why
do people still choose to use them in spite of the
Major/Minor system? Well, Jazz players like to use the
Dorian to improvise on minor seventh chords, oh, and
"Thriller by Michael Jackson is in the Dorian mode.
Play this scale over a min7, or min6th(13) chord. And
it sounds very good. Jazz players use the Mixolydian
scale to improvise on Dom 7 chords. The Mixolydian is
very major sounding until you get to the seventh
degree. Use 7th or Dom 7 chords when playing in the
Mixolydian. The Lydian mode is difficult to use for a
melody, unless you only use the sub dominant as a
leading tone for the dominant. Bartok wrote a short
piece in the Lydian mode. I read once that the theme
to the "Simpson's" theme was made with the Lydian mode
in mind. Play the Lydian over Maj7, or Maj7(#11)
chords. As for the Locrian, we referred to as the
"black sheep" mode earlier. The dead-center position
of the dominant make this mode very unmusical. I read
that not one folk song in the Locrian mode had ever
been documented by an ethnomusicologist. But without
this mode the symmetry of the Major/Minor system would
be destroyed. Play the Locrian over a min7flat 5
chord. Next, and last, we have the Phrygian mode,
which has been called the Flamenco mode, because of
it's Spanish sound. Modern artists like Al DiMiola,
and Ritchie Blackmore(Gates of Babylon) use this very
special sounding scale. This scale works best when
played over a suspended 4th chord, or Dom 7(sus4)
chords.
So it seems we have not completely banned these five
modes from The Major/Minor system. They are open for
experimentation by anyone. However the Major/Minor
system has changed music forever. It has made us less
modal, as the use of chromatic notes increased to
facilitate the advent of equal temperament.
Resources for this writing was inspired by "A History
of Western Music" 5th edition, chapters 1,2,3." Groves
New Dictionary of Musicians" modes and scales
section."A General History of Music From The Earliest
Ages To The Present""History of the Church Modes" by
Larry Mysz
