Silly major scale question

Wow, have not been on in years!

Okay, so the other day I figured I would sit down and review the major scale in all positions. While playing the C major scale (natural notes) from E, it thought "am I playing the C major scale or am I playing a mode of it?" and "If I am playing a mode of it (E/phrygian), would I still be playing the mode if I resolve to a note other than E even though I started it on it?"

Any insight would be appreciated.

Well if you are playing the notes of a C scale starting on E, then yes you would be playing a mode. Are you asking what it would be if you started on an E but ended on a different note (but still the notes in C)?

For example: E F G A B C D E F?

Or replacing the last note: E F G A B C D F

Yes, essentially and thank you for clearing that up for me. The reason I wondered is because if I play the C major scale from D to D it sounds resolved only if I end on C...it makes sense since it IS the root note of the scale, but I was curious as to why exactly D dorian doesn't "stand on its own" and must be resolved elsewhere.



Thank you for the response. Sorry if this doesn't make a lot of sense, I am self taught. :p

Well, the feel of resolution is an interesting question. I suspect it really has more to do with the dominance of Major scales in our music culture. What I mean is, it feels resolved when you go to C because we identify with the Major scale more readily and we can tell what the root tone _should_ be.

BTW: The Ionian mode is the same as a Major scale, so C Ionian is the same as saying C Major. When you play starting with D, but using the notes of the C Major scale, you are using the Dorian mode.

Originally Posted by: chucklivesoninmyheartWhile playing the C major scale (natural notes) from E, it thought "am I playing the C major scale or am I playing a mode of it?"
[/quote]
Until you provide a conceptual or musical context you aren't playing anything but a group of notes from the C major scale.

For example, if you intend to play C major scale exercises, then you could say you are only playing various permutations of the scale. Or, if you intend to play the modes, then starting on E and going up through to the next E an octave higher is the E phrygian mode.

In a musical context, you simply don't until and unless you identify which one of those notes you are currently labelling the root or 1st degree.

Let's use these notes, in this order: e-f-g-a-b-c-d-e.

If I played those notes while at the same time a bass player was playing a pattern of 1/8 note C's, then it would sound like I was playing C major or C ionian.

But if I played those notes while at the same time a bass player was playing a pattern of 1/8 note E's, then it would sound like I was playing E phrygian.

Make sense? Everything depends upon context.

Each mode has a unique sound due to their unique system of intervals. But since they are all integrated with one another, they can also all be thought of as different fretboard patterns or permutations of the parent scale or of each other, too.
[QUOTE=chucklivesoninmyheart]
"If I am playing a mode of it (E/phrygian), would I still be playing the mode if I resolve to a note other than E even though I started it on it?"

Resolution depends upon a pre-established tonality. You have to decide upon a root note, a key & voice motion before you can say there is a resolution.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Resolution_(music)

Thank you CSchlegel! I KNEW it had to be more dynamic in practice than the absolute identity portrayed by some books and articles I have read on scales and modes.

Originally Posted by: chucklivesoninmyheartThank you CSchlegel!

You are welcome. :) If you have access you can check out my tutorials on the modes of the major scale & how to practice & use them effectively.

http://www.guitartricks.com/tutorial.php?input=370
http://www.guitartricks.com/tutorial.php?input=770