Reverse Engineering Modes


jaeler
Registered User
Joined: 12/10/15
Posts: 14
jaeler
Registered User
Joined: 12/10/15
Posts: 14
12/23/2015 7:15 pm
By trade I'm a keyboard player, so I have a fairly good technical knowledge of music theory. About 26 years ago, I had a question on modes. (music theory at cc, aced class) It was the only question on the finals I missed. I correctly deduced that modes were based on major scales at another interval. (this was way beyond scope of the lesson, I used my theory) My mistake was I placed those intervals along the major scale. I'm reviewing modes atm, and so I want to answer the question correctly. This is important, because it gives an easy way to extend the range of mode scales.

I'm using the root of C. A dorian is a a#/Bb scale, a Phrygian is a G#/Ab scale, a Lydian a G, a mixolodian is an F scale, the Locrian is a Db/c# scale (major)

This means a dorian will always be a #6, phyrgian a #5, Lydian a 5, Mixolxdian a 4, and a locrian a #1 (major)

Hope this helps.

(can also add, a major scale always has a relative minor from the 6th, so that would make a c aeolionan an Eb scale or a #2) (bit confusing, an A minor is a Cmajor, which is what I mean by a relative minor) Also good to know, because you can use a 6 minor to extend range as well. Of course It would have to be the 6th off of the alternate scale, so a mixolodian scale off of c would be a d minor,(or an F major) I'll let you figure out the math from there, but mode interval + 6minor

and feel free to correct if I'm wrong on any of my math. Pretty sure this is all right though.

BTW, the basis of my deduction is that modes follow the pattern of the major scale, whole, whole half, whole whole, whole, half, just at a different increment, so they must correspond to a different major scale. (we don't count the root note in all this, which is why only seven counts)

Can also add the importance of modes. As a keyboard player, I don't really think about them, I just follow the chords. Now If I'm playing a Cminor a Gminor and an Fmajor, that's a dorian scale. Its not the same as a Cminor, just a one note difference. I've moved from Fminor to Fmajor, just a single half step from Ab to A, and that makes a big difference.

(btw, sorry, this should be in theory and not technique.)
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