Properties of musical modes

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The modern musical modes consist of seven different scales related to the familiar major and minor keys, each with different properties and characteristics which distinguish them from one another. Called the Ionian mode, Dorian mode, Phrygian mode, Lydian mode, Mixolydian mode, Aeolian mode and Locrian mode, each of the seven modal scales is composed of a particular arrangement of the diatonic tones of an octave.

Contents

[edit] Mode characteristics

Each mode has a characteristic scale degree and certain harmonic structures that give each its distinctive sound. Although the names are Greek-sounding, the tone sequences are different from Greek modes with similar names.

  • The Phrygian mode has a lowered second relative to Aeolian, which creates its characteristic ♭II major and v diminished chords. This mode is quite common in flamenco music and is often referred to as the "Spanish" mode. The Jimmy Somerville song "So Cold The Night" and the Jefferson Airplane song "White Rabbit" are in Phrygian mode. The second movement of Brahms's Fourth Symphony famously opens in the Phrygian mode.
  • The Lydian mode has a raised fourth relative to the Ionian, which creates a iv diminished, vii minor, and a II major chord. The theme song from the TV show The Simpsons is a commonly-cited example of the Lydian mode with its prominent raised fourth, although its lowered seventh technically puts it in a mode derived from the melodic minor scale, known as "Lydian Dominant". The first syllable of the birthday celebrant's name in "Happy Birthday" (after "Happy birthday, dear ...") is the raised fourth of a Lydian chord.
  • The Mixolydian mode has a flat 7th degree relative to the Ionian; this creates a I7, a v minor, and a VII major chord. There is also a iii dim chord, but it is not used extensively in modal compositions. The Beatles song "Norwegian Wood" and the ABBA song "The Visitors" are in Mixolydian mode. Jazz and boogie woogie are often written in this mode as well. Scottish bagpipes, which have B-flat as the tonic, generally play on an approximately Mixolydian scale, with the 7th note (G-sharp) a quarter-tone between G-sharp and A. Minimalist composers also make extensive use of this mode, John Coolidge Adams, being a good example.
  • The Aeolian mode has a ♭3, ♭6 and ♭7; its characteristic chords are the minor iv and v chords. There is a subtle distinction between an Aeolian modal composition and a composition in a minor key, because the sixth and seventh degrees in a minor key can be altered to create major IV and V chords. The Aeolian mode is also more commonly known as the Natural (Pure) minor scale. In cases where the Aeolian mode has the same key signature as a particular major key but with a different tonic, it is referred to as the Relative minor scale. For example, A Aeolian is the Relative minor of the C major scale. The guitar solo in "Achilles Last Stand" by Led Zeppelin is in Aeolian mode. Many popular children's songs such as "The Ants Go Marching" are in the Aeolian mode.
  • The Locrian mode has flattened second and fifth scale degrees relative to the Aeolian and has a diminished i chord. It is highly unstable, and its diminished i chord makes establishing tonality in the mode nearly impossible. The few pieces written in this mode usually used an altered i minor chord (B-D-F♯) to establish the tonal center, and then used the minor iii (D-F-A) and major V chord (F-A-C) to establish the modality. The locrian mode is so unstable that the ♭II chord cannot be used as it will quickly and inevitably establish itself as the I chord of a major key. The iv minor chord in second inversion with the tonic doubled is a good I chord for Locrian because it is the exact reverse of a major chord.

[edit] Relationship between the modes

Perhaps the simplest way to understand the seven modern modes and the relationship between them is to realize that, when examined from the proper perspective, they can be seen as being composed of exactly the same notes. Take the notes of the C Major scale, for example. Spanning one octave, the notes of the C Major scale are C, D, E, F, G, A, B, C. This is called the Ionian mode or, more correctly, the C Ionian mode because the Tonic is the C note. (Note that the Major scale in any key and its Ionian mode are equivalent.) To expound further while still utilizing the notes of the C Major scale as the frame of reference:

  • C Ionian mode consists of the notes C, D, E, F, G, A, B, C (Do, Re, Mi, Fa, Sol, La, Ti, Do)
  • D Dorian mode consists of the notes D, E, F, G, A, B, C, D (Re, Mi, Fa, Sol, La, Ti, Do, Re)
  • E Phrygian consists of E, F, G, A, B, C, D, E (Mi, Fa, Sol, La, Ti, Do, Re, Mi)
  • F Lydian consists of F, G, A, B, C, D, E, F (Fa, Sol, La, Ti, Do, Re, Mi, Fa)
  • G Mixolydian consists of G, A, B, C, D, E, F, G (Sol, La, Ti, Do, Re, Mi, Fa, Sol)
  • A Aeolian consists of A, B, C, D, E, F, G, A (La, Ti, Do, Re, Mi, Fa, Sol, La)
  • B Locrian consists of B, C, D, E, F, G, A, B (Ti, Do, Re, Mi, Fa, Sol, La, Ti)

When viewed from this perspective, the modes lose quite a bit of their mystique. As we can see, all of the above modes consist of precisely the same notes; the notes of the C Major scale. What sets them apart from one another is the tonal center of each mode. For example, D Dorian mode is simply the C Major scale where the tonal center has been shifted to the D note. In other words, the D note becomes the Tonic. This shift in tonality results in a minor scale mode known as the D Dorian mode. The notes, however, are still the same as those of the C Major scale. This concept can be applied chromatically to every Major scale.

If we were to observe this shift in tonality as it applies towards intervals, we would have the following:

Ionian Mode

Do, Re, Mi, Fa, Sol, La, Ti, Do

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 1


Dorian Mode

Re, Mi, Fa, Sol, La, Ti, Do, Re

2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 1, 2

---Becomes---

1, 2, ♭3, 4, 5, 6, ♭7, 1

Phrygian Mode

Mi, Fa, Sol, La, Ti, Do, Re, Mi

3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 1, 2, 3

---Becomes---

1, ♭2, ♭3, 4, 5, ♭6, ♭7, 1


Lydian Mode

Fa, Sol, La, Ti, Do, Re, Mi, Fa

4, 5, 6, 7, 1, 2, 3, 4

---Becomes---

1, 2, 3, ♯4, 5, 6, 7, 1

Mixolydian Mode

Sol, La, Ti, Do, Re, Mi, Fa, Sol

5, 6, 7, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

---Becomes---

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, ♭7, 1


Aeolian Mode

La, Ti, Do, Re, Mi, Fa, Sol, La

6, 7, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6

---Becomes---

1, 2, ♭3, 4, 5, ♭6, ♭7, 1

Locrian Mode

Ti, Do, Re, Mi, Fa, Sol, La, Ti

7, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7

---Becomes---

1, ♭2, ♭3, 4, ♭5, ♭6, ♭7, 1

As this illustrates, the seven modern modes can thus be thought of as resulting from a shifting of perspective such that each degree of the Major scale is considered to be the Tonic for its corresponding mode. As such, it follows that each interval within a mode is assigned a new interval designation according to its position relative to the new Tonic. [1]

[edit] Learning the modes

[edit] Mnemonics

When teaching the modes to children, it is common to construct a simple mnemonic sentence to help in remembering the modes, such as:

Ionian - Dorian - Phrygian - Lydian - Mixolydian - Aeolian - Locrian

  • I Don't Play Loud Music After Lectures
  • I Don't Play Like Miles And Louis
  • I Don't Play Licks Made Around Locrian (for the guitar)
  • If Dora Plays Like Me All's Lost!
  • I Don't Particularly Like Modes A Lot
  • I Don't Play Like My Aunt Lucy
  • In Dark Places Lurk Many Angry Lions
  • I Don't Play Lydian Mode After Lunch
  • Iron Door Phridge Lids Mixup Aoly ("oily") Locals

In remembering our way around the circle of fifths, e.g. to build a Lydian scale (to construct the harmonic series), one may remember:

F - C - G - D - A - E - B

  • Father Charles Goes Down And Ends Battle
  • Freddy Can Get Drunk At Every Bar
  • Fat Cats Go Down Alleys Eating Birds
  • Fat Children Gluttonize Daily After Eating Breakfast
  • Fat Cows Go Down And Eat Butter

This will of course construct the Ionian mode (major scale), if we start at C and go backwards to F and forwards the rest of the way. All of the modes may be constructed this way, when based on an equally tempered underlying 12-note system.[2]

[edit] Arithmetic relationship

If you're an instrumentalist, you may find the following approach useful in learning the modal scales.

  • The Ionian mode is identical to the major scale of tonal music.
  • The Aeolian mode is identical to the natural (pure) minor scale of tonal music. Compared to Ionian, its 3rd, 6th, and 7th notes have been lowered one half-step.
  • Lydian is identical to Ionian, except that the 4th note in the scale is raised one half-step.
  • Mixolydian is identical to Ionian, except that the 7th note in the scale is lowered one half-step.
  • Dorian is identical to Aeolian, except its 6th scale degree is raised one half-step.
  • Phrygian is identical to Aeolian, except its 2nd scale degree is lowered one half-step.
  • Locrian, the theoretical mode, is identical to Aeolian, except its 2nd and 5th scale degrees are flattened. Because its 5th scale degree is flattened, this mode sounds very unstable, and thus, is seldom used.

Using this technique, one may apply a simple bit of mathematics towards converting from one mode to another. First, one should memorize the number of flats and sharps for all Ionian scales (e.g. F ionian has 1 flat). One should also memorize how to notate the flats and sharps on a musical bar. Then, one should memorize this chart:

  • Ionian: 0
  • Dorian: −2
  • Phrygian: −4
  • Lydian: +1
  • Mixolydian: −1
  • Aeolian: −3
  • Locrian: −5

If you think of flats as negative numbers and sharps as positive numbers, you may use simple mathematics to convert between modes. For example, having memorized that the C major/ionian scale has zero sharps or flats, and wanting to know what notes C phrygian should change, you would add 0 to phrygian's −4 to get −4.. meaning four flats. So C phrygian has four flats, (B, E, A, and D).

Or, for a slightly more complicated example, try figuring out F locrian:

F major/ionian has 1 flat, so it is −1. Locrian has a −5, so −1 +−5 is −6. Therefore, F locrian has six flats (B, E, A, D, G, and C).

If you work with keyboard instruments, you may find the following technique more useful in working with modes.

If you are familiar with major scales, each modal scale may be thought of as starting at a different scale degree from the major scale.

Thus, you may memorize which scale degree to start at for each mode.

  • Ionian: I
  • Dorian: II
  • Phrygian: III
  • Lydian: IV
  • Mixolydian: V
  • Aeolian: VI
  • Locrian: VII

The patterns of whole tones (T) and semitones (s) are as follows:

TTsTTTs Ionian (modern major)
TsTTTsT Dorian
sTTTsTT Phrygian
TTTsTTs Lydian
TTsTTsT Mixolydian
TsTTsTT Aeolian (modern minor)
sTTsTTT Locrian

Note the shifts of alternate semitones from row to row.

Each of these modes has a unique scale without any sharps or flats. They are as follows:

Ionian     C major
Dorian     D
Phrygian   E
Lydian     F
Mixolydian G
Aeolian    A minor
Locrian    B

[edit] Solfeggio

As introduced in the Solfege (or Tonic Sol-fa) system, the Do scale can be manipulated to form modes. The following relationships hold between the sol-fa syllables used in major key (i.e. Ionian mode) music:

  • The distance between Do and Re is a whole step
  • Re - Mi = whole step
  • Mi - Fa = half step
  • Fa - Sol = whole step
  • Sol - La = whole step
  • La - Ti = whole step
  • Ti - Do = half step

For example if we were in the key of D Major, or D Ionian, we would exactly follow the chart above. In this case D is the Do, so the scale would go as follows:

  • Ionian: do re mi fa sol la ti do (D E F♯ G A B C♯ D)

Beginning from this scale, we can modify various notes by a half-step each to arrive at the different modal scales. Different syllables are used for the "in-between" notes, as mentioned below and explained in more detail in the article on Tonic Sol-fa.

To manipulate the Ionian scale to become Lydian, we raise the Fa to Fi. In this case the Fa is G and when raised a half step it will become G♯.

  • Lydian: do re mi fi sol la ti do (D E F♯ G♯ A B C♯ D)

To form the Mixolydian from Ionian we would lower the Ti to Te, So C♯ will become C.

  • Mixolydian: do re mi fa sol la te do (D E F♯ G A B C D)

Dorian, the first of the minor modes, has a flatted third, so we lower Mi to Me, making F♯ into F. We also still have the minor seventh (te) of Mixolydian.

  • Dorian: do re me fa sol la te do (D E F G A B C D)

Aeolian is the most common minor mode, lowering the sixth (in addition to the third and the seventh). Thus we lower La to Le, lowering B to B♭.

  • Aeolian: do re me fa sol le te do (D E F G A B♭ C D)

The Phrygian mode has all these plus a flatted second, so we lower Re to Ra (E to E♭):

  • Phrygian: do ra me fa sol le te do (D E♭ F G A B♭ C D)

Finally, the Locrian mode, compared to the major scale, has every note flatted other than fa. The new flat is the fifth, lowering Sol to Se (A to A♭).

  • Locrian: do ra me fa se le te do (D E♭ F G A♭ B♭ C D)

[edit] Phrygian mode

It happens that each of the seven notes of the Phrygian mode are also the tonic notes of each of the major keys corresponding to the seven modes possible from the note you started with. This suggests another method on the piano for finding the new key signature for changing modes.

To use this method, all you need to do is:

  • Memorize the standard mode sequence: IONIAN, DORIAN, PHRYGIAN, LYDIAN, MIXOLYDIAN, AEOLIAN, LOCRIAN, or IDPLMAL (see mnemonics). That is, know that Ionian is first, Dorian is second, etc.
  • Be able to easily locate the Phrygian mode in a given key by using any method (such as the Mathematical Approach elsewhere in this article).

To change modes, simply count backwards in the Phrygian mode scale the number of notes according to the new mode's sequence in IDPLMAL. The note you end up on will always indicate the name of the major key whose signature matches that of the new mode.

[edit] Examples

D Mixolydian:

  1. By any method, find on the piano the D Phrygian scale: D, E♭, F, G, A, B♭, C, D. (The D at octave is repeated for clarity.)
  2. Starting on (high) D, find the 5th note counting backwards in the D Phrygian scale, because Mixolydian is the 5th mode in IDPLMAL sequence.
  3. You stop on G. Ans: D Mixolydian is in the key of G major.

D Dorian:

  1. By any method, find on the piano the D Phrygian scale: D, E♭, F, G, A, B♭, C, D. (The D at octave is repeated for clarity.)
  2. Starting on (high) D, find the 2nd note counting backwards in the D Phrygian scale, because Dorian is the 2nd mode in IDPLMAL sequence.
  3. You stop on C. Ans: D Dorian is in the key of C major.

That is, starting on a D, we have:

D Phrygian scale: D, E♭, F, G, A, B♭, C, D (Key of two flats; see Mathematical Approach elsewhere in this article).

And from this scale we have (in backwards IDPLMAL sequence):

D Ionian is in the key of D Major
D Dorian is in the key of C Major
D Phrygian is in the key of B♭ Major
D Lydian is in the key of A Major
D Mixolydian is in the key of G Major
D Aeolian is in the key of F Major
D Locrian is in the key of E♭ Major

C Lydian:

  1. By any method, find on the piano the C Phrygian scale: C, D♭, E♭, F, G, A♭, B♭, C. (The C at octave is repeated for clarity.)
  2. Starting on (high) C, find the 4th note counting backwards in the C Phrygian scale, because Lydian is the 4th mode in IDPLMAL sequence.
  3. You stop on G. Ans: C Lydian is in the key of G major.[3]

[edit] See also

[edit] References

[edit] Footnotes

  1. ^ Apel, Willi: Harvard Dictionary of Music. Belknap Press; 2nd edition (January, 1968)
  2. ^ Music Mneumonics
  3. ^ The Teacher's Manual of the Tonic Sol-fa Method: Dealing with the Art of Teaching and the Teaching of Music, by John Curwen ISBN 0-86314-118-8

[edit] Notations

  • Dahlhaus, Carl. Gjerdingen, Robert O. trans. (1990). Studies in the Origin of Harmonic Tonality. Princeton University Press. ISBN 0-691-09135-8.
  • Hoppin, Richard H. (1978). Medieval Music. New York: W.W. Norton & Co. ISBN 0-393-09090-6.
  • Judd, Cristle Collins (ed.) (1998). Tonal Structures of Early Music. New York: Garland Publishing. ISBN 0-8153-2388-3.
    • Curtis, Liane. "Mode".

[edit] Further reading

  • Grout, Donald; Palisca, Claude; and Burkholder, J. Peter (2006). A History of Western Music. New York: W. W. Norton. 7th edition. ISBN 0-3939799-1-1.
  • Levine, Mark (1989). The Jazz Piano Book. Petaluma, CA: Sher Music Co. ISBN 0-9614701-5-1.
  • Meier, Bertrand (1988). The Modes of Classical Vocal Polyphony, Described According to the Sources, translated from the German by Ellen S. Beebe, with revisions by the author. New York: Broude Brothers.
  • Miller, Ron (1996). Modal Jazz Composition and Harmony, Vol. 1. Rottenburg, Germany: Advance Music.
  • Powers, Harold S. (1980). "Mode", in The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians, ed. Stanley Sadie. London: Macmillan. (The classic treatment of mode in the English language.)
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