Questions tagged [modes]
For questions concerning the musical modes. These can include historical views of mode by the Greeks or the various rotations of scale collections. Questions about historical views of mode should also include the history tag.
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How come modern modes are based on the same set of intervals?
I couldn't find any answer regarding this specifically, so I assume there's some basic concept behind this that I missed.
So, as far as I know:
Modern modes are based on the same set of intervals, ...
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What other scales can be played over ii chord in ii-V-I besides Dorian?
Soloing over ii-V-I is usually associated with modes. Dorian-Myxolydian-Ionian. I'm trying to expand my soloing by playing "outside", so I wanted to find out what other scales can be played over ...
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Can you help me understand Modes from the aspect of chord changes?
I am 70 years old, have played (strummed) guitar all my life, with some multi-year gaps. I never wanted to know theory; was more interested in the occasional surprise of learning something new. I ...
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What is the tonic of a musical mode?
Let's say I'm playing Dorian D mode. Is my tonic:
C, because Dorian mode is derived from the diatonic scale of C?
Or D, because my tonal center is in D?
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Can someone explain what a key is? [duplicate]
I feel like I shouldn't be asking this... ugh.
Every explanation I've encountered left me feeling like a key is the same as a scale. I've been using the word "key" to mean the primary scale the song ...
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Arabic Maqam Keyboard?
I have read that the Arabic maqam system has 24 pitches in an octave. Are there any instruments (keyboards especially) that have been made specifically to be able to play all 24 tones?
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What is the difference between "primi toni" and "octavi toni"
In XVI century, there was a composer called Girolamo Cavazzoni. He wrote (amongst other pieces) a couple of Magnificats - in primi toni, quarti toni, sexti toni and octavi toni. You can find the sheet ...
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What do we call a chord progression that doesn't have a tonic chord?
I came up with a chord progression the other day:
Fm7 Ebmaj7 Abmaj7 G7
It's clearly in C minor. But instead of resolving to Cm, I was looping through it. What catched my attention was that it ...
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Uses for the Prometheus scale?
I was looking up info on scales today and found this page on scales: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_musical_scales_and_modes
Scrolling through the page, I found a few interesting scales, but ...
Dom♦
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Are all modes relative to Ionian (major) in Roman numeral analysis?
I saw in this Wikipedia article that there are a lot of flats and sharps in the modal natural chords. And I was wondering if it's because they all refer to Ionian.
So in Aeolian the "bIII" chord is ...
user34288
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Cadences for Modes
For each of the modes, is there a certain chord that goes before the targeted I or i chord? For instance, it seems in the Phrygian mode that II to i is a quite strong progression. In Ionian, obviously ...
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What are the modes derived from the C major scale?
I'd like for someone to explain the 7 modes derived from the C major scale.
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Why are Ionian and Aeolian considered Major and Minor keys respectively, but not the other modes? [duplicate]
Why is the Ionian mode called a major key, and the Aeolian mode called a minor key, while the other modes aren't called "Keys"?
F Major is relative to D Minor, and just so G Dorian is relative to ...
user47327
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Practicing modes on the piano
This has probably been asked a lot here but I can't seem to find the question, sorry if I'm repeating it.
I know the definitions of the different modes I just want to incorporate them, being able to ...
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Why are there just 7 modes?
Let's take a look at Ionian mode. Its pattern is "WWHWWWH". Which there are 7 steps. If we consider this mode building problem as a permutation problem then we can arrenge them into 7!/(2!*5!)=21 ...
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Is D minor also F Aeolian?
If I were to write a song in D minor, could I notate it correctly in F Aeolian? Because the subsequent 4th of the root in F Aeolian would be flat, right? Therefore, D minor and F Aeolian, which in ...
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Why don’t we use the term “scale signature”, rather than “key signature”?
This would avoid the confusion to some, of saying that the key/mode of A dorian has a key signature of G. I’m all for making things clearer for people learning music. If a piece is in D dorian, I ...
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Must a song using the A minor scale begin or end with an Am chord? If not, how can I tell what the scale is?
Is it a must for a song using the A minor scale to begin or end with an Am chord?
If not, how can I tell what the scale is?
For example, how can I differentiate between the C major scale, A minor ...
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Memorizing modes on guitar fretboard
I'm comfortable with all 5 basic box positions and 7 3-note-per-string patterns for diatonic scale. I can switch among these positions fairly well. Problem is, when I try to emphasize on a mode, it ...
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2-5-1 Jazz progression and modes
I am classically trained and just started looking into jazz theory.
I understand that the 2-5-1 progression is a good place to start.
My basic understanding is to play the above progression with ...
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How would you go about writing a a chord progression properly using the circle of fifths in the phrygian mode?
My question is: How would you go about writing a a chord progression properly using the circle of fifths in the Phrygian mode? I have seen many discuss the circle of fifths using Majors and minors but ...
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How does harmonic analysis work in different modes?
I noticed that normal harmonic analysis doesn't seem to work when playing in different modes. For example what is the dominant and sub-dominant chord in the Dorian mode?
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Is there a reason why "Scale Inversions" don't get discussed?
It only dawned on me recently, but it's quite a fundamental and important feature of scales that they are not mirrored under their own inversion.
The intervalic formula for major is:
W W H W W W H
If ...
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Why is it a convention to number modes by their tonic scale degree relative to ionian (major)?
In modern western modes, Ionian seems to be arbitrarily assigned as 'mode I', while the remaining modes are numbered according to the scale degree their tonic is relative to Ionian of same key.
For ...
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Fingering for modes on the piano
I'm a self-taught pianist. I know how to play all the major and minor scales, so I believe I can progress to modes.
How should I practice modes on the piano? Should I just use the fingering for the ...
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Modal chord progressions for Rock music
I need some solid understanding on modal chord progressions. I would be glad if you can explain and give examples this especially from a rock or blues music perspective
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Can you construct chords for all musical modes?
One way I'm aware of to find the chords in a given key are to generate triads 1,3,5 for each note in the major scale. E.g. In C major you get CEG (C), DFA (Dm), etc leading to the typical I ii iii IV ...
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I, (II), III major chord progression?
In Under the Bridge by Red Hot Chili Peppers, the introduction alternates between D and F# chords, with an E in between as a passing chord in some cases. There is also a g# passing note played over ...
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Modes: More complicated than it seems?
I've been playing guitar for almost 12 years now. I had never really gotten into what is described as 'modal playing'; I tried years ago and it seemed so hopelessly complicated that I abandoned it.
...
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How much of classical Arabic maqam music is improvised?
I am listening to a piece of music sung in maqam bayat (or bayati). It's Psalm 126, which is 7 verses long, but the piece takes about 10 minutes and sounds very improvisatory. This is similar to ...
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What do 'dominant' and 'plagal' mean in medieval music?
In classical style brief definitions would be...
Dominant: a major chord, built on the tone a perfect fifth above the tonic, used to form authentic, half, and deceptive cadences.
Plagal: a cadence ...
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Can the key of a song be only major or natural minor scale?
From what I read, the key of a song or piece of music can be either from the major scale or natural minor scale.
Is this true? Can a song have a key in a different scale?
I ask because there are ...
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Confusion on modes
I'm a bit confused about the modes. I'm learning them by ear through this app, where the app explains what to listen for. For instance: dorian has 2b (flats), and lydian has 1# (sharp).
The thing I'm ...
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How does “The Simpsons” main theme work?
http://www.hooktheory.com/theorytab/view/danny-elfman/the-simpsons-main-title-theme
How did the theme go from C Lydian to B Lydian to E Lydian to C Lydian to Db Lydian?
How did they (modulate) transit?...
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Does anyone have tips or tricks for remembering the function of mode harmony?
When I mean by that, I understand how the 7 modes are constructed:
Ionian: Major scale with no alterations
Dorian: natural minor scale with 1 alteration: #6
Phrygian: natural minor scale with 1 ...
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What set of notes can be used as a scale?
There are many different scales. As far as I understand, a scale is defined by intervals between notes. For example, for major scale it should be: tone-tone-semitone-tone-tone-tone-semitone
I know ...
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How is 12-bar blues harmonically possible?
How is 12-bar blues harmonically possible? Cmaj scale doesn't really have a C7 - F7 - G7. Is it done by borrowing chords from other modes? There seems to be a C7 in C mixolydian, F7 in C dorian and G7 ...
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Lydian harmony: What chords are tonic (T), subdominant (S), and dominant (D)?
The Lydian mode is the brightest-sounding mode and I am interested in how to utilize it.
Diatonic chords in Lydian = I, II, iii, ivø, V, vi, vii
What chords are tonic, subdominant, and dominant, in ...
user92536
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Does this progression through the modes have a name?
I discovered that if I play a major scale, i.e. Ionian mode, then move through the modes with the same root note in the following order:
Ionian
Mixolydian
Dorian
Aolian
Phrygian
Locrian
At this ...
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Are the 1,4,5 the primary chords in all modes?
I know in both major (Ionian) and minor (Aeolian) the 1 4 5 chords are the primary chords. as they seem to come up more often than other chords. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Primary_triad
In Aeolian ...
user34288
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Using the Circle of Fifths for Modal Music Key Changes: Is this oversimplifying?
I am learning about the modes, relative scales, and the circle of fifths. I am interested in adding key changes to my playing.
I understand that if you're playing in, say C major, the easiest key ...
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What scales can you get modes from?
I know the modes from the major scale pretty well, and I've come to know that other scales like the melodic minor scales also has modes. So my question is, what other scales can modes be based off of ...
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What are modes added with sharps and flats to make them sound better called?
I'm watching this video about modes and right here he mentions something that sounds like 'musica fikta' which he explains as sharps and flats added to modes to make them sound better (right when ...
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Are modes in jazz primarily a melody thing?
I was wondering when jazz cats talk about how they'd use a Lydian scale to improvise over a major chord, or a Dorian scale to improvise over a minor chord they're mainly talking about the melody? So ...
user34288
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Fux Counterpoint
In Fux's study of First Species modal counterpoint, why is it permitted to raise the 7th as he approached the final cadence. I realize that allowing that creates a leading tone which sounds better, ...
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Why can't you use the same backing track for all modes of a scale?
I am seeing lots of statements online to guitarists that they should be careful to use the specific backing track for a mode. It seems to me that you should be able to use one backing track for all ...
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Is this progression considered to be in A mixolydian?
I have a chord progression that goes:
A Bm D A G
Other areas of the song also have an A, G, D, A progression.
Would this song considered to be in A mixolydian vs A major or D major since the root ...
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What is the difference between a dominant scale VS a mode?
I'm a beginner guitar player and I just started learning music theory. I've been going back and forth into scales and modes but I have little to zero knowledge of how they work, mainly knowing about ...
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Categorizing modes of scales other than major scale
Modes of major scale are often ordered such that each consecutive scale can be obtained by altering one step of the previous one:
lydian 1 2 3 #4 5 6 7
ionian 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
...
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Are parent scales always major?
As a classical musician, the notion of "parent scales" isn't something I encountered until I started visiting this website.
From context, I understand the concept just fine. But it seems that answers ...
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