Modes.... need a simple explanation please.

[geo]

Hi guys, I'm a campfire strummer trying to stretch himself, I'm doing the FAWM thing and they mentioned using MODES but I can't make heads or tails of the explanation.... very little theory on my part... let's say this is a blues progression:E / / / A / E / / / B / A /What might a progression in a MODE look like?Thanks for any help... Geo

[arkjack]

Its based on intervalic analysis.Major scale c d e f g a b the ionian chords C Dm Em F G Am B dim. The dorian chords Cm Dm E F Gm Adim B phrygian Cm D E Fm Gdim A Bm So for a Dorian tune set in an e blues;Em7 A Em7 Bm A Em 7 That is a very simplified explanation. The effect is on the choice of melody notes that are full diatonic to E Dorian.That'll get you started.ArkJackThat'll get you started.

[hummingbird]

a mode would be more about notes than about chord progression.I think your E / / / A / E / / / B / A /would use the Phrygian scaleso, typically, in the key of E major, the notes of the scale would beE, F#, G#, A, B, C#, D#, EPhrygian scale notes would be"E, F, G, A, B, C, D" (playing the white notes on the piano)So you would have to change your chord progression toEm / / / Am / Em / / / Bmb5 / Am / so there are no flats or sharpsHTH.This challenge will be fun!

[arkjack]

Bird,Between you and I we just might totally fry geo's mind.....Ark

[og]

Didn't do mine any good, either.

[squids]

Quote:Didn't do mine any good, either.Me neither! LOL

[horacejesse]

Hi, George. Modes pertain both to notes of a scale and chord progressions.From a C major scale the following chords are made: C, Dm, Em, F, G, Am, Bdim.The usual song in the key of C keeps coming back (resolving as they say) to a C chord. But it does not have to come back to C. Any one of the chords above can be the one that is resolved to. When that happens the piece is said to be modal.Think of a piece in Am that only uses the chords that can be made from a C major scale. Instead of C,F and G being the 1,4 and 5, Am, Dm and Em, are the 1,4,5 chords of the new key.It is OK to call a mode a key because there is a more encompassing term called the Tonal Center. So this piece would be in the key of Am but with a Tonal Center of C major. We could also say the song is in the sixth mode of C major. Each of the seven modes also is named after its own Greek city/state or something like that. We don't need to worry about those names, since they are just more baggage that can confuse.To play the modal scale represented here, start your scale on the note A instead of C, and proceed using only the notes of a C major scale until you reach A again.The Beatles song And I love Her is in the second mode. It may have a "key" of Dm but the tonal center is C major even though a C chord only appears briefly a couple of times. In fact, it uses all the triads (three note chords) that are made from C major scale, except for the Bdim chord, which it ignores. Only at the very end as the last chord becomes A major instead of Am does it step out of the mode. But at that point the song is over.This is an example of a song that stays in the pure mode all the way until the last chord.An example which does not stay pure would be the old instrumental Tequilla. Most of the piece goes G to F over and over. If you play a C major scale while this is going on, you will hear that C major is still the home key or Tonal Center.In its little chorus it then steps briefly out of the mode by using a Bbdim and a few moments later an A7 to a D7. None of these three chords can be made from a C major scale. But the D7 plays the role of the 5 chord relative to G. It plays this role better by becoming a seventh chord. Then it is right back to G and the 5th mode.C Dm Em F G Am Bdim C Dm Em F G Am Bdim CCounting up respectively four and five degrees from any of these chords will give you the 1,4 and 5 chords of that particular mode.Geesh, I know this stuff can be confusing. Once you get it it doesn't seem so complex anymore. But heck, you could say the same thing about multi variable calculus or any other deep subject. Modes are, after all a pretty deep subject and only seem simple after years of reflection.I want to make it clear for you, but unfortunately I do not have that 25 word answer that settles everything. Hope this can help a little though.

[crs7string]

There was another post awhile ago about chords built a on the notes of a major scale. The chord based on the 7th of the scale is a half diminished chord.A B diminished chord is B, D, F and Ab. (the Ab is not in a C scale)A B half diminished is B, D, F and A natural. This is looking at it from a scale tone 7th chord perspective.Sorry in advance for trying to be a "music theory snob" On another note, as a jazz guitarist there was a phase of everyone practicing modes and learning the scales and modes that fit every possible chord progression.On a Joe Pass video he tends to dispel the whole notion of practicing modes.His approach was when you encountered a D minor chord in the key of C, you played a C scale. When you encountered a G7 chord as the five chord in the key of C, you played a C. scale. Resolving to the one chord (Cmaj7) you play a C scale. With the exception of some modes that have altered scale tones, practicing major and harmonic minor and melodic minor scales you have all the modes under your fingers. It just depends on what scale tone you start on. (d dorian=C scale starting on D. G mixolydian= C scale started on G. It's all still the C scale)My all time favorite mode is Super Locrian. (when you analyze the mode, the first half is a diminished scale, the second half a whole tone scale) It sounds great over the five chord!!! "Music Theory Snob" Chuck

[ibanez468]

Geo!!!Did ya' get all that???? ibanez468

[horacejesse]

Quote:My all time favorite mode is Super Locrian.That would be mine too, also known as the altered scale, the seventh mode of the melodic minor.They can call it a dim or a half dim, but it is really a V7 chord without a root. The most significant notes are the 3rd and 7th anyway. It is only given another name so that its first name can be B in the Key of C, since by convention every degree has to have a different letter name.You think you can out-snob me, eh?