Since your “key signature” won’t change as we go through the modes, you’ll be able to play each mode using the C major scale formula. It’s equivalent to the first mode: Ionian. I’ll go through and build each mode from the C major scale and provide an example from music history to help you understand the potential of each mode in your own songwriting. Ironically, you can use the mnemonic I Don’t Particularly Like Modes A Lot to remember it! So what are they and how can you remember them? The sound of the modes come from their unique constructions. Once you start experimenting with modes, you’ll recognize a lot of the sounds and colour they have to offer. Their melodic signatures can bring a lot of drama and freshness to your sound. If you’ve been writing a lot using the vanilla major and minor scales, your next song can benefit from some modal flavour!Įach mode has its own unique colour and mood. Today, modal music refers to pieces of music where modes are used structurally and harmonically in place of traditional functional harmony. In early music, the modes were used similarly to how we use keys now. Instead of one all-purpose scale that could be transposed into different keys, there were 7 modes that each had their own structure. The 7 modes, Ionian, Dorian, Phrygian, Lydian, Mixolydian, Aeolian and Locrian, come from the earliest forms of western music.īefore we figured out the math for dividing the octave into 12 equal tones, we had to make do with an imperfect system.
![explaining minor scales and melodic minor scales explaining minor scales and melodic minor scales](http://www.piano-play-it.com/images/all-melodic-minor-scales.png)
Musical modes are a type of scale with distinct melodic characteristics.
#Explaining minor scales and melodic minor scales how to
This article will show you how to build-and remember-each musical mode, what they sound like and ways to explore them further. If you need to break out of a creative rut, modes are the easiest alternative to your same old major scale. Music theory is one of the most common roadblocks for self-taught musicians and producers.īut the truth is, all you need to expand your tonal palette is a little practical understanding of music modes. Even if you know it’ll pay off, the idea of sitting down and memorizing musical scales isn’t anyone’s idea of a creative flow.