Modes

 

In a previous post I attemted to explain and clear up confusion about minor scales. Here I will explain what people refer to as "modes."

The so-called modes are simply other scales whose construction is similar to the scales you are already familiar with -- major and minor. They also have 7 tones and have mostly whole steps with half steps in two places in the scale. No two scales have the same exact construction (if they did they would sound identical!).

The modes are: Dorian, Phrygian, Lydian, Mixolydian, and Lochrian. What many people don't know is that our major scale used to be called Ionian, and our minor scale was called Aeolian. In the Western world there are these seven basic scales, upon which most of our music is based (although I personally know of no music which is based on the Lochrian scale.)

As you can tell from the names, all these scales came to us from the ancient Greeks. No one "invented" them; we have to assume that people started singing, or playing simple instruments, and someone (it is attributed to Pythagoras -- yes, the math guy) codified and wrote down what he heard people singing.  As far as we know, he identified the seven scales listed above. We don't know if some were predominant and others less so. We know that at least several of these scales continued to be used through the Middle Ages. When people hear the chants and other music from the Middle Ages they will often say it sounds "modal," and that is because many are based on the non-major and non-minor scales.

Sometime later, certain scales began to be used more and other less. I am fairly certain that this is because of the growth of the importance and complexity of harmony. Certain scales seem to work better with harmony. The Ionian scale became known as Major, and the Aeolian as Minor. In the centers of the growth of Classical music -- Germany, Austria, France and Italy -- the major and minor scales became the favored scales. However, the other five scales hung around, especially on the "fringes" of Europe such as Eastern Europe and the British Isles. 

Even into our modern age you will hear composers such as Bartok (Hungarian) using Dorian and other older scales, because he heard these in the folk music where he grew up. Even Chopin (Polish) used some, such as Lydian, for parts of his pieces (never the whole piece, however). In Celtic music you will hear Dorian. Debussy was searching for new sounds and he turned to using the modes, which, at his time and place, would have sounded very unusual and exotic.  This is just a partial list. Even the Beatles have some elements of the modes. There is a hint of Dorian in Eleanor Rigby and I think that Norwegian Wood is in Mixolydian. 

When students learn about these other scales, they are often shown them on the piano. All of you reading this know that if you play from C to C on the white keys you get C major. If you play from A to A on the white keys you get A minor. Following along with this idea, if you play from D to D on white keys you get Dorian; E to E is Phrygian, F to F is Lydian, G to G is Mixolydian, B to B is Lochrian. However, you must remember that ALL of these scales came into being hundreds of year before the first keyboard instrument, so they were in no way influenced by the idea of "white keys." (See my post titled "Do you have a white key mentality?") Any and all of the scales/modes can begin on any key, white or black. The scale is determined by where the whole and half steps fall, as mentioned above. I have found people to be confused and locked in to the idea of these modes being all white keys.

As mentioned, many composers have used the modes in their compositions. Jazz improvisors use them (but I caution you about asking a jazz musician to explain modes to you; it may be very confusing!). If you enjoy improvising, I would encourage you to try improvising in, let's say, Dorian. You may find yourself drifting to minor (since Dorian and minor are similar). Our ears are so conditioned to hear just major and minor that is is challenging to really hear the others. You can do it on white keys the first few times to make it easier, but then challenge yourself to play them starting on other keys. Most people will experience the modes as a new and "refreshing" sound. As with some other areas of life, what's old is new again.