Understanding Modes: From Light to Dark

So another way to think about modes is:

• Rather than them being a diatonic set of scales related to a parent chord (like we've done with the C major modes), consider playing all your modes from the same starting point. This allows you to hear the contrast between each one more effectively.

Arranging the Modes

I'm going to arrange my modes from light to dark, shifting from the most major to the most minor.

1. Lydian Mode:

   • Starts with a sharpened note
   • Has a sharpened fourth, which makes it actually one step brighter than a major scale.

2. Ionian Mode:

   • I'm going to flatten the fourth note to create the major scale (Ionian mode).

3. Mixolydian Mode:

   • To get from Ionian to a Mixolydian scale, I'll flatten the seventh to make C Mixolydian.

4. Dorian Mode:

   • Next, I'll flatten the third to create a C Dorian scale, which has:
     • A flattened seventh
     • A flattened third

5. Aeolian Mode:

   • I'll then flatten the sixth, giving us the Aeolian mode.
   • So far, I have:
     • Flat 3
     • Flat 7
     • Flat 6

6. Phrygian Mode:

   • I'm going to flatten the second to create the Spanish sound in the Phrygian mode.
   • Now I have:
     • A flattened third
     • A flattened seventh
     • A flattened sixth
     • A flattened second

7. Locrian Mode:

   • Finally, I'll move to the Locrian scale, which has a flattened fifth.
   • This really is the most minor sound and contrasts the most with the Lydian mode.

Putting It All Together

If you listen to the backing track, you'll notice:

• There are four bars per chord.
• I'll play up and down each scale, starting with the Lydian and graduating through the modes until I get to the Locrian.

You'll observe that the bass remains static on a C throughout, rather than in the previous exercise, where the bass moves up a step each time.